Midland, Texas
Encyclopedia
Midland is a city in and the county seat
of Midland County, Texas
, United States
, on the Southern Plains
of the state's western area. A small portion of the city extends into Martin County. As of 2010, the population of Midland was 111,147. It is the principal city of the Midland, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area
, which includes all of Midland County. The metropolitan area is also a component of the larger Midland–Odessa
, Texas Combined Statistical Area, which had an estimated population of 266,941 as of July 1, 2009. People in Midland are called Midlanders.
Midland was originally founded as the midway point between Fort Worth and El Paso
on the Texas and Pacific Railroad
in 1881. The city has received national recognition as the hometown of former First Lady
Laura Bush
, and the onetime home of former President
George H.W. Bush, former President
George W. Bush
, and former First Lady
Barbara Bush.
; it earned its name because of its central location between Fort Worth and El Paso. At times Midland was nicknamed "The Tall City." But because there were already other towns in Texas by the name of Midway, the city changed its name to Midland in January 1884 when it was granted its first Post Office.
Midland became the county seat of Midland county in March 1885 when that county was first organized and separated from Tom Green County.
By 1890 it had become one of the most important cattle shipping centers in the state. The city was first incorporated in 1906, and by 1910 the city established its first fire department along with a new water system.
Midland was forever changed by the discovery of oil in the Permian Basin in 1923 when the Santa Rita No. 1 well began producing in Reagan County, followed shortly by the Yates Oil Field
in Iraan, Texas
. Soon, Midland was transformed into the administrative center of the West Texas oil fields. During the Second World War Midland was the largest bombardier training base in the country. A second boom period began after the Second World War, with the discovery and development of the Spraberry Trend
, still ranked as the third-largest oil field in the United States by total reserves. Yet another boom period occurred during the 1970s, with the high oil prices associated with the oil and energy crises of that decade. Today, the Permian Basin produces one fifth of the nation's total petroleum and natural gas
output.
Midland's economy still relies heavily on petroleum; however, the city has also diversified to become a regional telecommunications and distribution center. By August 2006, a busy period of crude oil production had caused a significant workforce deficit. According to the Midland Chamber of Commerce, at that time there were almost 2,000 more jobs available in the Permian Basin than there were workers to fill them.
John Howard Griffin
wrote a history of Midland, Land of the High Sky (1959).
D. Lance Lunsford wrote The Rainbow's Shadow: True Stories of Baby Jessica's Rescue & the Tragedies That Followed, which was published in 2006.
Tim Kreitz wrote and directed the short documentary film Midland, Texas: Oasis on the Badlands, based on stories from the archives of the Midland County Historical Society and Judge John Hyde, which was released on DVD in 2007.
. Midland mayor Hank Avery had sued Midland County challenging the electoral-districting scheme in effect for elections to the County Commissioner's Court. The county districts geographically quartered the county, but the city of Midland, in the northwestern quarter, accounted for 97% of the county's population. A judge, elected on an at-large
basis, provided a fifth vote, but the result was that the three rural commissioners, representing only three percent of the county's population, held a majority of the votes.
The majority of the U.S. Supreme Court held that the districting inequality violated the Fourteenth Amendment
's Equal Protection clause
. The dissenting minority held that this example of the Warren
Court's policy of incorporation
at the local-government level exceeded the Court's constitutional authority.
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 71.5 square miles (185.2 km²), of which, 71.3 square miles (184.7 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km²) of it (0.28%) is water.
BSh or BSk) with long, hot summers and short, moderate winters. The city is occasionally subject to cold waves during the winter, but typically does not see cold winters. Midland receives approximately 14.6 inches (370.8 mm) of precipitation per year, much of which is delivered in the summer. Highs exceed 90 °F (32 °C) on 101 days per year, and 100 °F (38 °C) on 16 days.
mid-1980s set about a building boom for Downtown Midland. For many years, the 22-story Wilco Building
in downtown Midland was the tallest building between Fort Worth
and Phoenix
. Today, Midland's tallest building is the 24-story Bank of America Building
which stands at a height of 332 feet (101.2 m). Four buildings over 500 feet (152.4 m) tall were planned in the 1980s, including one designed by world famous architect I.M. Pei. The great Oil Bust of the mid-1980s, however, killed any plans for future skyscrapers. As of today, five of the forty downtown skyscrapers in Midland are completely vacant.
Because of the revival of the energy-driven economy, a move is currently underway to bring mixed-use development to the downtown area. This has resulted in the on-going demolition of several older buildings and the plans for replacement of several more. At the beginning of 2008, the Permian Building
and Gihl's Tower were demolished. Today, there are parking lots where the two buildings once stood. On November 8, 2008 the 14-story Midland Savings Building, built in 1959, was imploded. The building once housed Texaco
's Midland office, which later moved to the Heritage Building. Crews have since begun the demolition of the Metro and First National Bank buildings, located on the same block. The Summit Building
, 300 N. Marienfeld, in mid-2008 became the first building in the Midland area to be depicted on Google Earth in a 3D mode. The GIS Division of the City of Midland has a long-range plan to render more of the downtown area in the new rendering.
is home to the McCormick Gallery, located inside the Allison Fine Arts Building, on the college's main campus. Throughout the year, changing exhibits at the McCormick feature works of MC students and faculty, visiting artists, and juried exhibits from the Arts Assembly of Midland http://www.artsassemblyofmidland.org/. The McCormick is also home to the Studio 3600 Series http://www.midland.edu/mccormick/studio3600/index.php, established in 2006 to "spotlight selected art students and provide them the opportunity to exhibit key works that identify the style they have crafted over a period of time."
, San Angelo
and other surrounding cities, the MOSC also is home to three resident chamber ensembles, the Lone Star Brass, Permian Basin String Quartet and West Texas Winds. These ensembles are made up of principal musicians in the orchestra, who come to the area from across the United States.
The Midland Community Theatre (MCT) http://www.mctmidland.org has been entertaining the Permian Basin since 1946 with musicals, comedies, dramas, mysteries, children's theatre and melodramas. MCT produces 15 shows each year in three performance spaces - Davis Theatre I (485 seats) and Mabee Theatre II (155 seats), located in the Cole Theatre, and the annual fundraiser Summer Mummers
http://www.summermummers.com in the historic Yucca Theatre. MCT has an extensive education program, including the Pickwick Players (teen performance troupe), Theatre School programs and OutReach classes. MCT operates with a professional staff of 20 and depends upon the hard work and dedication of hundreds of volunteers in the Permian Basin to produce shows throughout the year. MCT is a member of the American Association of Community Theatre http://www.aact.org, and hosted the 2006 AACT International Theatrefest.
Twice each year, the Phyllis & Bob Cowan Performing Arts Series at Midland College
presents free cultural and artistic performances of "international interest and scope to stimulate and inspire the Midland arts community," and entertain the community at-large. The series was endowed in 1999, and has since brought a diverse selection of entertainers to Midland, including Andre Watts
, the Eroica Trio
, the Moscow Boys Choir
, the Flying Karamazov Brothers, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band
, 3 Mo' Divas, Ballet Folklorico de Mexico de Amalia Hernandez and the Golden Dragon Acrobats of China.
and located near the center of the Permian Basin oil fields, Midland's economy has long been focused on petroleum exploration and extraction. Providing more information about this industry is the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum
, located on the outskirts of town near Interstate 20. The museum houses numerous displays on the history, science, and technology of oil and gas development. The Permian Basin Petroleum Museum houses a collection of race cars designed by Jim Hall
, a long time Midland resident who pioneered the use of aerodynamic downforce in the design of Formula One cars.
