Corsicana, Texas
Encyclopedia
Corsicana is a city
in Navarro County, Texas
, United States
. It is located on Interstate 45
some fifty-five miles south of downtown Dallas. The population was 24,485 at the 2000 census
. It is the county seat
of Navarro County.
after the Mediterranean island of Corsica
, the birthplace of his father, who died when Navarro and his many siblings were young.
Women's' groups have had a strong role throughout the history of the city, with one of the earliest efforts being the establishment of the Corsicana Female Literary Institute, a school which operated from 1857 through 1870. The first public library in Corsicana opened in 1901 by effort of the women's' clubs of the city. A 1905 library gift by Andrew Carnegie
gave the library a permanent home and its first full-time, professionally trained librarian
. The library today is housed in a dedicated building downtown and boasts more than 52,283 books, 6,306 audio materials, 783 video materials, and 122 serial subscriptions.
The Corsicana Jewish community dates from 1871; while there are few Jewish residents of Corsicana today, the Historical Society has restored the 1898 Moorish Revival
Temple Beth-El, Corsicana, now used as a community center.
The Corsicana YMCA
was founded in 1884, and has grown with patron funding facilitated by local community leaders over 125 years, including in its earliest days George Taylor Jester
(1847–1922), a wealthy dry goods and cotton distributor, later banker and lieutenant governor of Texas
.
The Corsicana oil field was accidentally discovered in 1894 by water prospectors hired by the Corsicana Water Development authority. It was the first commercially significant oilfield find in Texas. An even larger oil field, the Powell oil field
, was discovered in 1923, some ten miles east of Corsicana. Another significant area oil and gas find occurred in 1956. Each oil and gas discovery brought a renewed development boom to the city.
During World War II
, an airman flying school called Corsicana Air Field trained thousands of pilots.
Downtown also features the historic State National Bank building (built in 1926), several coffeeshops and eateries, an art gallery and several bric-à-brac outlets, and many brick-faced storefronts of historical interest.
There is also a popular green park a short walk from the county courthouse downtown, with meandering creeks, walking, jogging and bike trails, lighted tennis courts, a children's play area with a retired fire truck, spray park, and designated skate area. At one end of the community park is the town YMCA, with a year-round indoor pool, basketball courts, cardio- and free-weight equipment, and instructor-led fitness workshops.
The town also has several museums: Pioneer Village, located by Jester Park, offers reconstructed buildings and artifacts from the early historical period of the area, as well as a museum to Lefty Frizzell
, a Nashville singer born in town during the late 1920s.
The Cook Education Center, located on the Navarro College
campus, is a multi-facted venue offering event space, gift shop, a planetarium, Civil War museum, and Western Art gallery. The planetarium is among the largest in Texas featuring a 60-foot dome and 200 seats. The planetarium offers narrated astronomical shows and 70mm film for nominal admission. The center is also home to the Pearce Collections Museum which boasts a collection of Civil War memorabilia and a Western Art gallery featuring a number of renowned western artists. The Cook Education Center hosts the annual Navarro College Foundation fundraiser Elegance which benefits scholarship programs for Navarro College students.
The Cinemark multi-screen theater on Seventh Avenue offers first-run movies with state-of-the-art digital projection and sound equipment at bargain prices.
The Navarro College Performing Arts Department stages several musical recitals and two staged plays a year at the Dawson Auditorium on the west side of town.
The Navarro County Exposition Center on West State Highway 22 hosts an indoor soccer league and many horse shows year-round.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 21.7 square miles (56.2 km²), of which, 20.7 square miles (53.6 km²) of it is land and 1 square miles (2.6 km²) of it is water
. The total area is 4.42% water.
Corsicana is home to the Lake Halbert dam and recreational park, and is less than fifteen miles from Richland Chambers Reservoir, with recreational fishing, public boat ramps, and 330 miles of treed and green shorelines. Richland Chambers Reservoir is the third-largest lake by surface area and the eighth-largest reservoir by water volume in Texas.
Corsicana rainfall averages 39.5 inches per year. Leafy oak, pecan, magnolia, and walnut trees are common, and grasses grow tall and green. Rain is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year, with small wetter peaks in May and October.
, which has been making fruitcake
s since 1896. Oil City Iron Works, Inc.
, today a ductile and gray iron foundry
, was started in 1866 to make parts for the owner's cotton gin. Wolf Brand Chili
, a national brand named for the owner's pet wolf, Kaiser Bill, started in 1895 as a downtown by-the-bowl lunch wagon.
