Denver City, Texas
Encyclopedia
Denver City is a town
in Gaines and Yoakum counties in the U.S. state
of Texas
, just a short distance from the New Mexico
boundary that is named for the petroleum
company, Denver Productions. The population was 3,985 at the 2000 census
. The town is located at the intersection of Texas State Highways 214 and 83.
Oil and ranching remain important to Denver City. The first well was drilled by the wildcatter
"Red" Davidson of Fort Worth
on the ranch lands of L.P. and Ruth Bennett and her father, Dr. J.R. Smith. Oil gushed to the surface for the first time on October 10, 1935. A part of this Wasson Field, as it is known, is the site of the Yoakum County Park, donated in 1964 by Gene H. Bennett (1921-1998), the youngest son of the Bennetts.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 2.5 square miles (6.5 km2), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 3,985 people, 1,366 households, and 1,102 families residing in the town. The population density
was 1,594.5 people per square mile (615.4/km2). There were 1,644 housing units at an average density of 657.8 per square mile (253.9/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 68.38% White, 1.53% African American, 0.78% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 27.60% from other races
, and 1.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 47.15% of the population.
There were 1,366 households out of which 44.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.7% were married couples
living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.3% were non-families. 18.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 3.29.
In the town the population was spread out with 31.4% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $29,418, and the median income for a family was $35,972. Males had a median income of $35,156 versus $15,476 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $13,921. About 18.2% of families and 19.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.7% of those under age 18 and 10.3% of those age 65 or over.
Bickley's Grocery, owned and operated by Cecil Alonzo Bickley (1912-2004) and his wife, Peggy Patterson Bickley (1913-2007), was a popular business in Denver City from 1939 until the couple retired in 1974. Thriftway Foods then became the only supermarket in Denver City. The Bickleys met in the petroleum boom town
of Kilgore
in east Texas but moved to Denver City, when it too experienced oil discoveries. Bickley was born to Mr. and Mrs. C.A. Bickley, Sr., in the small community of De Leon
in Comanche County
in west Texas. The senior Bickley was actually named "Columbus Alonzo" but used only the initials "C.A". Bickley's grandmother was born on a July 4 and given the unusual first and middle names "Americas Independence". For many years, Bickley was viewed as "Mr. Denver City", a living legend in his small town. Denver City, whose roots date only to 1936, was the last west Texas boom town to have been established solely on the basis of oil, still vital to the area economy. He was a founding director of Yoakum County State Bank (now Wells Fargo
), the first financial institution in the town. He was a charter member of both the Denver City Lions Club and the Chamber of Commerce
. He was a Mason
and a Shriner. He served on the Yoakum County Hospital Board. He promoted public schools, particularly athletics, music, and literary programs. Bickley also served as a founding alderman
, having been elected to a single four-year term in 1940. He was named the "Outstanding Citizen of Denver City" in 1965.
Peggy Bickley, a native of Bernice
in Union Parish
, Louisiana
, at first hated living in dusty west Texas but in time became an energetic civic booster through the Order of the Eastern Star
, the Denver City Museum
, the Yoakum County/Cecil Bickley Library
(named for her husband), annual American Cancer Society
fund drive, the First United Methodist Church
, and the Denver City Chamber of Commerce
, which named her "Outstanding Citizen of Denver City" in 1984. The Bickleys had two children, Peggy Bickley Point of Austin
(born Christmas Day 1941) and William Michael Bickley of Fort Worth (born October 7, 1946). Peggy and Mike Bickley were born in Hobbs
, New Mexico
because there was no clinic in Denver City at the time of their births. Cecil and Peggy Bickley were Methodists. They are interred at the Denver City Memorial Cemetery.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in Gaines and Yoakum counties in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of 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...
, just a short distance from the New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
boundary that is named for the petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
company, Denver Productions. The population was 3,985 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
. The town is located at the intersection of Texas State Highways 214 and 83.
Oil and ranching remain important to Denver City. The first well was drilled by the wildcatter
Wildcatter
A wildcatter is an American term for a person who drills wildcat wells, which are oil wells drilled in areas not known to be oil fields. A wildcatter notable for his success was Texan oil tycoon Glenn McCarthy....
"Red" Davidson of Fort Worth
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
on the ranch lands of L.P. and Ruth Bennett and her father, Dr. J.R. Smith. Oil gushed to the surface for the first time on October 10, 1935. A part of this Wasson Field, as it is known, is the site of the Yoakum County Park, donated in 1964 by Gene H. Bennett (1921-1998), the youngest son of the Bennetts.