Midland is also home to The Museum of the Southwest. The Museum features a collection of paintings by various members of the Taos Society of Artists
and Karl Bodmer
as well as engravings by John J. and John W. Audubon. Located within the same museum complex are the separate Children's Museum and the Marian W. Blakemore Planetarium. The Museum of the Southwest is housed in the Turner Mansion, the historic 1934 home of Fred and Juliette Turner.
Headquartered in Midland is the Commemorative Air Force
(CAF). Associated with the CAF is the American Airpower Heritage Museum
. The museum, accredited by the American Association of Museums
, displays and preserves World War II
artifacts and memorabilia, as well as a collection of original WWII nose art
panels. As part of the museum tour, visitors can see 14-20 aircraft on display in the CAF hangar. A research library and archives house a significant oral history collection and give the public access to the museum's information resources.
On display at the Midland County Historical Museum are reproductions of the "Midland Man", the skeleton of a Clovis
female found near the city in 1953 . Analysis of the remains by Dr. Curtis R. McKinney using uranium-thorium analysis showed that the bones are 11,600 ± 800 years old. Presenting his findings at the annual meeting of the Geological Society of America
in 1992, Dr. McKinney said, "[T]he Midland Woman was related to the earliest ancestors of every Indian who lives today, and she is very likely the only representative of those who created the Clovis cultures."
presents free public lectures by "nationally-known speakers whose academic accomplishments, civic leadership, and/or public achievements interest, enrich, and enlighten Midland students and citizens." The series was endowed in 1996, and has since brought a diverse selection of speakers to Midland, including Ken Burns
, Richard Leakey
, Bill Moyers
, Mark Russell
, Sandra Day O'Connor
, Richard Rodriguez
, Shelby Foote
, Anna Deavere Smith
, John Updike
and Neil deGrasse Tyson
.
, a Texas League
minor league baseball
team. It is the Double-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics
. The Rockhounds have played their home games in Citibank Ballpark
since 2002.
West Texas United Sockers
is an American soccer team founded in 2008. The team is a member of the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Mid South Division of the Southern Conference. The team plays its home games at the Grande Communications Stadium
in Midland, Texas.
Midland is home to the West Texas Drillers (Adult Tackle Football) of the Minor Professional Football League. The Drillers were established in 2009. The Drillers play their home games at Grande Communications Stadium in Midland, Texas.
Midland College
is a member of the Western Junior College Athletic Conference
, and fields teams in baseball, men's basketball, women's basketball, men's golf, softball and volleyball. Midland College has won 20 national championships in sports since 1975, as well as produced 192 All-Americans.
Plans have been made to develop a 35 court tennis facility named the Bush Tennis Center.
Midland is also home to the Midland Mad Dog Rugby Club, which competes in the Texas Rugby Union as a division III team.
- an ABC
affiliate, KWES-TV
- an NBC
affiliate, KOSA
- a CBS
affiliate and a MyNetwork TV affiliate on their digital cable TV station, KPEJ
- a Fox
affiliate, KPBT - a PBS
affiliate, KWWT
- The CW Television Network
affiliate, KUPB
- a Univision
affiliate, KTLE-LP
- a Telemundo
affiliate, and K69IT
- a Multimedios Television
affiliate. It also has one local religious television station: KMLM
- a God's Learning Channel
affiliate that is a worldwide institution offering pro-Israel programming. Midland is also served by one local newspaper, the Midland Reporter-Telegram
.
Many major motion pictures have been filmed in and around Midland, including Hangar 18
, Waltz Across Texas, Fandango
, Blood Simple
, Hard Country
, Friday Night Lights, The Rookie
, The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
, Everybody's Baby: The Rescue of Jessica McClure
(which featured, as extras, many participants in the actual rescue and its coverage), and others.
In the Heroes television series, the Midland-Odessa area is a focal point for many of the first season's episodes, serving as the home for the Bennet family as well as the location of a recurring restaurant, the Burnt Toast Diner.
of 2010, there were 111,149 people, 41,268 households, and 32,607 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,558.9 people per square mile (550.6/km²). There were 47,562 housing units at an average density of 667.1 per square mile (231.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 75.51% White, 8.37% African American, 0.63% Native American, 1.01% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 12.49% from other races
, and 1.96% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 28.99% of the population.
There were 41,268 households out of which 37.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.4% were married couples
living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.3% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.19.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.9% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 92.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.7 males.
In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $39,320, and the median income for a family was $48,290. Males had a median income of $37,566 versus $24,794 for females. The per capita income
for the city in 2007 was $52,294. In 2000, about 10.1% of families and 12.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.4% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over.
The structure of the management and coordination of city services is:
operates the headquarters of Parole Division Region V in Midland; the Midland District Parole Office is in the Region V headquarters.
The United States Postal Service
operates the Midland Main Post Office on the grounds of Midland International Airport
. The other four post offices are Claydesta, Downtown Midland, Graves, and Village.
, which offers a variety of over 50 programs of study for associate degrees and certificates, to more than 6,000 students who enroll each semester. MC offers programs in Health Sciences, Information Technology, and Aviation, including a Professional Pilot Training program. Midland College is one of only three community colleges in Texas approved to offer a Bachelor's Degree in Applied Technology. Dr. Steve Thomas is Midland College's current president.
Midland is also the home for the Physician Assistant program offered by the Texas Tech University Health Science Center located on the campus of Midland College. The entry-level graduate program awards a Master of Physician Assistant Studies following 27 months of intensive academic and clinical training.
, Robert E. Lee High School and Early College High School (ECHS) at Midland College, all three of which are part of the Midland Independent School District
. College-bound graduates of the first two high schools typically attend state universities - Texas A&M, Texas Tech, the University of Texas, Texas State and Abilene Christian University being some of the most popular. In recent years however, members of the graduating classes of Midland High and Lee have gone on to attend Northwestern, NYU, and Yale University.
There is no such data for the third school, ECHS, at this time. It is a new school, and welcomed its first freshman class on August 24, 2009. The goal for ECHS is that, by the time "the students receive their high school
diploma, they will also have an associate’s degree from Midland College."
There are also many private schools in Midland including: Hillcrest School, Hillander, Midland Classical Academy, Midland Christian School, Midland Montessori, St. Ann's School, and Trinity School of Midland, amongst others. Midland is also home to three charter schools; Richard Milburn Academy, Premier High School, and Midland Academy Charter School.
serves Midland, nearby Odessa
and a large region of West Texas
, and southeast New Mexico. The airport is considered the gateway to the Big Bend Region of Texas and Big Bend National Park
. Midland also has city-wide public bus services provided for the Midland-Odessa Urban Transit District by Midland-Odessa Transit Management, otherwise known as E-Z Rider.
Dongying
, Shandong
, People's Republic of China
; located near China's second largest known oil field. A modest pagoda located at the Beal Complex, was donated by Dongying.
Wirral
(UK)
New Amsterdam
(Guyana
)
Chihuahua, Chih.
(Mexico
)
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (Canada
)
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 Midland 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...
, on 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...
of the state's western area. A small portion of the city extends into Martin County. As of 2010, the population of Midland was 111,147. It is the principal city of the Midland, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area
Midland metropolitan area
The Midland Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of one county – Midland – in West Texas, anchored by the city of Midland...
