Mansfield, Texas
Encyclopedia
Mansfield is a city
in Ellis
, Johnson
, and Tarrant
counties in the U.S. state
of Texas
. As of the 2010 census, the population was 56,368.
In 2009, CNN/Money Magazine rated Mansfield as one of the "Best Places to Live" in the United States, ranking 24th out of the top 100 places.
country of north central Texas in the 1840s. Primarily of Scotch-Irish origins, these pioneer farmers came for the most part from southern states, following the frontier as it shifted west of the Mississippi
. They entered an area where Indians
had been living for thousands of years. The roving bands of Comanche
posed a serious threat to the settlers, and in 1849, the U.S. Army established Fort Worth
to protect the farms along the sparsely populated frontier.
The area southeast of the fort (and of the Trinity River
) was well protected and presumably fairly well settled by the early 1850s. In one well-documented case, eight related families migrated to the area in 1853 from Illinois
. Three of the four Gibson brothers in this group established homesteads about 4 miles (6 km) northwest of present-day Mansfield. This settlement, which became known as the Gibson Community, included a school and a church building by 1860.
When R.S. Man and Julian Feild arrived around 1856 and built a grist mill at the crossroads that was to become the center of Mansfield, the beginnings of the community probably existed in the oak groves bordering Walnut Creek (originally called Cedar Bluff Creek). The Walnut Creek Congregation of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church
had organized itself in 1854. Members met in each other's homes, so it is suspected that there was a cluster of houses in the area.
In 1856, Julian Feild purchased 540 acres (2.2 km²) in the Mansfield area. Man and Feild completed their three-story brick grist mill sometime between 1856 and 1859. The mill, which produced flour and meal, was the first built in North Texas to utilize steam power and enjoyed patronage as far south as San Antonio and as far north as Oklahoma
. The location of the mill in southeastern Tarrant County perhaps reflects the advanced state of wheat cultivation in the area and the ready availability of wood to feed the mill's steam boilers.
Feild opened a general merchandise store at the same time as the mill, located across Broad Street. He built a log house for his family, which also served as an inn for travelers and customers. By 1860, the nucleus of the future city existed. The first post office was established that year, with Julian Feild as postmaster.
During the War Between the States
, the Man and Feild Mill supplied meal and flour to the Confederate States Army
, hauling it to Shreveport, Louisiana
, and Jefferson City, Missouri
. As was common practice, the owners tithe
d ten percent of the mill's production to the Confederacy. The small community around the mill was unique in Tarrant County in that it prospered throughout the Civil War. "Feild's Freighters", assembled in ox-drawn wagon trains, went as far as Fort Sill
, Oklahoma, where a part of the Indian Wars raged in the southern plains
in the late 1860s and 1870s.
The prospering community which had grown up around the Man and Feild mill took on the name of "Mansfeild", a combination of the names of the founders. Repeated misspellings over the years resulted in the acceptance of the conventional spelling of "Mansfield." The town incorporated in 1909, continuing to be a hub for the surrounding farmland.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 36.5 square miles (94.6 km²), of which 36.5 square miles (94.5 km²) is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1 km²) (0.11%) is water.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 42,958 people. The population density
was 768.5 people per square mile (296.7/km²). There were 9,172 housing units at an average density of 251.4 per square mile (97.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 76.9% White
, 11.7% African American
, 0.3% Native American
, 3.8% Asian
, 0% Pacific Islander
, 4.9% from other races
, and 2.5% from two or more races. 16.4% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 8,881 households out of which 50.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.5% were married couples
living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 13.9% were non-families. 10.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.08 and the average family size was 3.32.
In the city the population was spread out with 31.8% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 34.6% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 5.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 102.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.1 males.
According to a 2006 estimate, the median family income in Mansfield is $84,589. Males had a median income of $50,084 versus $30,796 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $26,446. About 2.7% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.4% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.
, with the remainder being served by Midlothian Independent School District
. The high schools in the district are Mansfield High School
, Mansfield Summit High School
, Mansfield Timberview High School
, Mansfield Legacy High School
, Frontier High School, and the Alternative Education Center consisting of the ACE program and the BIC program. There are 21 elementary schools, 6 intermediate schools, and 6 middle schools.
Beginning in the fall semester of 2011, Frontier High School opened its doors to students who applied and were accepted to the school. Frontier High School, located within the Ben Barber Career Tech Academy, will feature state-of-the-art technology with individual laptops provided for each student enrolled in its programs. The focus of the campus is to provide students with a college experience by allowing technology to be more easily integrated into the classroom. Cellphones are allowed to be used throughout the entire campus and in the classroom at teacher discretion. The library has also been turned into a student area referred to as the "cube". Designed as an area for students to do work, Frontier students have found that it is severely overcrowded and concerns have been voiced.