Today's economy shows little reliance on oil and gas. Major employers include Russell Stover Candies
and Collin Street Bakery, Guardian Industries (glass), Corsicana Bedding, the Kohl's
and Home Depot distribution centers, Navarro Regional hospital (160+ beds), Trinity/Mother Francis Health System, and the Texas State Home. There are several 24/7 pharmacies, grocery stores, and chain department stores scattered about the town. College Park Mall is an enclosed shopping mall which primarily houses a Beall's clothing store. Additionally, a 24-hour Wal-Mart
Supercenter can be found on the southwestern edge of the town.
Corsicana was also the home of the coin-arcade and video game company, Tradewest
, founded in 1986. Tradewest was known for such Nintendo Entertainment System classics as Double Dragon and Battletoads. Tradewest later became Williams Entertainment (known for the Mortal Kombat series) in 1994, then Midway Home Entertainment after an acquisition from WMS Industries. The Corsicana offices were closed by Midway in late 2002.
, which offers Associate degrees and is also a satellite facility of Texas A&M University-Commerce, through which students can receive bachelor's
and graduate degrees.
The Corsicana Independent School District
(CISD) has an enrollment of over 5,700 students. Five Corsicana Independent School District schools have been lauded by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) as Recognized campuses in the ratings released recently.
Bowie, Fannin, Carroll and Navarro Elementaries and Drane Intermediate School all achieved Recognized status.
Collins Middle School and Corsicana High School were rated Academically Acceptable by the TEA. The Corsicana ISD received Academically Acceptable status from the state.
Corsicana also has one private school, James L. Collins
Catholic School, for grades K-8. Founded in 1953 by a bequest from its namesake benefactor, the school today has an enrollment of 270 students.
of 2000, there were 24,485 people, 8,762 households, and 5,966 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,180.4 people per square mile (455.8/km²). There were 9,552 housing units at an average density of 460.5 per square mile (177.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 59.28% White, 23.59% African American, 0.49% Native American, 0.63% Asian, 0.47% Pacific Islander, 13.64% from other races
, and 1.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.47% of the population.
There were 8,762 households out of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples
living together, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.21.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.3% under the age of 18, 12.6% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,203, and the median income for a family was $33,078. Males had a median income of $27,516 versus $19,844 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $14,001. About 17.4% of families and 22.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.4% of those under age 18 and 15.1% of those age 65 or over.
The housing stock in 2007 consisted of 12,313 houses and condominiums. About two-thirds were owner-occupied, and one-third rented. The median price asked for vacant for-sale houses and condos in 2007 was $87,955. The median amount of real estate property taxes paid for housing units in 2007 was $912.
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
in Navarro County, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is located on Interstate 45
Interstate 45
Interstate 45 is an intrastate Interstate Highway located entirely within the U.S. state of Texas. It connects the cities of Dallas and Houston, continuing southeast from Houston to Galveston over the Galveston Causeway to the Gulf of Mexico...
some fifty-five miles south of downtown Dallas. The population was 24,485 at the 2000 census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Navarro County.
History
Founded in 1848, Corsicana was named by José Antonio NavarroJosé Antonio Navarro
José Antonio Navarro was a Texas statesman, revolutionary, politician, and merchant. The son of Ángel Navarro and Josefa María Ruiz y Pena, he was born into a distinguished noble family at San Antonio de Béxar in New Spain....
after the Mediterranean island of Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
, the birthplace of his father, who died when Navarro and his many siblings were young.
Women's' groups have had a strong role throughout the history of the city, with one of the earliest efforts being the establishment of the Corsicana Female Literary Institute, a school which operated from 1857 through 1870. The first public library in Corsicana opened in 1901 by effort of the women's' clubs of the city. A 1905 library gift by Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
gave the library a permanent home and its first full-time, professionally trained librarian
Librarian
A librarian is an information professional trained in library and information science, which is the organization and management of information services or materials for those with information needs...
. The library today is housed in a dedicated building downtown and boasts more than 52,283 books, 6,306 audio materials, 783 video materials, and 122 serial subscriptions.
The Corsicana Jewish community dates from 1871; while there are few Jewish residents of Corsicana today, the Historical Society has restored the 1898 Moorish Revival
Moorish Revival
Moorish Revival or Neo-Moorish is one of the exotic revival architectural styles that were adopted by architects of Europe and the Americas in the wake of the Romanticist fascination with all things oriental...
Temple Beth-El, Corsicana, now used as a community center.
The Corsicana YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
was founded in 1884, and has grown with patron funding facilitated by local community leaders over 125 years, including in its earliest days George Taylor Jester
George Taylor Jester
George Taylor Jester served as Lieutenant Governor of Texas from 1895 to 1899. He was born in Macoupin County, Illinois to Levi and Diadema Jester...