, which includes all of Midland County. The metropolitan area is also a component of the larger Midland–Odessa
Odessa, Texas
Odessa is a city in and the county seat of Ector County, Texas, United States. It is located primarily in Ector County, although a small portion of the city extends into Midland County. Odessa's population was 99,940 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Odessa, Texas Metropolitan...
, Texas Combined Statistical Area, which had an estimated population of 266,941 as of July 1, 2009. People in Midland are called Midlanders.
Midland was originally founded as the midway point between Fort Worth 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 the Texas and Pacific Railroad
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....
in 1881. The city has received national recognition as the hometown of former First Lady
First Lady
First Lady or First Gentlemanis the unofficial title used in some countries for the spouse of an elected head of state.It is not normally used to refer to the spouse or partner of a prime minister; the husband or wife of the British Prime Minister is usually informally referred to as prime...
Laura Bush
Laura Bush
Laura Lane Welch Bush is the wife of the 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush. She was the First Lady of the United States from January 20, 2001, to January 20, 2009. She has held a love of books and reading since childhood and her life and education have reflected that interest...
, and the onetime home of former President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
George H.W. Bush, former President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, and former First Lady
First Lady
First Lady or First Gentlemanis the unofficial title used in some countries for the spouse of an elected head of state.It is not normally used to refer to the spouse or partner of a prime minister; the husband or wife of the British Prime Minister is usually informally referred to as prime...
Barbara Bush.
History
Midland was originally established in June 1881 as Midway Station, on the Texas and Pacific RailwayTexas 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....
; it earned its name because of its central location between Fort Worth and El Paso. At times Midland was nicknamed "The Tall City." But because there were already other towns in Texas by the name of Midway, the city changed its name to Midland in January 1884 when it was granted its first Post Office.
Midland became the county seat of Midland county in March 1885 when that county was first organized and separated from Tom Green County.
By 1890 it had become one of the most important cattle shipping centers in the state. The city was first incorporated in 1906, and by 1910 the city established its first fire department along with a new water system.
Midland was forever changed by the discovery of oil in the Permian Basin in 1923 when the Santa Rita No. 1 well began producing in Reagan County, followed shortly by the Yates Oil Field
Yates 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...
in Iraan, Texas
Iraan, Texas
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.-Geography:...
. Soon, Midland was transformed into the administrative center of the West Texas oil fields. During the Second World War Midland was the largest bombardier training base in the country. A second boom period began after the Second World War, with the discovery and development of the Spraberry Trend
Spraberry Trend
The Spraberry Trend is a large oil field in the Permian Basin of west central Texas, covering large parts of six counties, and having a total area of approximately . It is named for Abner Spraberry, the Dawson County farmer who owned the land containing the 1943 discovery well...
, still ranked as the third-largest oil field in the United States by total reserves. Yet another boom period occurred during the 1970s, with the high oil prices associated with the oil and energy crises of that decade. Today, the Permian Basin produces one fifth of the nation's total petroleum and natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
output.
Midland's economy still relies heavily on petroleum; however, the city has also diversified to become a regional telecommunications and distribution center. By August 2006, a busy period of crude oil production had caused a significant workforce deficit. According to the Midland Chamber of Commerce, at that time there were almost 2,000 more jobs available in the Permian Basin than there were workers to fill them.
John Howard Griffin
John Howard Griffin
John 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...
wrote a history of Midland, Land of the High Sky (1959).
D. Lance Lunsford wrote The Rainbow's Shadow: True Stories of Baby Jessica's Rescue & the Tragedies That Followed, which was published in 2006.
Tim Kreitz wrote and directed the short documentary film Midland, Texas: Oasis on the Badlands, based on stories from the archives of the Midland County Historical Society and Judge John Hyde, which was released on DVD in 2007.
Avery v. Midland County
In 1967 the U.S. Supreme Court heard the case of Avery v. Midland CountyAvery v. Midland County
Avery v. Midland County, , is a United States Supreme Court case that ruled that local government districts had to be roughly equal in population.- Background :Having already held in 1965 in Reynolds v...
. Midland mayor Hank Avery had sued Midland County challenging the electoral-districting scheme in effect for elections to the County Commissioner's Court. The county districts geographically quartered the county, but the city of Midland, in the northwestern quarter, accounted for 97% of the county's population. A judge, elected on an at-large
At-Large
At-large is a designation for representative members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent the whole membership of the body , rather than a subset of that membership...
basis, provided a fifth vote, but the result was that the three rural commissioners, representing only three percent of the county's population, held a majority of the votes.
The majority of the U.S. Supreme Court held that the districting inequality violated the Fourteenth Amendment
Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was adopted on July 9, 1868, as one of the Reconstruction Amendments.Its Citizenship Clause provides a broad definition of citizenship that overruled the Dred Scott v...
's Equal Protection clause
Equal Protection Clause
The Equal Protection Clause, part of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, provides that "no state shall ... deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws"...
. The dissenting minority held that this example of the Warren
Earl Warren
Earl Warren was the 14th Chief Justice of the United States.He is known for the sweeping decisions of the Warren Court, which ended school segregation and transformed many areas of American law, especially regarding the rights of the accused, ending public-school-sponsored prayer, and requiring...
Court's policy of incorporation
Incorporation (Bill of Rights)
The incorporation of the Bill of Rights is the process by which American courts have applied portions of the U.S. Bill of Rights to the states. Prior to the 1890s, the Bill of Rights was held only to apply to the federal government...
at the local-government level exceeded the Court's constitutional authority.
Geography
Midland is located at 32°0′18"N 102°5′57"W (32.005072, −102.099239), in the Permian Basin in the plains of West TexasWest Texas
West Texas is a vernacular term applied to a region in the southwestern quadrant of the United States that primarily encompasses the arid and semi-arid lands in the western portion of the state of Texas....
.
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 71.5 square miles (185.2 km²), of which, 71.3 square miles (184.7 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km²) of it (0.28%) is water.
Climate
Midland features a semi-arid climate (KöppenKöppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
BSh or BSk) with long, hot summers and short, moderate winters. The city is occasionally subject to cold waves during the winter, but typically does not see cold winters. Midland receives approximately 14.6 inches (370.8 mm) of precipitation per year, much of which is delivered in the summer. Highs exceed 90 °F (32 °C) on 101 days per year, and 100 °F (38 °C) on 16 days.
Cityscape
Nicknamed "The Tall City", Midland has long been known for its downtown skyline. Most of downtown Midland’s major office buildings were built during a time of major Permian Basin oil and gas discoveries. The surge in energy prices in themid-1980s set about a building boom for Downtown Midland. For many years, the 22-story Wilco Building
Wilco Building
The Wilco Building is a high rise in downtown Midland, Texas. At tall and 22 floors, it is the second-tallest building in the city after the Bank of America Building. For many years, the Wilco Building was the tallest building between Fort Worth and Phoenix until the Bank of America Building was...
in downtown Midland was the tallest building between 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...
and Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
. Today, Midland's tallest building is the 24-story Bank of America Building
Bank of America Building (Midland)
The Bank of America Building is a highrise located in downtown Midland, Texas. Built in 1978, at 24-stories and 332 feet , it is the tallest building in the city. The building is located at 303 W. Wall St. and houses various oil & gas companies and Bank of America, Midland. The building is also...
which stands at a height of 332 feet (101.2 m). Four buildings over 500 feet (152.4 m) tall were planned in the 1980s, including one designed by world famous architect I.M. Pei. The great Oil Bust of the mid-1980s, however, killed any plans for future skyscrapers. As of today, five of the forty downtown skyscrapers in Midland are completely vacant.