The district also has programs with Tarrant County College to provide students with dual credit options to allow them to gain college hours in high school.
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 Ellis
Ellis County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 111,360 people, 37,020 households, and 29,653 families residing in the county. The population density was 118 people per square mile . There were 39,071 housing units at an average density of 42 per square mile...
, Johnson
Johnson County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 126,811 people, 43,636 households, and 34,428 families residing in the county. The population density was 174 people per square mile . There were 46,269 housing units at an average density of 63 per square mile...
, and Tarrant
Tarrant County, Texas
Tarrant County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, it had a population of 1,809,034. Its county seat is Fort Worth. Tarrant County is the sixteenth most populous county in the United States and the third most populous in Texas. The county is named in honor...
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...
. As of the 2010 census, the population was 56,368.
In 2009, CNN/Money Magazine rated Mansfield as one of the "Best Places to Live" in the United States, ranking 24th out of the top 100 places.
History
The first wave of settlers arrived in the rolling Cross TimbersCross Timbers
The term Cross Timbers is used to describe a strip of land in the United States that runs from southeastern Kansas across Central Oklahoma to Central Texas...
country of north central Texas in the 1840s. Primarily of Scotch-Irish origins, these pioneer farmers came for the most part from southern states, following the frontier as it shifted west of the Mississippi
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. They entered an area where Indians
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
had been living for thousands of years. The roving bands of Comanche
Comanche
The Comanche are a Native American ethnic group whose historic range consisted of present-day eastern New Mexico, southern Colorado, northeastern Arizona, southern Kansas, all of Oklahoma, and most of northwest Texas. Historically, the Comanches were hunter-gatherers, with a typical Plains Indian...
posed a serious threat to the settlers, and in 1849, the U.S. Army established 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...
to protect the farms along the sparsely populated frontier.
The area southeast of the fort (and of the Trinity River
Trinity 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....
) was well protected and presumably fairly well settled by the early 1850s. In one well-documented case, eight related families migrated to the area in 1853 from Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. Three of the four Gibson brothers in this group established homesteads about 4 miles (6 km) northwest of present-day Mansfield. This settlement, which became known as the Gibson Community, included a school and a church building by 1860.
When R.S. Man and Julian Feild arrived around 1856 and built a grist mill at the crossroads that was to become the center of Mansfield, the beginnings of the community probably existed in the oak groves bordering Walnut Creek (originally called Cedar Bluff Creek). The Walnut Creek Congregation of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Cumberland Presbyterian Church
The Cumberland Presbyterian Church is a Presbyterian Christian denomination spawned by the Second Great Awakening. In 2007, it had an active membership of less than 50,000 and about 800 congregations, the majority of which are concentrated in the United States...
had organized itself in 1854. Members met in each other's homes, so it is suspected that there was a cluster of houses in the area.
In 1856, Julian Feild purchased 540 acres (2.2 km²) in the Mansfield area. Man and Feild completed their three-story brick grist mill sometime between 1856 and 1859. The mill, which produced flour and meal, was the first built in North Texas to utilize steam power and enjoyed patronage as far south as San Antonio and as far north as Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
. The location of the mill in southeastern Tarrant County perhaps reflects the advanced state of wheat cultivation in the area and the ready availability of wood to feed the mill's steam boilers.
Feild opened a general merchandise store at the same time as the mill, located across Broad Street. He built a log house for his family, which also served as an inn for travelers and customers. By 1860, the nucleus of the future city existed. The first post office was established that year, with Julian Feild as postmaster.
During the War Between the States
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, the Man and Feild Mill supplied meal and flour to the Confederate States Army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
, hauling it to Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
, and Jefferson City, Missouri
Jefferson City, Missouri
Jefferson City is the capital of the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Cole County. Located in Callaway and Cole counties, it is the principal city of the Jefferson City metropolitan area, which encompasses the entirety of both counties. As of the 2010 census, the population was 43,079...
. As was common practice, the owners tithe
Tithe
A tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes were required and paid in kind, such as agricultural products...
d ten percent of the mill's production to the Confederacy. The small community around the mill was unique in Tarrant County in that it prospered throughout the Civil War. "Feild's Freighters", assembled in ox-drawn wagon trains, went as far as Fort Sill
Fort Sill
Fort Sill is a United States Army post near Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles southwest of Oklahoma City.Today, Fort Sill remains the only active Army installation of all the forts on the South Plains built during the Indian Wars...
, Oklahoma, where a part of the Indian Wars raged in the southern plains
Great Plains
The Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...
in the late 1860s and 1870s.
