Lamesa, Texas
Encyclopedia
Lamesa is a city in and 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 Dawson 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...
. The population was 9,952 at the 2000 census. Located south of Lubbock
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
on the Llano Estacado
Llano Estacado
Llano Estacado , commonly known as the Staked Plains, is a region in the Southwestern United States that encompasses parts of eastern New Mexico and northwestern Texas, including the South Plains and parts of the Texas Panhandle...
, Lamesa was founded in 1903. Most of the economy is based on cattle ranching and cotton farming
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
. The Preston E. Smith
Preston Smith (Texas)
Preston Earnest Smith was the 40th Governor of Texas from 1969 to 1973, who earlier served as the lieutenant governor from 1963 to 1969.-Early life:...
prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
unit, named for the former governor of Texas
Governor of Texas
The governor of Texas is the head of the executive branch of Texas's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Texas Legislature, and to convene the legislature...
, is located just outside of Lamesa.
Notable people
- Barry CorbinBarry CorbinLeonard Barrie Corbin, known as Barry Corbin , is an American actor with more than one hundred film, television and video game credits.-Early life:...
, though usually associated with LubbockLubbock, TexasLubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
, where he graduated from Monterey High SchoolMonterey High School (Lubbock, Texas)Monterey High School is a 5A high school located in central Lubbock, Texas, United States. Monterey is part of the Lubbock Independent School District. Established in 1955, Monterey was the third high school to be established in Lubbock, after Lubbock High School and Dunbar High School...
, was born in 1940 in Lamesa. He co-starred in the NBC series BooneBoone (TV series)Boone is a 13-week dramatic television series which was broadcast on NBC from 1983–1984. It starred, principally, Tom Byrd and Barry Corbin. Byrd played teenager Boone Sawyer, who aspired to a career in rock and roll music, despite the advice of his stern father, Merit Sawyer, played by Corbin, who...
in the 1983-1984 season and thereafter on CBS's Northern ExposureNorthern ExposureNorthern Exposure is an American television series that ran on CBS from 1990 to 1995, with a total of 110 episodes.-Overview:The series was given a pair of consecutive Peabody Awards: in 1991–92 for the show's "depict[ion] in a comedic and often poetic way, [of] the cultural clash between a...
, which ran from 1990-1995. In 2001, he had a role in Tom SelleckTom SelleckThomas William "Tom" Selleck is an American actor, and film producer. He is best known for his starring role as Hawaii-based private investigator Thomas Magnum on the 1980s television show Magnum, P.I.. He also plays Police Chief Jesse Stone in a series of made-for-TV movies based on the Robert B....
's Turner Network TelevisionTurner Network TelevisionTurner Network Television is an American cable television channel created by media mogul Ted Turner and currently owned by the Turner Broadcasting System division of Time Warner...
filmFilmA film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, Crossfire TrailCrossfire Trail (film)Crossfire Trail is a Turner Network Television film starring Tom Selleck in the role of Rafael "Rafe" Covington, a wanderer known for his honesty and steadfastness who keeps his word to a dying friend despite great adversity to himself. The tagline of the picture is "A hero is measured by the...
based on a Louis L'AmourLouis L'AmourLouis Dearborn L'Amour was an American author. His books consisted primarily of Western fiction novels , however he also wrote historical fiction , science fiction , nonfiction , as well as poetry and short-story collections. Many of his stories were made into movies...
novelNovelA novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
.
- Kilmer Blaine Corbin, Sr.Kilmer B. CorbinKilmer Blaine Corbin, Sr. , the father of actor Barry Corbin, was a Lubbock, Texas, attorney who served as a Democratic member of the Texas State Senate from Distrrict 28 for two terms from 1949 to 1957....
, the father of Barry Corbin, was a judgeJudgeA judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
and a Democratic member of the Texas State Senate from 1949-1957. He was unseated in the 1956 primary by Preston Smith. Corbin, Sr., lived in Lamesa prior to relocating to Lubbock.
- Steve PearceSteve PearceStevan Edward "Steve" Pearce is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party. He previously held the seat from 2003 to 2009 and was an Assistant Minority Whip.-Early life, education and career:...
, RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
U.S. Representative from New Mexico's 2nd congressional districtNew Mexico's 2nd congressional districtNew Mexico's second congressional district to the United States House of Representatives serves the southern half of New Mexico, including Las Cruces and Roswell. Geographically, it is the sixth largest district in the nation, and the 2nd-largest not to comprise an entire state...
, 2003-2009 and since 2011.
- Preston Smith, a DemocratDemocratic Party (United States)The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, served as governor of Texas from 1969-1973. He grew up in Lamesa and graduated from Lamesa High School in 1928. He was born in Williamson CountyWilliamson County, TexasWilliamson County is a county located on both the Edwards Plateau to the west, consisting of rocky terrain and hills, and Blackland Prairies in the east consising of rich, fertile farming land, The two areas are roughly bisected by Interstate 35...
and launched his successful businessBusinessA business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
and political careers from Lubbock.
- Edward R. TinsleyEdward R. TinsleyEdward Roy Tinsley, III , is an attorney, rancher, and businessman with interests in oil, natural gas, and restaurants who has twice failed in Republican bids for the United States House of Representatives from the 2nd congressional district of his adopted state of New Mexico...
, a Lamesa native, is a rancher and the chairman of the board of K-Bob's SteakhouseK-Bob's SteakhouseK-Bob’s Steakhouse is a regional restaurant chain that operates in the cattle country of Texas and New Mexico. Founded in 1966 in Clovis, New Mexico, by Gabe E. Parson , the company sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1989, and reopened in 1991 under the ownership and management of Edward Roy Tinsley...