Because of the revival of the energy-driven economy, a move is currently underway to bring mixed-use development to the downtown area. This has resulted in the on-going demolition of several older buildings and the plans for replacement of several more. At the beginning of 2008, the Permian Building
Permian Building
The Permian Building was a large office building in Midland, Texas that stood at . It was built in 1933 and demolished in 2008. According to the Midland Convention and Visitor's Bureau, former US President George W. Bush had an office in the building in 1970....
and Gihl's Tower were demolished. Today, there are parking lots where the two buildings once stood. On November 8, 2008 the 14-story Midland Savings Building, built in 1959, was imploded. The building once housed Texaco
Texaco
Texaco is the name of an American oil retail brand. Its flagship product is its fuel "Texaco with Techron". It also owns the Havoline motor oil brand....
's Midland office, which later moved to the Heritage Building. Crews have since begun the demolition of the Metro and First National Bank buildings, located on the same block. The Summit Building
Summit Building (Midland)
The Summit Building is a twelve-story, all-glass high-rise building in the business sector of downtown Midland, Texas. The building is constructed with a more modern look than most of Midland's downtown buildings...
, 300 N. Marienfeld, in mid-2008 became the first building in the Midland area to be depicted on Google Earth in a 3D mode. The GIS Division of the City of Midland has a long-range plan to render more of the downtown area in the new rendering.
Galleries
Midland CollegeMidland College
Midland College was established as an independent junior college in 1972 and held its first classes on campus in 1975. Since that time, the campus has expanded to a main campus on in Midland, Texas, United States - a county seat of over 100,000 people in the Permian Basin region of west Texas...
is home to the McCormick Gallery, located inside the Allison Fine Arts Building, on the college's main campus. Throughout the year, changing exhibits at the McCormick feature works of MC students and faculty, visiting artists, and juried exhibits from the Arts Assembly of Midland http://www.artsassemblyofmidland.org/. The McCormick is also home to the Studio 3600 Series http://www.midland.edu/mccormick/studio3600/index.php, established in 2006 to "spotlight selected art students and provide them the opportunity to exhibit key works that identify the style they have crafted over a period of time."
Performing arts
The Midland-Odessa Symphony & Chorale (MOSC) has performed in the Permian Basin for over 45 years, and is the region's largest orchestral organization, presenting both Pops and Masterworks concerts throughout the year. Composed of professional musicians from the area as well as LubbockLubbock, 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...
, San Angelo
San Angelo, Texas
San Angelo is a city in the state of Texas. Located in West Central Texas it is the county seat of Tom Green County. As of 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total population of 93,200...
and other surrounding cities, the MOSC also is home to three resident chamber ensembles, the Lone Star Brass, Permian Basin String Quartet and West Texas Winds. These ensembles are made up of principal musicians in the orchestra, who come to the area from across the United States.
The Midland Community Theatre (MCT) http://www.mctmidland.org has been entertaining the Permian Basin since 1946 with musicals, comedies, dramas, mysteries, children's theatre and melodramas. MCT produces 15 shows each year in three performance spaces - Davis Theatre I (485 seats) and Mabee Theatre II (155 seats), located in the Cole Theatre, and the annual fundraiser Summer Mummers
Summer Mummers
Summer Mummers is a yearly production presented at the historic Yucca Theater in downtown Midland, Texas. Running for three months out of every year , Summer Mummers celebrated its 60th year in 2008. There are typically 30 performances each summer. The nightly show consists of a locally-written...
http://www.summermummers.com in the historic Yucca Theatre. MCT has an extensive education program, including the Pickwick Players (teen performance troupe), Theatre School programs and OutReach classes. MCT operates with a professional staff of 20 and depends upon the hard work and dedication of hundreds of volunteers in the Permian Basin to produce shows throughout the year. MCT is a member of the American Association of Community Theatre http://www.aact.org, and hosted the 2006 AACT International Theatrefest.
Twice each year, the Phyllis & Bob Cowan Performing Arts Series at Midland College
Midland College
Midland College was established as an independent junior college in 1972 and held its first classes on campus in 1975. Since that time, the campus has expanded to a main campus on in Midland, Texas, United States - a county seat of over 100,000 people in the Permian Basin region of west Texas...
presents free cultural and artistic performances of "international interest and scope to stimulate and inspire the Midland arts community," and entertain the community at-large. The series was endowed in 1999, and has since brought a diverse selection of entertainers to Midland, including Andre Watts
André Watts
André Watts is a classical pianist and professor at the Jacobs School of Music of Indiana University.-Life and early performances:...
, the Eroica Trio
Eroica Trio
The Eroica Trio is an American piano trio consisting of Erika Nickrenz, piano; Susie Park, violin; and Sara Sant'Ambrogio, cello. Park joined the trio in September 2006 . The trio take their name from Beethoven's Eroica Symphony...
, the Moscow Boys Choir
Moscow Boys Choir
-History:Founded in 1957, the performing chorus is an all-boy choir under the direction of Leonid Baklushin.-Voices & Performances:Although most of the boys are sopranos, the adolescents also attain bass, baritone, and tenor range...
, the Flying Karamazov Brothers, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Preservation Hall Jazz Band is the name for numerous groups of Dixieland Jazz and traditional jazz bands at Preservation Hall in New Orleans, Louisiana, and on tours as organized by the Preservation Hall...
, 3 Mo' Divas, Ballet Folklorico de Mexico de Amalia Hernandez and the Golden Dragon Acrobats of China.
Tourism
Sitting on the southern edge of the Llano EstacadoLlano 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...
and located near the center of the Permian Basin oil fields, Midland's economy has long been focused on petroleum exploration and extraction. Providing more information about this industry is the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum
Permian Basin Petroleum Museum
The Permian Basin Petroleum Museum is a museum in Midland, Texas, USA, with exhibits relating to the oil and gas industry of the Permian Basin of west Texas and southeast New Mexico. Museum exhibits include the geology of the area during the Permian period, racing cars designed by Jim Hall, and...
, located on the outskirts of town near Interstate 20. The museum houses numerous displays on the history, science, and technology of oil and gas development. The Permian Basin Petroleum Museum houses a collection of race cars designed by Jim Hall
Jim Hall (race car driver)
Jim Hall is a former racecar driver and constructor from the United States. He competed in Formula One from to , participating in 12 World Championship Grands Prix and numerous non-Championship races....
, a long time Midland resident who pioneered the use of aerodynamic downforce in the design of Formula One cars.
Midland is also home to The Museum of the Southwest. The Museum features a collection of paintings by various members of the Taos Society of Artists
Taos Society of Artists
The Taos Society of Artists was an organization of visual arts founded in Taos, New Mexico in 1915; it disbanded in 1927. The Society was essentially a commercial cooperative, as opposed to a stylistic collective, and its foundation contributed to the development of the tiny Taos art colony into...
and Karl Bodmer
Karl Bodmer
Karl Bodmer was a Swiss painter of the American West. He accompanied German explorer Maximilian zu Wied-Neuwied from 1832 through 1834 on his Missouri River expedition...
as well as engravings by John J. and John W. Audubon. Located within the same museum complex are the separate Children's Museum and the Marian W. Blakemore Planetarium. The Museum of the Southwest is housed in the Turner Mansion, the historic 1934 home of Fred and Juliette Turner.
