Eagle Ford, Dallas, Texas
Encyclopedia
Eagle Ford is a neighborhood in West
Dallas
, Texas
, United States
.
. The area was first settled by the family of Enoch Horton, who moved there from Missouri
in November 1844. When Horton found an eagle's nest in the area, he named the crossing Eagle Ford. Soon after, several families from the nearby community of La Réunion
settled in Eagle Ford. Enoch's son James built the Eagle Ford Grist Mill and donated land in 1857 for the Horton Cemetery. He also gave land for the Texas and Pacific Railway
right-of-way and depot. In 1858, a post office opened in Eagle Ford and it remained in operation until 1866.
The community did not begin to develop until the depression 1873 halted construction of the Texas and Pacific Railway, which made Eagle Ford its western terminus until 1876. It became a major cattle-shipping point between the larger cities of Dallas and Fort Worth
. During that period, Eagle Ford grew into a community of several thousand people with a number of businesses. Another post office was secured and remained in operation until 1918. Construction on the Texas and Pacific resumed in 1876 and was completed to Fort Worth in 1878. The community declined as a cattle-shipping point, but evolved into an agricultural shipping point for the surrounding region. Eagle Ford's population hovered around 200 in 1882, but had decreased to fifty by the 1890s and remained at that level through the early twentieth century. In 1907, William Foster Cowham and Associates came to the area from Michigan
and began buying property, including some of James Horton's original land holdings. They established the Southwestern States Portland Cement Company and built two villages in the area to house their employees, many of whom were Mexican
immigrants.
It wasn't until the 1940s that Eagle Ford began to experience significant growth. Approximately 150 people lived in the community in 1941. After World War II
, the return of war veterans spurred housing developments in the area. The demand was so great that many residents lived in temporary shelters until their houses were completed. A large segment of Eagle Ford's new residents were African-Americans who came to the area in search of jobs. Home choices were limited due to rigid racial segregation
policies present in most local neighborhoods. Black families were encouraged to settle in Eagle Ford and ads for properties in the community were listed in local newspapers under "Colored Lots." Living conditions were substandard and consisted of small "shotgun
" homes without sewers or drains on dirt roads with trash blowing in the streets. The poor sanitation conditions led to typhoid outbreaks and a high rate of infant mortality
. Even will all of these problems, may African-Americans who had come to the area with very little valued the opportunity to own their own homes.
Housing conditions in Eagle Ford improved after the community was annexed into the city of Dallas in the mid-1950s. Over the next few years, home construction was accompanied by industrial growth and infrastructure improvements. Many of the modest homes constructed during this period remain in use, although most have been remodeled, updated, altered, or expanded in some way.
By 1990, Eagle Ford had a population of 7,924. That figure rose 2.26 percent to 8,103 by the 2000 census
. Today, Eagle Ford is a predominately Hispanic, working class neighborhood.
s, 106.01 and 106.02, by the United States Census Bureau
for statistical purposes.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 8,103 people, 1,964 households, and 1,719 families residing within the neighborhood. The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 34.43% White, 8.07% African American, 0.65% Native American, 2.30% Asian/Pacific Islander, 50.23% from other races
, and 4.32% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 85.72% of the population.
The median income for a household in the neighborhood was $25,757, and the median income for a family was $29,776. Males had a median income of $23,688 versus $17,944 for females. The per capita income
for the neighborhood was $9,176.
(DISD) serves most of Eagle Ford, while small portions of the neighborhood lie within the boundaries of Irving Independent School District
(IISD).
Two DISD elementary campuses are located in the Eagle Ford neighborhood. They are Gabe P. Allen Charter School and Eladio R. Martinez Learning Center. Both schools serve students in grades pre-kindergarten through five. Sixth through eighth graders are zoned to Thomas A. Edison Middle Learning Center, which feeds into L.G. Pinkston High School http://www.dallasisd.org/schools/realtor_new.cfm?id_con=197.
In the area served by Irving ISD, Kingergarten through fifth grade students living along Mexicana Road in the northern portion of Eagle Ford attend Schulze Elementary School. Townley Elementary School serves the area located immediately north of the I-35
/Loop 12 interchange that is zoned to Irving schools. Both Schulze and Townley feed into Bowie Middle School (Grades 6-8) and Nimitz High School
http://www.irvingisd.net/nimitz (Grades 9-12). The district also has an early childhood education program for students who are four years old and meet certain eligibility requirements.
West Dallas
West Dallas is an area consisting of many communities and neighborhoods in Dallas, Texas . West Dallas is the area bounded by Interstate 30 on the south, the Trinity River on the east and north, and the Trinity River's West Fork on the west....
Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, 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...
.
Adjacent areas
- Ledbetter GardensLedbetter Gardens, Dallas, TexasLedbetter Gardens is a small neighborhood in West Dallas, Texas, United States. Its boundaries are Canada Drive to the north, Bernal Drive to the south, Westmoreland Road on the east, and Pluto Street on the west....
(east) - Westmoreland HeightsWestmoreland Heights, Dallas, TexasWestmoreland Heights is a small neighborhood in West Dallas, Texas, United States. Its boundaries are Bernal Drive to the north, Singleton Boulevard to the south, Westmoreland Road on the east, and Norwich Lane on the west....
(east) - Trinity RiverTrinity River (Texas)The Trinity River is a long river that flows entirely within the U.S. state of Texas. It rises in extreme north Texas, a few miles south of the Red River. The headwaters are separated by the high bluffs on the south side of the Red River....
(north) - City of IrvingIrving, TexasIrving is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within Dallas County. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city population was 216,290. Irving is within the Dallas–Plano–Irving metropolitan division of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area, designated...
(northwest) - City of Grand PrairieGrand Prairie, TexasGrand Prairie is a city in Dallas, Ellis, and Tarrant counties in the U.S. state of Texas and is a part of the Mid-Cities region in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. Grand Prairie is a suburb of both Dallas and Fort Worth and had a population of 175,396 at the 2010 census.- History :The city of...
(west & southwest) - Singleton Industrial Area (southeast)
- Oak CliffOak CliffOak Cliff is a community in Dallas, Texas, United States that was formerly a separate town located in Dallas County; Dallas annexed Oak Cliff in 1903...
(south) - Turnpike Distribution Center (southeast)
History
The Eagle Ford community developed just east of an important early crossing on the west fork of the Trinity RiverTrinity River (Texas)
The Trinity River is a long river that flows entirely within the U.S. state of Texas. It rises in extreme north Texas, a few miles south of the Red River. The headwaters are separated by the high bluffs on the south side of the Red River....
. The area was first settled by the family of Enoch Horton, who moved there from Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
in November 1844. When Horton found an eagle's nest in the area, he named the crossing Eagle Ford. Soon after, several families from the nearby community of La Réunion
La Reunion (Dallas)
La Réunion was a socialist utopian community formed in 1855 by French, Belgian, and Swiss colonists near the forks of the Trinity River in Texas, USA. The Reunion Tower in downtown Dallas is about three miles east of the colony site. The founders of the community were inspired by the utopian...
settled in Eagle Ford. Enoch's son James built the Eagle Ford Grist Mill and donated land in 1857 for the Horton Cemetery. He also gave land for the Texas and Pacific Railway
Texas and Pacific Railway
The Texas and Pacific Railway Company was created by federal charter in 1871 with the purpose of building a southern transcontinental railroad between Marshall, Texas, and San Diego, California....
right-of-way and depot. In 1858, a post office opened in Eagle Ford and it remained in operation until 1866.
The community did not begin to develop until the depression 1873 halted construction of the Texas and Pacific Railway, which made Eagle Ford its western terminus until 1876. It became a major cattle-shipping point between the larger cities of Dallas and 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...
. During that period, Eagle Ford grew into a community of several thousand people with a number of businesses. Another post office was secured and remained in operation until 1918. Construction on the Texas and Pacific resumed in 1876 and was completed to Fort Worth in 1878. The community declined as a cattle-shipping point, but evolved into an agricultural shipping point for the surrounding region. Eagle Ford's population hovered around 200 in 1882, but had decreased to fifty by the 1890s and remained at that level through the early twentieth century. In 1907, William Foster Cowham and Associates came to the area from Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
and began buying property, including some of James Horton's original land holdings. They established the Southwestern States Portland Cement Company and built two villages in the area to house their employees, many of whom were Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
immigrants.
It wasn't until the 1940s that Eagle Ford began to experience significant growth. Approximately 150 people lived in the community in 1941. After 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...
, the return of war veterans spurred housing developments in the area. The demand was so great that many residents lived in temporary shelters until their houses were completed. A large segment of Eagle Ford's new residents were African-Americans who came to the area in search of jobs. Home choices were limited due to rigid racial segregation
Racial segregation in the United States
Racial segregation in the United States, as a general term, included the racial segregation or hypersegregation of facilities, services, and opportunities such as housing, medical care, education, employment, and transportation along racial lines...
policies present in most local neighborhoods. Black families were encouraged to settle in Eagle Ford and ads for properties in the community were listed in local newspapers under "Colored Lots." Living conditions were substandard and consisted of small "shotgun
Shotgun house
The shotgun house is a narrow rectangular domestic residence, usually no more than 12 feet wide, with doors at each end. It was the most popular style of house in the Southern United States from the end of the American Civil War , through the 1920s. Alternate names include shotgun shack,...