, a regional restaurant chain primarily in Texas and New MexicoNew MexicoNew 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...
, with an outlet in Lamesa. In 2008, Tinsley, a former intraparty rival of U.S. Representative Steve Pearce, was the unsuccessful GOPRepublican Party (United States)The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
nominee for the then open seat in the New Mexico 2nd congressional district.
Geography
Lamesa is located at 32°44′4"N 101°57′29"W (32.734439, -101.958190).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 4.8 square miles (12.4 km²), all of it land.
Dal Paso Museum
Dal Paso MuseumMuseum
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...
, a collection of local artifact
Artifact (archaeology)
An artifact or artefact is "something made or given shape by man, such as a tool or a work of art, esp an object of archaeological interest"...
s housed in an impressive former hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
, is located in downtown Lamesa. The name is derived from the fact that Lamesa is located halfway between 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...
and El Paso
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
. On display are home furnishings, pioneer tools, and ranch
Ranch
A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
and farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
equipment. There are also exhibits by local artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
s. The museum, at 306 South First Street, has limited afternoon hours to the public.
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 9,952 people, 3,696 households, and 2,679 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 2,080.8 people per square mile (803.9/km²). There were 4,270 housing units at an average density of 892.8 per square mile (344.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 41.9% White Non-Hispanic, 4.2% African American, 0.7% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 19.51% 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 2.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 52.96% of the population.
There were 3,696 households out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.5% 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, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.5% were non-families. 25.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.20.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.7% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 90.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,362, and the median income for a family was $31,556. Males had a median income of $26,393 versus $16,826 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 $16,211. About 18.1% of families and 21.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.4% of those under age 18 and 12.9% of those age 65 or over.
Education/Athletics
The City of Lamesa is served by the Lamesa Independent School DistrictLamesa Independent School District
Lamesa Independent School District is a public school district based in Lamesa, Texas .In addition to Lamesa, the district also serves the city of Los Ybanez.The Lamesa athletic teams are known as the Golden Tornadoes or "Tors" for short....
, which includes Lamesa High School, and Lamesa Middle School, whose school mascots are the Golden Tornadoes and the Whirlwinds, respectively.
A branch of Howard College
Howard College
Howard College is a community college with its main campus in Big Spring, Texas and branch campuses in San Angelo and Lamesa....
, a community college
Community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
in Big Spring
Big Spring, Texas
Big Spring is a city in and the county seat of Howard County, Texas, United States, at the crossroads of U.S. Highway 87 and Interstate 20. With a population of 25,233 at the 2000 census, it is the largest city between Midland to the west, Abilene to the east, Lubbock to the north, and San Angelo...
, is located in Lamesa.
Miscellany
- The La Entrada al PacificoLa Entrada al PacíficoThe La Entrada al Pacífico trade corridor was designated as "Trade Corridor 56" by the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act. The corridor is an international project between Mexico and the United States as a route from the Pacific Ocean port of Topolobampo in the Mexican state of...
is an international trade corridor that begins in TopolobampoTopolobampoTopolobampo is a port on the Gulf of California in northwestern Sinaloa, Mexico. It is the fourth-largest town in the municipality of Ahome , reporting a 2005 census population of 6,032 inhabitants....
, MexicoMexicoThe 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...
, runs through Midland-Odessa and ends in Lamesa (according to the legal definition). - Lamesa's Sky-Vue Drive-In Theater (established in 1948) is well known regionally. It is one of only fourteen remaining drive-in theaterDrive-in theaterA drive-in theater is a form of cinema structure consisting of a large outdoor screen, a projection booth, a concession stand and a large parking area for automobiles. Within this enclosed area, customers can view movies from the privacy and comfort of their cars.The screen can be as simple as a...
s in the state of Texas. The survival of this cultural landmark is largely due to the excellent food available in the snack bar. The "Chihuahua" sandwich (stacked fried corn tortillas filled with homemade chili, onions, shredded cabbage and pimento cheese with a jalapeño pepper on the side) is a specialty of the snackbar and many local residents order takeout even when they don't watch the movie. Before he became famous, musician Buddy HollyBuddy HollyCharles Hardin Holley , known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll...
played a show on the roof of the Sky Vue's projector building. - Lamesa also has an indoor movie theater, Movieland, which has two screens.
- There is also another indoor theater, Tower Theater, across from the Dawson County Courthouse.
- The Wall is an edifice on which graduaing seniors spray paint their names onto the wall until the next following class goes over it the next year.
- The television series Dallas had one of its more profitable oil wells, Ewing 23, in Lamesa. In one of the more dramatic scenes of the series, in season four, J.R. Ewing flies in his Learjet to the Lamesa airport. Shortly thereafter, gunfire erupts and Dawson County sheriff's deputies shoot a man who blew up the oilfield after a failed effort to blackmail J.R.
Media
The city is served by a bi-weekly newspaper, The Lamesa Press Reporter, which charges $.75 per issue, and by local and area radioRadio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
stations KPET
KPET
KPET is an independently owned and operated radio station licensed to serve Lamesa, Texas, USA. The station is owned by Dawson County Broadcasting LLC and the broadcast license held by DCB License Sub LLC...
(AM 690), KBKN (FM), KTXC (FM), and KBXJ
KBXJ
KBXJ Los Ybanez, Texas is an FM station in one of the smallest cities of license regulated by the Federal Communications Commission. The city was created for the purpose of authorizing sales of liquor, which was not allowed in the county and surrounding area....
(FM). The cable TV system is operated by Northland Cable Television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
. Other signals are received from stations in Lubbock, Midland-Odessa, and other area towns. Television signals are provided by ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, Fox, Telemundo and CW stations in Lubbock and the Univision station in the Permian Basin (Midland-Odessa).