Headquartered in Midland is the Commemorative Air Force
Commemorative Air Force
The Commemorative Air Force , formerly known as the Confederate Air Force, is a Texas-based non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and showing historical aircraft at airshows primarily throughout the U.S. and Canada...
(CAF). Associated with the CAF is the American Airpower Heritage Museum
American Airpower Heritage Museum
The American Airpower Heritage Museum d.b.a. CAF Airpower Museum, is adjacent to the Commemorative Air Force Headquarters in Midland, Texas. The museum opened in its first building in Mercedes, Texas in 1965 as a location to house and display World War II artifacts as they began to be donated to...
. The museum, accredited by the American Association of Museums
American Association of Museums
The American Association of Museums is a non-profit association that has brought museums together since its founding in 1906, helping develop standards and best practices, gathering and sharing knowledge, and advocating on issues of concern to the museum community...
, displays and preserves 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...
artifacts and memorabilia, as well as a collection of original WWII nose art
Nose art
Nose art is a decorative painting or design on the fuselage of a military aircraft, usually located near the nose, and is a form of aircraft graffiti....
panels. As part of the museum tour, visitors can see 14-20 aircraft on display in the CAF hangar. A research library and archives house a significant oral history collection and give the public access to the museum's information resources.
On display at the Midland County Historical Museum are reproductions of the "Midland Man", the skeleton of a Clovis
Clovis culture
The Clovis culture is a prehistoric Paleo-Indian culture that first appears 11,500 RCYBP , at the end of the last glacial period, characterized by the manufacture of "Clovis points" and distinctive bone and ivory tools...
female found near the city in 1953 . Analysis of the remains by Dr. Curtis R. McKinney using uranium-thorium analysis showed that the bones are 11,600 ± 800 years old. Presenting his findings at the annual meeting of the Geological Society of America
Geological Society of America
The Geological Society of America is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of the geosciences. The society was founded in New York in 1888 by Alexander Winchell, John J. Stevenson, Charles H. Hitchcock, John R. Proctor and Edward Orton and has been headquartered at 3300 Penrose...
in 1992, Dr. McKinney said, "[T]he Midland Woman was related to the earliest ancestors of every Indian who lives today, and she is very likely the only representative of those who created the Clovis cultures."
Visiting Lectures
Twice each year, the Davidson Distinguished Lectures Series at Midland CollegeMidland College
Midland College was established as an independent junior college in 1972 and held its first classes on campus in 1975. Since that time, the campus has expanded to a main campus on in Midland, Texas, United States - a county seat of over 100,000 people in the Permian Basin region of west Texas...
presents free public lectures by "nationally-known speakers whose academic accomplishments, civic leadership, and/or public achievements interest, enrich, and enlighten Midland students and citizens." The series was endowed in 1996, and has since brought a diverse selection of speakers to Midland, including Ken Burns
Ken Burns
Kenneth Lauren "Ken" Burns is an American director and producer of documentary films, known for his style of using archival footage and photographs...
, Richard Leakey
Richard Leakey
Richard Erskine Frere Leakey is a politician, paleoanthropologist and conservationist. He is second of the three sons of the archaeologists Louis Leakey and Mary Leakey, and is the younger brother of Colin Leakey...
, Bill Moyers
Bill Moyers
Bill Moyers is an American journalist and public commentator. He served as White House Press Secretary in the United States President Lyndon B. Johnson Administration from 1965 to 1967. He worked as a news commentator on television for ten years. Moyers has had an extensive involvement with public...
, Mark Russell
Mark Russell
Mark Russell is an American political satirist/comedian. He also sings and plays the piano.-Biography:...
, Sandra Day O'Connor
Sandra Day O'Connor
Sandra Day O'Connor is an American jurist who was the first female member of the Supreme Court of the United States. She served as an Associate Justice from 1981 until her retirement from the Court in 2006. O'Connor was appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1981...
, Richard Rodriguez
Richard Rodriguez
Richard Rodriguez is an American writer who became famous as the author of Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez , a narrative about his intellectual development.- Early life :...
, Shelby Foote
Shelby Foote
Shelby Dade Foote, Jr. was an American historian and novelist who wrote The Civil War: A Narrative, a massive, three-volume history of the war. With geographic and cultural roots in the Mississippi Delta, Foote's life and writing paralleled the radical shift from the agrarian planter system of the...
, Anna Deavere Smith
Anna Deavere Smith
Anna Deavere Smith is an American actress, playwright, and professor. She is currently the artist in residence at the Center for American Progress.-Early life:...
, John Updike
John Updike
John Hoyer Updike was an American novelist, poet, short story writer, art critic, and literary critic....
and Neil deGrasse Tyson
Neil deGrasse Tyson
Neil deGrasse Tyson is an American astrophysicist, a science communicator, the Frederick P. Rose Director of the Hayden Planetarium at the Rose Center for Earth and Space, and a Research Associate in the Department of Astrophysics at the American Museum of Natural History...
.
Sports
Midland is home to the Midland RockHoundsMidland RockHounds
The Midland RockHounds are a minor league baseball team based in Midland, Texas, USA. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics major league club. The RockHounds play in Citibank Ballpark, located in Midland. Opened in 2002, the stadium seats...
, a Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
team. It is the Double-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
. The Rockhounds have played their home games in Citibank Ballpark
Citibank Ballpark
Citibank Ballpark is a stadium in Midland, Texas. It is primarily used for baseball, and is the home field of the Midland RockHounds minor league baseball team. The first game at Citbank Ballpark was played in 2002, the stadium seats 6,669 people...
since 2002.
West Texas United Sockers
West Texas United Sockers
West Texas United Sockers is an American soccer team based in Midland, Texas, United States. Founded in 2008, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Mid South Division of the Southern Conference.The team plays its home games at...
is an American soccer team founded in 2008. The team is a member of the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Mid South Division of the Southern Conference. The team plays its home games at the Grande Communications Stadium
Grande Communications Stadium
The Grande Communications Stadium is a 15,000-seat stadium located in Midland, Texas. The stadium plays host to the American football and soccer teams for both Robert E...
in Midland, Texas.
Midland is home to the West Texas Drillers (Adult Tackle Football) of the Minor Professional Football League. The Drillers were established in 2009. The Drillers play their home games at Grande Communications Stadium in Midland, Texas.
Midland College
Midland College
Midland College was established as an independent junior college in 1972 and held its first classes on campus in 1975. Since that time, the campus has expanded to a main campus on in Midland, Texas, United States - a county seat of over 100,000 people in the Permian Basin region of west Texas...
is a member of the Western Junior College Athletic Conference
Western Junior College Athletic Conference
Also known as '. Hosted by the National Junior College Athletic Association, also known as Region IV is a junior college conference for many Tech and Community Colleges...
, and fields teams in baseball, men's basketball, women's basketball, men's golf, softball and volleyball. Midland College has won 20 national championships in sports since 1975, as well as produced 192 All-Americans.
Plans have been made to develop a 35 court tennis facility named the Bush Tennis Center.
Midland is also home to the Midland Mad Dog Rugby Club, which competes in the Texas Rugby Union as a division III team.
Media
Midland is served by 10 local television stations: KMIDKMID
KMID is the ABC affiliated television station in Midland-Odessa, Texas, owned and operated by Nexstar Broadcasting Group, which is headquartered in Irving, Texas. KMID ABC2 was acquired by Nexstar in 2000...
- an ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
affiliate, KWES-TV
KWES-TV
KWES-TV, channel 9, commonly referred to as NewsWest 9, is the NBC affiliated television station in the Midland/Odessa area. The station is owned by the Drewry Communications Group. It also operates a satellite station, KWAB-TV , in Big Spring, Texas.-History:KWES began broadcasting in 1958 as...