" homes without sewers or drains on dirt roads with trash blowing in the streets. The poor sanitation conditions led to typhoid outbreaks and a high rate of infant mortality
Infant mortality
Infant mortality is defined as the number of infant deaths per 1000 live births. Traditionally, the most common cause worldwide was dehydration from diarrhea. However, the spreading information about Oral Re-hydration Solution to mothers around the world has decreased the rate of children dying...
. Even will all of these problems, may African-Americans who had come to the area with very little valued the opportunity to own their own homes.
Housing conditions in Eagle Ford improved after the community was annexed into the city of Dallas in the mid-1950s. Over the next few years, home construction was accompanied by industrial growth and infrastructure improvements. Many of the modest homes constructed during this period remain in use, although most have been remodeled, updated, altered, or expanded in some way.
By 1990, Eagle Ford had a population of 7,924. That figure rose 2.26 percent to 8,103 by 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...
. Today, Eagle Ford is a predominately Hispanic, working class neighborhood.
Demographics
Eagle Ford is divided into two census tractCensus tract
A census tract, census area, or census district is a geographic region defined for the purpose of taking a census. Usually these coincide with the limits of cities, towns or other administrative areas and several tracts commonly exist within a county...
s, 106.01 and 106.02, by 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...
for statistical purposes.
As of the 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...
of 2000, there were 8,103 people, 1,964 households, and 1,719 families residing within the neighborhood. The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 34.43% White, 8.07% African American, 0.65% Native American, 2.30% Asian/Pacific Islander, 50.23% 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 4.32% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 85.72% of the population.
The median income for a household in the neighborhood was $25,757, and the median income for a family was $29,776. Males had a median income of $23,688 versus $17,944 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 neighborhood was $9,176.
Education
The Dallas Independent School DistrictDallas Independent School District
The Dallas Independent School District is a school district based in Dallas, Texas . Dallas ISD, which operates schools in much of Dallas County, is the second largest school district in Texas and the twelfth largest in the United States.In 2009, the school district was rated "academically...
(DISD) serves most of Eagle Ford, while small portions of the neighborhood lie within the boundaries of Irving Independent School District
Irving Independent School District
Irving Independent School District is a school district based in Irving, Texas . The district, which covers , serves most of the city of Irving, except for Valley Ranch and a portion of Las Colinas. The district also serves small portions of Grand Prairie and Dallas.Irving ISD is made up of 81%...
(IISD).
Two DISD elementary campuses are located in the Eagle Ford neighborhood. They are Gabe P. Allen Charter School and Eladio R. Martinez Learning Center. Both schools serve students in grades pre-kindergarten through five. Sixth through eighth graders are zoned to Thomas A. Edison Middle Learning Center, which feeds into L.G. Pinkston High School http://www.dallasisd.org/schools/realtor_new.cfm?id_con=197.
In the area served by Irving ISD, Kingergarten through fifth grade students living along Mexicana Road in the northern portion of Eagle Ford attend Schulze Elementary School. Townley Elementary School serves the area located immediately north of the I-35
Interstate 30
Interstate 30 is an Interstate Highway in the southern United States. I-30 runs from Interstate 20 west of Fort Worth, Texas, northeast via Dallas, Texas, and Texarkana, Texas, to Interstate 40 in North Little Rock, Arkansas. The route parallels U.S. Route 67 except for the portion west of...
/Loop 12 interchange that is zoned to Irving schools. Both Schulze and Townley feed into Bowie Middle School (Grades 6-8) and Nimitz High School
Nimitz High School (Irving, Texas)
Chester W. Nimitz High School is a public high school in the Irving Independent School District, Irving, Texas. It was named for U.S. Navy Admiral Chester W. Nimitz. Nimitz High School is one of four public high schools in the Irving Independent School District...
http://www.irvingisd.net/nimitz (Grades 9-12). The district also has an early childhood education program for students who are four years old and meet certain eligibility requirements.
Geology
The Eagle Ford community overlies rocks of the Eagle Ford Shale. The Eagle Ford shale consists of organic-rich, pyritic, and fossiliferous marine shales.External links
- West Dallas Chamber of Commerce – Official site.