(1847–1922), a wealthy dry goods and cotton distributor, later banker and lieutenant governor of Texas
Lieutenant Governor of Texas
The Lieutenant Governor of Texas is the second-highest executive office in the government of Texas, a state in the U.S. It is the second most powerful post in Texas government because its occupant controls the work of the Texas Senate and controls the budgeting process as a leader of the...
.
The Corsicana oil field was accidentally discovered in 1894 by water prospectors hired by the Corsicana Water Development authority. It was the first commercially significant oilfield find in Texas. An even larger oil field, the Powell oil field
Powell oil field
The Powell oil field was an oil field developed in eastern Navarro County, Texas in 1923.Encouraged by nearby discoveries in Mexia and Wortham, the Corsicana Deep Well Company announced plans to drill for oil in the Powell area in the June 9, 1919 issue of the Corsicana Daily Sun...
, was discovered in 1923, some ten miles east of Corsicana. Another significant area oil and gas find occurred in 1956. Each oil and gas discovery brought a renewed development boom to the city.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, an airman flying school called Corsicana Air Field trained thousands of pilots.
Arts and entertainment
Today's downtown supports an active performing arts community, with year-round live theater, art exhibits, and music performances in a corner of downtown anchored by the Warehouse Living Arts Center and the Palace Theater.Downtown also features the historic State National Bank building (built in 1926), several coffeeshops and eateries, an art gallery and several bric-à-brac outlets, and many brick-faced storefronts of historical interest.
There is also a popular green park a short walk from the county courthouse downtown, with meandering creeks, walking, jogging and bike trails, lighted tennis courts, a children's play area with a retired fire truck, spray park, and designated skate area. At one end of the community park is the town YMCA, with a year-round indoor pool, basketball courts, cardio- and free-weight equipment, and instructor-led fitness workshops.
The town also has several museums: Pioneer Village, located by Jester Park, offers reconstructed buildings and artifacts from the early historical period of the area, as well as a museum to Lefty Frizzell
Lefty Frizzell
Lefty Frizzell , born William Orville Frizzell, was an American country music singer and songwriter of the 1950s, and a proponent of honky tonk music. His relaxed style of singing was an influence on later stars Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Roy Orbison, George Jones and John Fogerty...
, a Nashville singer born in town during the late 1920s.
The Cook Education Center, located on the Navarro College
Navarro College
Navarro College is a two-year public institution consisting of a main campus located in Corsicana, with branches in Mexia, Midlothian, and Waxahachie, Texas...
campus, is a multi-facted venue offering event space, gift shop, a planetarium, Civil War museum, and Western Art gallery. The planetarium is among the largest in Texas featuring a 60-foot dome and 200 seats. The planetarium offers narrated astronomical shows and 70mm film for nominal admission. The center is also home to the Pearce Collections Museum which boasts a collection of Civil War memorabilia and a Western Art gallery featuring a number of renowned western artists. The Cook Education Center hosts the annual Navarro College Foundation fundraiser Elegance which benefits scholarship programs for Navarro College students.
The Cinemark multi-screen theater on Seventh Avenue offers first-run movies with state-of-the-art digital projection and sound equipment at bargain prices.
The Navarro College Performing Arts Department stages several musical recitals and two staged plays a year at the Dawson Auditorium on the west side of town.
The Navarro County Exposition Center on West State Highway 22 hosts an indoor soccer league and many horse shows year-round.
Geography
Corsicana is located at 32°5′33"N 96°28′10"W (32.092480, -96.469407).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 21.7 square miles (56.2 km²), of which, 20.7 square miles (53.6 km²) of it is land and 1 square miles (2.6 km²) of it is water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
. The total area is 4.42% water.
Corsicana is home to the Lake Halbert dam and recreational park, and is less than fifteen miles from Richland Chambers Reservoir, with recreational fishing, public boat ramps, and 330 miles of treed and green shorelines. Richland Chambers Reservoir is the third-largest lake by surface area and the eighth-largest reservoir by water volume in Texas.
Climate
Corsicana has a moderate humid subtropical climate. The range of low-high average temperatures in January, April, July, and October is 34/55, 53/75, 73/95, and 55/79 degrees Fahrenheit.Corsicana rainfall averages 39.5 inches per year. Leafy oak, pecan, magnolia, and walnut trees are common, and grasses grow tall and green. Rain is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year, with small wetter peaks in May and October.