- an NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
affiliate, KOSA
Kosa
, also known as Hongan-ji Kennyo , was the 11th head of the Hongan-ji in Kyoto, and Chief Abbot of Ishiyama Hongan-ji, cathedral fortress of the Ikkō-ikki , during its siege at the end of the Sengoku Period...
- a CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
affiliate and a MyNetwork TV affiliate on their digital cable TV station, KPEJ
KPEJ
KPEJ-TV digital channel 23 is a Fox affiliate serving the Midland / Odessa, Texas area.-History:KPEJ began in 1986 as an independent station before becoming a Fox affiliate in 1990...
- a Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
affiliate, KPBT - a PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
affiliate, KWWT
KWWT
KWWT, Channel 30, is The CW affiliate for the Midland / Odessa area and goes by the nickname Permian Basin CW 5/14.-History:KWWT signed on the air in 2001 as KPXK, a Pax TV affiliate....
- The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
affiliate, KUPB
KUPB
KUPB is a Spanish-language television station in the Midland/Odessa, Texas area owned by Entravision and affiliated with Univisión. The station commenced broadcasting on analog channel 18 on July 31, 1998. KUPB would move to digital broadcasting on June 12, 2009 at 9:00 AM, "flash-cutting"...
- a Univision
Univision
Univision is a Spanish-language television network in the United States. It has the largest audience of Spanish language television viewers according to Nielsen ratings. Randy Falco, COO, has been in charge of the company since the departure of Univision Communications president and CEO Joe Uva...
affiliate, KTLE-LP
KTLE-LP
KTLE-LP and KTLD-LP are low-power television stations licensed to Odessa, Texas, as affiliates of Spanish-language network Telemundo. KTLE serves Odessa, broadcasting in analog on UHF channel 20, while KTLD serves Midland, Texas, broadcasting in analog on UHF channel 49...
- a Telemundo
Telemundo
Telemundo is an American television network that broadcasts in Spanish. The network is the second-largest Spanish-language content producer in the world, and the second-largest Spanish-language network in the United States, behind Univision....
affiliate, and K69IT
K69IT
K69IT is a low-powered television station affiliated with the Mexico-based Multimedios Television, owned and operated by Mintz Broadcasting. It broadcasts on channel 69 and licensed to Midland, Texas; the station has applied for FCC permission to move to digital channel 25 or 29....
- a Multimedios Television
Multimedios Television
Multimedios Television is a network of Spanish language television stations found throughout Mexico. The system is part of Grupo Multimedios. The flagship station of Multimedios Television is XHAW-TV located in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. Programming features locally produced news, sports, children's...
affiliate. It also has one local religious television station: KMLM
KMLM
KMLM-DT is a religious television station in Odessa, Texas, broadcasting locally on channel 42 as an owned-and-operated station of God's Learning Channel. Channel 42 is also the GLC flagship station...
- a God's Learning Channel
God's Learning Channel
God's Learning Channel is a Judeo-Christian television network which is based in the Southwestern United States. Based on the Messianic Judaism movement, it describes itself as "teaching the Torah and the true roots of Christianity", and its programming features a mixture of Christian and Jewish...
affiliate that is a worldwide institution offering pro-Israel programming. Midland is also served by one local newspaper, the Midland Reporter-Telegram
Midland Reporter-Telegram
The Midland Reporter-Telegram is a daily newspaper in Midland, Texas. The offices for the paper are located at 201 E. Illinois Ave., Midland, TX 79701. Midland, Texas is located in the heart of the vast 54-county Permian Basin of West Texas, a geological region producing 70 percent of the oil in...
.
Many major motion pictures have been filmed in and around Midland, including Hangar 18
Hangar 18
The most notable Hangar 18 are:* Hangar 18 at Area 51 - the former biggest and still most famous building at the base.* Hangar 18 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base which allegedly houses evidence from the Roswell UFO incident...
, Waltz Across Texas, Fandango
Fandango
Fandango is a lively couple's dance, usually in triple metre, traditionally accompanied by guitars and castanets or hand-clapping . Fandango can both be sung and danced. Sung fandango is usually bipartite: it has an instrumental introduction followed by "variaciones"...
, Blood Simple
Blood Simple
Blood Simple is a 1984 neo-noir crime film. It was the directorial debut of Joel Coen and the first major film of cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld, who later became a noted director...
, Hard Country
Hard Country (1981 film)
Hard Country is a 1981 dramatic movie starring Jan-Michael Vincent and Kim Basinger, and co-starring country music star Tanya Tucker. It was directed by David Greene and is rated PG in the USA.-Main cast:*Jan-Michael Vincent ... Kyle...
, Friday Night Lights, The Rookie
The Rookie (2002 film)
The Rookie is a 2002 drama sports film directed by John Lee Hancock. It is based on the true story of Jim Morris, who had a brief, but famous Major League Baseball career in 1999. The film stars Dennis Quaid, Rachel Griffiths, Jay Hernandez, and Brian Cox....
, The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada is a 2005 American drama film directed by Tommy Lee Jones and written by Guillermo Arriaga. It stars Tommy Lee Jones, Barry Pepper, Julio Cedillo, and Dwight Yoakam....
, Everybody's Baby: The Rescue of Jessica McClure
Everybody's Baby: The Rescue of Jessica McClure
Everybody's Baby: The Rescue of Jessica McClure is a dramatic film, based on a true story of the rescue of 18 month old baby Jessica McClure in a water well.-Plot:...
(which featured, as extras, many participants in the actual rescue and its coverage), and others.
In the Heroes television series, the Midland-Odessa area is a focal point for many of the first season's episodes, serving as the home for the Bennet family as well as the location of a recurring restaurant, the Burnt Toast Diner.
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 2010, there were 111,149 people, 41,268 households, and 32,607 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 1,558.9 people per square mile (550.6/km²). There were 47,562 housing units at an average density of 667.1 per square mile (231.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 75.51% White, 8.37% African American, 0.63% Native American, 1.01% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 12.49% 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 1.96% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 28.99% of the population.
There were 41,268 households out of which 37.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.4% 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, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.3% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.19.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.9% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 92.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.7 males.
In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $39,320, and the median income for a family was $48,290. Males had a median income of $37,566 versus $24,794 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 in 2007 was $52,294. In 2000, about 10.1% of families and 12.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.4% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over.
Local government
According to the city’s most recent Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the city’s various funds had $57.3 million in Revenues, $53.0 million in expenditures, $363.4 million in total assets, $133.9 million in total liabilities, and $75.0 million in cash and investments.The structure of the management and coordination of city services is:
| City Department | Director |
|---|---|
| City Manager | Courtney Sharp |
| City Attorney | Keith Stretcher |
| City Secretary | Amy M. Turner |
| Chief of Police | Price Robinson |
| Fire Chief | Robert Isbell |
| Finance Director | Robert McNaughton |
| Community Services Director | Tina Jauz |
| Director of Airports | Marv Esterly |
| Director of Utilities | Stuart Purvis |
| Director of General Services | Robert Patrick |
| Director of Development Services | Rick Crownover |
State and federal representation
The Texas Department of Criminal JusticeTexas Department of Criminal Justice
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is a department of the government of the state of Texas. The TDCJ is responsible for statewide criminal justice for adult offenders, including managing offenders in state prisons, state jails and private correctional facilities, funding and certain...
operates the headquarters of Parole Division Region V in Midland; the Midland District Parole Office is in the Region V headquarters.