Geography
Denver City is located at 32.968580°N 102.831218°W (32.968580, -102.831218).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 town has a total area of 2.5 square miles (6.5 km2), all of it land.
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 3,985 people, 1,366 households, and 1,102 families residing in the town. 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 1,594.5 people per square mile (615.4/km2). There were 1,644 housing units at an average density of 657.8 per square mile (253.9/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 68.38% White, 1.53% African American, 0.78% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 27.60% 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 1.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 47.15% of the population.
There were 1,366 households out of which 44.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.7% 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, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.3% were non-families. 18.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 3.29.
In the town the population was spread out with 31.4% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $29,418, and the median income for a family was $35,972. Males had a median income of $35,156 versus $15,476 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 town was $13,921. About 18.2% of families and 19.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.7% of those under age 18 and 10.3% of those age 65 or over.
Cecil and Peggy Bickley
Boomtown
A boomtown is a community that experiences sudden and rapid population and economic growth. The growth is normally attributed to the nearby discovery of a precious resource such as gold, silver, or oil, although the term can also be applied to communities growing very rapidly for different reasons,...
of Kilgore
Kilgore, Texas
Kilgore is a city in Gregg and Rusk Counties in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Texas. It is the home of Kilgore College, and was also the childhood home of famous classical pianist Van Cliburn...
in east Texas but moved to Denver City, when it too experienced oil discoveries. Bickley was born to Mr. and Mrs. C.A. Bickley, Sr., in the small community of De Leon
De Leon, Texas
De Leon is a city located in Comanche County in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 2,433 at the time of the 2000 census.The town was laid out in April 1881 by surveying crews of the Texas Central Railway as it constructed a line from Ross, just north of Waco, to an undecided destination in...
in Comanche County
Comanche County, Texas
Comanche County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in Central Texas. In 2000, its population was 14,026. Comanche was founded in 1856. Comanche is named for the Comanche Native American tribe...
in west Texas. The senior Bickley was actually named "Columbus Alonzo" but used only the initials "C.A". Bickley's grandmother was born on a July 4 and given the unusual first and middle names "Americas Independence". For many years, Bickley was viewed as "Mr. Denver City", a living legend in his small town. Denver City, whose roots date only to 1936, was the last west Texas boom town to have been established solely on the basis of oil, still vital to the area economy. He was a founding director of Yoakum County State Bank (now Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company is an American multinational diversified financial services company with operations around the world. Wells Fargo is the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by assets and the largest bank by market capitalization. Wells Fargo is the second largest bank in deposits, home...
), the first financial institution in the town. He was a charter member of both the Denver City Lions Club and the Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
. He was a Mason
Masonic Lodge
This article is about the Masonic term for a membership group. For buildings named Masonic Lodge, see Masonic Lodge A Masonic Lodge, often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge, is the basic organisation of Freemasonry...
and a Shriner. He served on the Yoakum County Hospital Board. He promoted public schools, particularly athletics, music, and literary programs. Bickley also served as a founding alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
, having been elected to a single four-year term in 1940. He was named the "Outstanding Citizen of Denver City" in 1965.
Peggy Bickley, a native of Bernice
Bernice, Louisiana
Bernice is a town in Union Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,809 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Monroe Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
in Union Parish
Union Parish, Louisiana
Union Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Farmerville....
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, at first hated living in dusty west Texas but in time became an energetic civic booster through the Order of the Eastern Star
Order of the Eastern Star
The Order of the Eastern Star is a fraternal organization that both men and women can join. It was established in 1850 by Rob Morris, a lawyer and educator from Boston, Massachusetts, who had been an official with the Freemasons. It is based on teachings from the Bible, but is open to people of all...
, the Denver City Museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
, the Yoakum County/Cecil Bickley Library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
(named for her husband), annual American Cancer Society
American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is the "nationwide community-based voluntary health organization" dedicated, in their own words, "to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and...
fund drive, the First United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
, and the Denver City Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
, which named her "Outstanding Citizen of Denver City" in 1984. The Bickleys had two children, Peggy Bickley Point of Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
(born Christmas Day 1941) and William Michael Bickley of Fort Worth (born October 7, 1946). Peggy and Mike Bickley were born in Hobbs
Hobbs, New Mexico
Hobbs is a city in Lea County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 28,657 at the 2000 census.Hobbs is the principal city of the Hobbs, New Mexico Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Lea County.-Geography:...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
because there was no clinic in Denver City at the time of their births. Cecil and Peggy Bickley were Methodists. They are interred at the Denver City Memorial Cemetery.