Iraan, Texas
Encyclopedia
Iraan is a city in Pecos County
, Texas
, United States
. The population was 1,238 at the 2000 census. The correct pronunciation is "Eye-ruh-ann"; it was named for Ira and Ann Yates, owners of the ranchland upon which the town was built.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²), all of it land. State Highway 349
and U.S. Highway 190
come together at Iraan. The Pecos River
loops around the town to the north and east.
, which is adjacent to the town on the southwest. The oil field was discovered in 1926, and the first buildings in town were basic housing and infrastructure for workers on the field, all built by the Big Lake Oil Company which became Plymouth Oil Company, which was purchased by the Ohio Oil Company, then purchased by Marathon Oil Company, and owned today by Kinder Morgan
. By 1927 the town included a school, and the post office appeared in 1928. The population of the town in 1930 was approximately 1,600. About three miles (5 km) south of Iraan was the oil boomtown of Redbarn, which appeared almost immediately after discovery of the oil field, before Iraan itself. It was a collection of tents and shanties in the immediate vicinity of Ira Yates's ranch. He donated 152 acre (0.61512272 km²) of his ranch to the town of Iraan to encourage further development there instead; in 1952 the town of Redbarn, which never had a permanent population of more than 75, was finally abandoned.
One of Iraan's most famous residents was V.T. Hamlin, the creator of the comic strip Alley Oop
. Originally from Iowa, he worked in Iraan during the oil boom period of the late 1920s, and either got the idea for the strip or created its earliest drafts there; the strip was first published in 1932 in Des Moines. He moved back to Iowa in 1929, and later to Florida. A park in Iraan is named after the strip.
In 2007, Iraan was the site of a controversial animal cruelty incident. Four football players from Iraan High School, the night after losing a critical game to a competing team, cornered two deer in an enclosed batting cage on the baseball field in the dark, and beat them to death with a baseball bat and a shovel. The incident received national coverage.
, there were 1,238 people, 427 households and 335 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,234.3 per square mile (869.1/km²). There were 542 housing units at an average density of 978.2 per square mile (380.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.00% White, 0.08% African American, 0.08% Native American, 6.22% from other races
, and 1.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 36.51% of the population.
There were 427 households of which 45.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.3% were married couples
living together, 4.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.5% were non-families. 20.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.90 and the average family size was 3.37.
Age distribution was 32.5% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 101.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.0 males.
The median household income
was $44,583, and the median family income was $48,207. Males had a median income of $40,345 versus $22,396 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,589. About 5.0% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.3% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.
.
Pecos County, Texas
Pecos County is a county located in Texas which is named for the Pecos River. It is one of the nine counties that comprise the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas. In 2000, its population was 16,809. The county seat is Fort Stockton....
, 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...
. The population was 1,238 at the 2000 census. The correct pronunciation is "Eye-ruh-ann"; it was named for Ira and Ann Yates, owners of the ranchland upon which the town was built.
Geography
Iraan is located at 30°54′49"N 101°53′55"W (30.913511, -101.898614).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 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²), all of it land. State Highway 349
Texas State Highway 349
State Highway 349 or SH 349 is a 194.43 mile state highway in the western part of Texas.-History:The original formation of the highway in 1943 included only the section from Rankin to Midland, replacing a former route of . In 1947 and FM 306 were redesignated to form the part of SH 349 from...
and U.S. Highway 190
U.S. Route 190
U.S. Route 190, also known as the Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway, is an east–west United States highway in Louisiana and Texas. It evolved from the shortest of intrastate routes in 1926 to a length comparable to a main Interstate Highway route, leading from the swamps and pine forests of...
come together at Iraan. The Pecos River
Pecos River
The headwaters of the Pecos River are located north of Pecos, New Mexico, United States, at an elevation of over 12,000 feet on the western slope of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range in Mora County. The river flows for through the eastern portion of that state and neighboring Texas before it...
loops around the town to the north and east.
History
Iraan was an oil boom town, and developed quickly after the discovery of the gigantic Yates Oil FieldYates Oil Field
The Yates Oil Field is a giant oil field in the Permian Basin of west Texas. Primarily in extreme southeastern Pecos County, it also stretches under the Pecos River and partially into Crockett County. Iraan, on the Pecos River and directly adjacent to the field, is the nearest town...
, which is adjacent to the town on the southwest. The oil field was discovered in 1926, and the first buildings in town were basic housing and infrastructure for workers on the field, all built by the Big Lake Oil Company which became Plymouth Oil Company, which was purchased by the Ohio Oil Company, then purchased by Marathon Oil Company, and owned today by Kinder Morgan
Kinder Morgan
Kinder Morgan, Inc. is an American energy company. It is also, through a subsidiary, the general partner of and owner of many of the interests in Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, a publicly traded pipeline and terminal limited partnership....
. By 1927 the town included a school, and the post office appeared in 1928. The population of the town in 1930 was approximately 1,600. About three miles (5 km) south of Iraan was the oil boomtown of Redbarn, which appeared almost immediately after discovery of the oil field, before Iraan itself. It was a collection of tents and shanties in the immediate vicinity of Ira Yates's ranch. He donated 152 acre (0.61512272 km²) of his ranch to the town of Iraan to encourage further development there instead; in 1952 the town of Redbarn, which never had a permanent population of more than 75, was finally abandoned.
One of Iraan's most famous residents was V.T. Hamlin, the creator of the comic strip Alley Oop
Alley Oop
Alley Oop is a syndicated comic strip, created in 1932 by American cartoonist V. T. Hamlin, who wrote and drew the popular and influential strip through four decades for Newspaper Enterprise Association...
. Originally from Iowa, he worked in Iraan during the oil boom period of the late 1920s, and either got the idea for the strip or created its earliest drafts there; the strip was first published in 1932 in Des Moines. He moved back to Iowa in 1929, and later to Florida. A park in Iraan is named after the strip.
In 2007, Iraan was the site of a controversial animal cruelty incident. Four football players from Iraan High School, the night after losing a critical game to a competing team, cornered two deer in an enclosed batting cage on the baseball field in the dark, and beat them to death with a baseball bat and a shovel. The incident received national coverage.
Demographics
At the 2000 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...
, there were 1,238 people, 427 households and 335 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 2,234.3 per square mile (869.1/km²). There were 542 housing units at an average density of 978.2 per square mile (380.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.00% White, 0.08% African American, 0.08% Native American, 6.22% 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 1.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 36.51% of the population.
There were 427 households of which 45.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.3% 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, 4.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.5% were non-families. 20.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.90 and the average family size was 3.37.
Age distribution was 32.5% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 101.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.0 males.
The median household income
Median household income
The median household income is commonly used to generate data about geographic areas and divides households into two equal segments with the first half of households earning less than the median household income and the other half earning more...
was $44,583, and the median family income was $48,207. Males had a median income of $40,345 versus $22,396 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 $15,589. About 5.0% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.3% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Public education in the city of Iraan is provided by the Iraan-Sheffield Independent School DistrictIraan-Sheffield Independent School District
Iraan-Sheffield Independent School District is a public school district based in Iraan, Texas .In addition to Iraan, the district serves the communities of Sheffield and Bakersfield....
.