The United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
operates the Midland Main Post Office on the grounds of Midland International Airport
Midland International Airport
-Top Destinations:-See also:* Texas World War II Army Airfields-References:* Shaw, Frederick J. , Locating Air Force Base Sites History’s Legacy, Air Force History and Museums Program, United States Air Force, Washington DC, 2004....
. The other four post offices are Claydesta, Downtown Midland, Graves, and Village.
Economy
According to the City's 2008 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top ten employers in the city are:| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Midland Independent School District Midland Independent School District Midland Independent School District is a public school district in Midland, Texas . Midland ISD contains 35 campuses, two 5A high schools, 24 elementary schools, and two early education centers.... |
2,826 |
| 2 | Warren Equipment Companies | 1,920 |
| 3 | Midland Memorial Hospital and Medical Center | 1,500 |
| 4 | Dawson Geophysical | 1,200 |
| 5 | Midland College | 1,200 |
| 6 | City of Midland | 962 |
| 7 | Patterson Drilling UTI | 750 |
| 8 | AT&T Wireless | 600 |
| 9 | Midland County | 583 |
| 10 | Key Energy Services | 500 |
Colleges and Universities
Midland is the home of Midland CollegeMidland College
Midland College was established as an independent junior college in 1972 and held its first classes on campus in 1975. Since that time, the campus has expanded to a main campus on in Midland, Texas, United States - a county seat of over 100,000 people in the Permian Basin region of west Texas...
, which offers a variety of over 50 programs of study for associate degrees and certificates, to more than 6,000 students who enroll each semester. MC offers programs in Health Sciences, Information Technology, and Aviation, including a Professional Pilot Training program. Midland College is one of only three community colleges in Texas approved to offer a Bachelor's Degree in Applied Technology. Dr. Steve Thomas is Midland College's current president.
Midland is also the home for the Physician Assistant program offered by the Texas Tech University Health Science Center located on the campus of Midland College. The entry-level graduate program awards a Master of Physician Assistant Studies following 27 months of intensive academic and clinical training.
Schools
Midland is the home to three local public high schools: Midland High SchoolMidland High School (Midland, Texas)
Midland High School is a public high school located in Midland, Texas and is part of Midland Independent School District. The original Midland High School was built in 1926 and was moved twenty-three years later to a new building in 1949 where it currently sits today...
, Robert E. Lee High School and Early College High School (ECHS) at Midland College, all three of which are part of the Midland Independent School District
Midland Independent School District
Midland Independent School District is a public school district in Midland, Texas . Midland ISD contains 35 campuses, two 5A high schools, 24 elementary schools, and two early education centers....
. College-bound graduates of the first two high schools typically attend state universities - Texas A&M, Texas Tech, the University of Texas, Texas State and Abilene Christian University being some of the most popular. In recent years however, members of the graduating classes of Midland High and Lee have gone on to attend Northwestern, NYU, and Yale University.
There is no such data for the third school, ECHS, at this time. It is a new school, and welcomed its first freshman class on August 24, 2009. The goal for ECHS is that, by the time "the students receive their high school
diploma, they will also have an associate’s degree from Midland College."
There are also many private schools in Midland including: Hillcrest School, Hillander, Midland Classical Academy, Midland Christian School, Midland Montessori, St. Ann's School, and Trinity School of Midland, amongst others. Midland is also home to three charter schools; Richard Milburn Academy, Premier High School, and Midland Academy Charter School.
Libraries
- Midland County Library
- Haley Memorial Library & History CenterJ. Evetts HaleyJames Evetts Haley, Sr., usually known as J. Evetts Haley , was a Texas-born political activist and historian who wrote multiple works on the American West, including an enduring biography of legendary cattleman Charles Goodnight...
- Murray L. Fasken Learning Resource Center at Midland College
Transportation
Midland International AirportMidland International Airport
-Top Destinations:-See also:* Texas World War II Army Airfields-References:* Shaw, Frederick J. , Locating Air Force Base Sites History’s Legacy, Air Force History and Museums Program, United States Air Force, Washington DC, 2004....
serves Midland, nearby Odessa
Odessa, Texas
Odessa is a city in and the county seat of Ector County, Texas, United States. It is located primarily in Ector County, although a small portion of the city extends into Midland County. Odessa's population was 99,940 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Odessa, Texas Metropolitan...
and a large region of West Texas
West Texas
West Texas is a vernacular term applied to a region in the southwestern quadrant of the United States that primarily encompasses the arid and semi-arid lands in the western portion of the state of Texas....
, and southeast New Mexico. The airport is considered the gateway to the Big Bend Region of Texas and Big Bend National Park
Big Bend National Park
Big Bend National Park is a national park located in the U.S. state of Texas. Big Bend has national significance as the largest protected area of Chihuahuan Desert topography and ecology in the United States, which includes more than 1,200 species of plants, more than 450 species of birds, 56...
. Midland also has city-wide public bus services provided for the Midland-Odessa Urban Transit District by Midland-Odessa Transit Management, otherwise known as E-Z Rider.
Sister cities
Midland has four sister cities located in various countries around the world.Dongying
Dongying
Dongying is a prefecture-level city on the northern coast of Shandong province in Eastern China. Located around the mouth of the Yellow River, Dongying borders Binzhou to the west, Zibo to the southwest, and Weifang to the south...
, Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
, People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
; located near China's second largest known oil field. A modest pagoda located at the Beal Complex, was donated by Dongying.
Wirral
Metropolitan Borough of Wirral
The Metropolitan Borough of Wirral is a metropolitan borough of Merseyside, in North West England. It has a population of 311,200, and encompasses of the northern part of the Wirral Peninsula. Major settlements include Birkenhead, Wallasey, Bebington, Heswall, Hoylake and West Kirby. The city of...
(UK)
New Amsterdam
New Amsterdam, Guyana
New Amsterdam , located in the East Berbice-Corentyne Region, 62 miles from the capital, Georgetown, is one of the largest towns in Guyana. It is located four miles upriver from the Atlantic Ocean mouth of the Berbice River, on its eastern bank, immediately south of the Canje River...
(Guyana
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
)
Chihuahua, Chih.
Chihuahua, Chihuahua
The city of Chihuahua is the state capital of the Mexican state of Chihuahua. It has a population of about 825,327. The predominant activity is industry, including domestic heavy, light industries, consumer goods production, and to a smaller extent maquiladoras.-History:It has been said that the...
(Mexico
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...
)
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
)
Notable residents
- Ernest AngeloErnest AngeloErnest Angelo, Jr., known as Ernie Angelo , is a Texas oilman and Republican politician who served from 1972–1980 as mayor of the West Texas city of Midland and was in 1976 the co-manager of the Ronald W...
, Mayor of Midland, 1972-1980, 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...
national committeeman, 1976-1996 - Michael ArdenMichael ArdenMichael Jerrod Moore , also known as Michael Arden, is an American stage actor, singer, and composer. He was born in Midland, Texas.-Early and personal life:...
, Actor - Kathy BakerKathy BakerKatherine Whitton "Kathy" Baker is an American stage, film and television actress.-Career:Baker began her career at San Francisco's Magic Theatre, performing in several of Sam Shepard's plays before getting her break in an off-Broadway production of Fool for Love opposite Ed Harris...
, Actress - Cedric BensonCedric BensonCedric Myron Benson is an American football running back for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears fourth overall in the 2005 NFL Draft...