Economy
Corsicana is best known as the home of the Collin Street BakeryCollin Street Bakery
The Collin Street Bakery is in Corsicana, and is world renown for its delicious DeLuxe Fruitcakes. They ship to all 50 states, US possessions and 195 foreign lands.The Bakery is the proud recipient of the president's coveted "E-Award".-Early history:...
, which has been making fruitcake
Fruitcake
Fruitcake is a cake made with chopped candied fruit and/or dried fruit, nuts, and spices, and soaked in spirits. A cake that simply has fruit in it as an ingredient can also be colloquially called a fruitcake. In the United Kingdom, certain rich versions may be iced and decorated...
s since 1896. Oil City Iron Works, Inc.
Oil City Iron Works, Inc.
-History:The modern Oil City Iron Works plant grew from a small machine shop and foundry started in Corsicana, Texas in 1866 by John Winship to make parts for his cotton gin. He sold the operation in 1886 to businessmen Joseph Huey , James Garitty , and J. E. Whiteselle , who named it the...
, today a ductile and gray iron foundry
Foundry
A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal in a mold, and removing the mold material or casting after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals processed are aluminum and cast iron...
, was started in 1866 to make parts for the owner's cotton gin. Wolf Brand Chili
Wolf Brand Chili
Wolf Brand Chili is a brand of chili con carne currently owned by ConAgra Foods. It is available either with or without beans.-History of the brand:...
, a national brand named for the owner's pet wolf, Kaiser Bill, started in 1895 as a downtown by-the-bowl lunch wagon.
Today's economy shows little reliance on oil and gas. Major employers include Russell Stover Candies
Russell Stover Candies
Russell Stover Candies, Inc. is a supplier of candy, chocolate, and confections in the United States. They are headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri.- Ice cream years :...
and Collin Street Bakery, Guardian Industries (glass), Corsicana Bedding, the Kohl's
Kohl's
Kohl's Corporation is an American department store chain headquartered in the Milwaukee suburb of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, operating , 1,089 stores in 49 states. In 1998, it entered the S&P 500 list, and is also listed in the Fortune 500...
and Home Depot distribution centers, Navarro Regional hospital (160+ beds), Trinity/Mother Francis Health System, and the Texas State Home. There are several 24/7 pharmacies, grocery stores, and chain department stores scattered about the town. College Park Mall is an enclosed shopping mall which primarily houses a Beall's clothing store. Additionally, a 24-hour Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
Supercenter can be found on the southwestern edge of the town.
Corsicana was also the home of the coin-arcade and video game company, Tradewest
Tradewest
Tradewest is a now-defunct American video game company based in Corsicana, Texas that produced numerous games in the 1980s and early 1990s. The company is best known as the publisher of the Battletoads and Double Dragon series in North America and the PAL region.The Tradewest name was revived in...
, founded in 1986. Tradewest was known for such Nintendo Entertainment System classics as Double Dragon and Battletoads. Tradewest later became Williams Entertainment (known for the Mortal Kombat series) in 1994, then Midway Home Entertainment after an acquisition from WMS Industries. The Corsicana offices were closed by Midway in late 2002.
Schools
Corsicana is home to Navarro CollegeNavarro College
Navarro College is a two-year public institution consisting of a main campus located in Corsicana, with branches in Mexia, Midlothian, and Waxahachie, Texas...
, which offers Associate degrees and is also a satellite facility of Texas A&M University-Commerce, through which students can receive bachelor's
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
and graduate degrees.
The Corsicana Independent School District
Corsicana Independent School District
Corsicana Independent School District is a public school district based in Corsicana, Texas .In addition to Corsicana, the district serves the central Navarro County towns of Angus, Mustang, Oak Valley, Retreat, and Richland...
(CISD) has an enrollment of over 5,700 students. Five Corsicana Independent School District schools have been lauded by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) as Recognized campuses in the ratings released recently.
Bowie, Fannin, Carroll and Navarro Elementaries and Drane Intermediate School all achieved Recognized status.
Collins Middle School and Corsicana High School were rated Academically Acceptable by the TEA. The Corsicana ISD received Academically Acceptable status from the state.
Corsicana also has one private school, James L. Collins
James L. Collins
James L. Collins was a self-made oil man later turned banker and community philanthropist.A native of Weston, W.V, Collins early proved opportunistic and self-reliant...
Catholic School, for grades K-8. Founded in 1953 by a bequest from its namesake benefactor, the school today has an enrollment of 270 students.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 24,485 people, 8,762 households, and 5,966 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,180.4 people per square mile (455.8/km²). There were 9,552 housing units at an average density of 460.5 per square mile (177.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 59.28% White, 23.59% African American, 0.49% Native American, 0.63% Asian, 0.47% Pacific Islander, 13.64% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.47% of the population.