The prospering community which had grown up around the Man and Feild mill took on the name of "Mansfeild", a combination of the names of the founders. Repeated misspellings over the years resulted in the acceptance of the conventional spelling of "Mansfield." The town incorporated in 1909, continuing to be a hub for the surrounding farmland.
Notable inhabitants
- John Howard GriffinJohn Howard GriffinJohn Howard Griffin was an American journalist and author much of whose writing was about racial equality. He is best known for darkening his skin and journeying through Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia to experience segregation in the Deep South in 1959...
(1920-1980), civil rights activist, author of the award-winning book, Black Like MeBlack Like MeBlack Like Me is a non-fiction book by journalist John Howard Griffin first published in 1961. Griffin was a white native of Mansfield, Texas and the book describes his six-week experience travelling on Greyhound buses throughout the racially segregated states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama...
.
Geography
Mansfield is located at 32°34′38"N 97°7′36"W (32.577087, -97.126699).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 36.5 square miles (94.6 km²), of which 36.5 square miles (94.5 km²) is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1 km²) (0.11%) is water.
Demographics
In 2010 Mansfield had a population of 56,368. The median age was 34.0. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 64.4% non-Hispanic white, 14.2% black or African American, 0.6% Native American, 1.5% Vietnamese, 2.2% other Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.2% non-Hispanic from some other race, 2.8% from two or more races and 15.4% Hispanic or Latino.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 42,958 people. 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 768.5 people per square mile (296.7/km²). There were 9,172 housing units at an average density of 251.4 per square mile (97.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 76.9% White
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...
, 11.7% African American
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...
, 0.3% Native American
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...
, 3.8% Asian
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...
, 0% Pacific Islander
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...
, 4.9% 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 2.5% from two or more races. 16.4% of the population were Hispanic
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...
or Latino
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...
of any race.
There were 8,881 households out of which 50.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.5% 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, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 13.9% were non-families. 10.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.08 and the average family size was 3.32.
In the city the population was spread out with 31.8% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 34.6% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 5.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 102.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.1 males.
According to a 2006 estimate, the median family income in Mansfield is $84,589. Males had a median income of $50,084 versus $30,796 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 $26,446. About 2.7% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.4% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Students living in the Tarrant County portion of Mansfield, as well as most of those living in the Johnson County portion, are served by the Mansfield Independent School DistrictMansfield Independent School District
Mansfield Independent School District is a school district headquartered in Mansfield, Texas, United States.MISD serves Mansfield and portions of the cities of Grand Prairie, Arlington, and Burleson. The district also extends into northeastern Johnson County....
, with the remainder being served by Midlothian Independent School District
Midlothian Independent School District
Midlothian Independent School District is a public school district based in Midlothian, Texas .In addition to Midlothian, the district serves parts of Cedar Hill, Mansfield, Grand Prairie, Ovilla, and Venus as well as rural areas in northwestern Ellis County.- Controversial TEA Rating :In 2009, the...
. The high schools in the district are Mansfield High School
Mansfield High School (Mansfield, Texas)
Mansfield High School is a public secondary school located at 3001 East Broad Street in Mansfield, Texas, United States. Part of the Mansfield Independent School District, the school serves portions of Mansfield and Arlington.- Basic operation :...
, Mansfield Summit High School
Mansfield Summit High School
Mansfield Summit High School is a size 4A secondary school located in Arlington, Texas, and is part of the Mansfield Independent School District.The school first opened in Fall of 2002....
, Mansfield Timberview High School
Mansfield Timberview High School
Mansfield Timberview High School, or MTHS, is a secondary school located in Arlington, Texas. It is a Mansfield Independent School District school...
, Mansfield Legacy High School
Mansfield Legacy High School
Mansfield Legacy High School is a public secondary school located in Mansfield, Texas, United States.The school is a part of the Mansfield Independent School District and serves sections of the city of Mansfield as well as unincorporated sections of Tarrant County.- External links :* * * * *...
, Frontier High School, and the Alternative Education Center consisting of the ACE program and the BIC program. There are 21 elementary schools, 6 intermediate schools, and 6 middle schools.
Beginning in the fall semester of 2011, Frontier High School opened its doors to students who applied and were accepted to the school. Frontier High School, located within the Ben Barber Career Tech Academy, will feature state-of-the-art technology with individual laptops provided for each student enrolled in its programs. The focus of the campus is to provide students with a college experience by allowing technology to be more easily integrated into the classroom. Cellphones are allowed to be used throughout the entire campus and in the classroom at teacher discretion. The library has also been turned into a student area referred to as the "cube". Designed as an area for students to do work, Frontier students have found that it is severely overcrowded and concerns have been voiced.
The district also has programs with Tarrant County College to provide students with dual credit options to allow them to gain college hours in high school.