There were 8,762 households out of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.21.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.3% under the age of 18, 12.6% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,203, and the median income for a family was $33,078. Males had a median income of $27,516 versus $19,844 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $14,001. About 17.4% of families and 22.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.4% of those under age 18 and 15.1% of those age 65 or over.
The housing stock in 2007 consisted of 12,313 houses and condominiums. About two-thirds were owner-occupied, and one-third rented. The median price asked for vacant for-sale houses and condos in 2007 was $87,955. The median amount of real estate property taxes paid for housing units in 2007 was $912.
People from Corsicana
- Spice 1Spice 1Robert L. Green, Jr., better known by his stage name Spice 1, is an American rapper from Hayward, California. He has consistently been releasing solo and group albums since 1992. Spice 1 was ranked number 56 in The Source magazine's Top 115 Hip-Hop Artists from 1988–2003...
, rapper - Aaron AllstonAaron AllstonAaron Allston is an American game designer and novelist of many science fiction books, notably Star Wars novels. His works as a game designer include game supplements for several role-playing games, several of which served to establish the basis for products and subsequent development of TSR's...
, science fiction novelist - Maceo Demond Baston, professional basketball player
- Mary BrianMary BrianMary Brian was an American actress and movie star who made the transition from 'silents' to 'talkies'.-Early life:...
, silent film era movie star (1906–2002) - Lefty FrizzellLefty FrizzellLefty Frizzell , born William Orville Frizzell, was an American country music singer and songwriter of the 1950s, and a proponent of honky tonk music. His relaxed style of singing was an influence on later stars Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Roy Orbison, George Jones and John Fogerty...
, repeat country music Top 10 singer and songwriter, (1928–1975) - Tyree GlennTyree GlennEvan Tyree Glenn was an American trombone player.-Biography:...
, trombone player, (1912–1974) - Allyn Gordon, watercolor artist (1909–1978)
- John HardeeJohn HardeeJohn Hardee was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.Hardee toured with Don Albert in 1937-38 while he was still in college; he graduated in 1941. He directed a local Texas school band and served in the Army during World War II...
, jazz saxophonist (1918–1984) - Julie HausJulie HausJulie Haus-Alkire is an American fashion designer. She was born in Texas and raised in various cities across the state. Julie Haus, as she is known in the fashion industry, was taught to sew by her maternal grandmother around the age of ten...
, a.k.a. Julie Ann Hoeinghaus, fashion designer - Skip HicksSkip HicksBrian LaVell "Skip" Hicks is a former American football running back in the National Football League. In his four seasons, Hicks played for the Washington Redskins and the Tennessee Titans...
, former NFL running back Washington RedskinsWashington RedskinsThe Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,... - Beauford Jester, governor of Texas 1947–1949, (1893–1949)
- Wesley JohnsonWesley Johnson (basketball)Wesley JaMarr Johnson is an American basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves. He played college basketball at Syracuse and Iowa State...
, basketball player for Minnesota TimberwolvesMinnesota TimberwolvesThe Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
of the NBANational Basketball LeagueNational Basketball League may mean:* National Basketball League , the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Australasia* National Basketball League * National Basketball League of Canada...
. - John Larry Kelly, Jr., scientist and mathematician (1923–1965)
- Danieal ManningDanieal ManningDanieal Manning is a professional American football safety for the Houston Texans. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears with the 42nd pick in the 2006 NFL Draft from Abilene Christian University, which made him the first player from a non-Division I school to be selected that year...
, NFL defensive back for the Houston TexansHouston TexansThe Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - David "Fathead" NewmanDavid Newman (jazz musician)David "Fathead" Newman was an American jazz saxophonist.-Biography:Born in Corsicana, Texas, Newman's professional career as a musician began in 1954 as a member of the Ray Charles Band....
, jazz saxophonist (1933–2009) - Bill O'NealBill O'NealJohn William O'Neal, known as Bill O'Neal , is an American author who has written some thirty books and more than three hundred articles and book reviews on the American West, including gunfighters, lawmen, and ghost towns; Country music, with emphasis on Texas artists; baseball, such as his study...
, historian of the American West - Billy Joe ShaverBilly Joe ShaverBilly Joe Shaver is a Texas country music singer and songwriter. Shaver's 1973 album Old Five and Dimers Like Me is a classic in the outlaw country genre.-Biography:...
, Texas Country Music Hall of Fame singer and songwriter - Cameron Todd Willingham, convicted of triple murder and arson; executed (1968–2004)