, Running back for the Cincinnati BengalsCincinnati BengalsThe Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL... - Raymond BensonRaymond BensonRaymond Benson is an American author best known for being the official author of the adult James Bond novels from 1997 to 2003. Benson was born in Midland, Texas and graduated from Permian High School in Odessa in 1973...
, Author of James BondJames BondJames Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
novels - Mookie BlaylockMookie BlaylockDaron Oshay "Mookie" Blaylock , is a retired American professional basketball player. He spent 13 years in the NBA with three teams.-Professional career:...
, NBA Basketball Star - Barbara BushBarbara BushBarbara Pierce Bush is the wife of the 41st President of the United States George H. W. Bush, and served as First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993. She is the mother of the 43rd President George W. Bush and of the 43rd Governor of Florida Jeb Bush...
, Former First Lady of the United States - Barbara BushBarbara Pierce BushBarbara Pierce Bush is the elder of the sororal twin daughters of the 43rd U.S. President George W. Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush, and the granddaughter of the 41st U.S. President George H. W. Bush, and his wife Barbara Bush, after whom she was named...
, Daughter of Former President George W. Bush - George H. W. BushGeorge H. W. BushGeorge Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
, Former President of the United States - George W. BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, Former President of the United States - Jeb BushJeb BushJohn Ellis "Jeb" Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd Governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007. He is a prominent member of the Bush family: the second son of former President George H. W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush; the younger brother of former President George W...
, Former Governor of Florida - Jenna BushJenna BushJenna Welch Bush Hager , is the younger of the sororal twin daughters of the 43rd U.S. President George W. Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush, and a granddaughter of the 41st U.S. President George H. W. Bush. She and her sister, Barbara, were the first twin children of a U.S. President...
, Daughter of Former President George W. Bush - Laura BushLaura BushLaura Lane Welch Bush is the wife of the 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush. She was the First Lady of the United States from January 20, 2001, to January 20, 2009. She has held a love of books and reading since childhood and her life and education have reflected that interest...
, Former First Lady of the United States - Frank Kell CahoonFrank Kell CahoonFrank Kell Cahoon is an oilman and natural gas entrepreneur from Midland, Texas, who was the only Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives in the regular 1965 legislative session. Cahoon served two terms in the legislature from 1965 to 1969...
, Midland oilman; the only Republican in the Texas legislature, 1965–1966; former Midland City Council member - Jeannette CharlesJeannette CharlesJeannette Charles is a look-alike actress of Queen Elizabeth II.Jeannette Charles appeared as an actress in repertory theatre in her twenties but initially had difficulty obtaining Equity membership as a look-alike of the Queen...
, Actress - Mike ConawayMike ConawayKenneth Michael "Mike" Conaway, is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district is located in West Texas and includes Midland, Odessa, San Angelo, Brownwood and Fredericksburg....
, United States Congressman - Tom CraddickTom CraddickThomas Russell Craddick, known as Tom Craddick , was the first Republican to have served as Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives since Reconstruction. Craddick wielded the Speaker's gavel from 2003-2009...
, District 82 State Representative and former Speaker of the Texas House - Leeon D. DavisLeeon D. DavisLeeon D. Davis was an American aircraft designer, noted for his homebuilt aircraft.Davis started building aircraft models at the age of six. Davis graduated with a high school education and a correspondence course in drafting and engineering from the Ryan Aeronautical Institute. Davis specialized...
, Homebuilt Plane Designer and Builder - Hal DeanHal DeanHal Stone Dean was a left guard for the Los Angeles Rams in the National Football League, playing three seasons from 1947 to 1949.-Early life:...
, Professional Football Player - Don EvansDon EvansDonald Thomas "Don" Evans was a noted African-American playwright, theatre director, actor and educator.-Early life and education:...
, Former Secretary of Commerce - Explosions in the SkyExplosions in the SkyExplosions in the Sky is an American post-rock band from Texas. The band has garnered popularity beyond the post-rock scene for their elaborately developed guitar work, narratively styled instrumentals, what they refer to as "cathartic mini-symphonies," and their enthusiastic and emotional live shows...
, three out of four members of the critically acclaimed indie rock group hail from Midland - Deborah FikesDeborah FikesDeborah Fikes is the executive advisor to the World Evangelical Alliance, and serves as the WEA Representative to the United Nations.-Biography:...
, Executive Advisor/Representative to the United Nations for the World Evangelical AllianceWorld Evangelical Alliance- Introduction :' is a global ministry working with local churches around the world to join in common concern to live and proclaim the "Good News of Jesus" in their communities... - Tommy FranksTommy FranksTommy Ray Franks is a retired general in the United States Army. His last Army post was as the Commander of the United States Central Command, overseeing United States Armed Forces operations in a 25-country region, including the Middle East...
, Retired General, United States ArmyUnited States ArmyThe United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services... - Kenn GeorgeKenn GeorgeKenneth S. George, known as Kenn George , is a self-employed businessman in Dallas, Texas, who served from 1999-2003 as a Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 108, which covers the heart of Dallas County. He left the legislature in an unsuccessful bid for Texas land...
, former state representative from Dallas CountyDallas County, TexasAs of the census of 2000, there were 2,218,899 people, 807,621 households, and 533,837 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,523 people per square mile . There were 854,119 housing units at an average density of 971/sq mi...
and unsuccessful candidate for Texas land commissioner - Doyle GlassDoyle GlassDoyle Dudley Glass is an American historian and sculptor.-Biography:Glass was born and raised in Midland, Texas. A sixth generation Texan, his family dates back to the days of the Republic of Texas, with an ancestor who died at the Alamo, another who was a Texas Ranger in Sul Ross' command, a...
, HistorianHistorianA historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
and Sculptor - Susan GrahamSusan GrahamSusan Graham is an American mezzo-soprano.Raised in Midland, Texas, she is a graduate of Texas Tech University and the Manhattan School of Music. She studied the piano for 13 years...
, Mezzo-sopranoMezzo-sopranoA mezzo-soprano is a type of classical female singing voice whose range lies between the soprano and the contralto singing voices, usually extending from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above... - Steven Dale Green, former Army Pfc., convicted of rape and murder
- J. Evetts HaleyJ. Evetts HaleyJames Evetts Haley, Sr., usually known as J. Evetts Haley , was a Texas-born political activist and historian who wrote multiple works on the American West, including an enduring biography of legendary cattleman Charles Goodnight...
, HistorianHistorianA historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
of the American West; political activist - Jim HallJim Hall (race car driver)Jim Hall is a former racecar driver and constructor from the United States. He competed in Formula One from to , participating in 12 World Championship Grands Prix and numerous non-Championship races....
, racecar designer/owner/driver - Frederic C. HamiltonFrederic C. HamiltonFrederic C. Hamilton is the chairman of Hamilton Groups LLC, a loosely connected group of companies focused on oil production, real estate holdings and educational institutions....
, Businessman, philanthropist - Woody HarrelsonWoody HarrelsonWoodrow Tracy "Woody" Harrelson is an American actor.Harrelson's breakthrough role came in the television sitcom Cheers as bartender Woody Boyd...
, Actor - Jonathan SmithJonathan SmithJonathan Smith may refer to:*Jonathan Smith , American professional race car driver*Jonathan Bayard Smith , American merchant, delegate to the Continental Congress...
, In the band Days Difference - Bobby Hillin, NASCAR driver
- E.J. Holub, Kansas City Chief football player
- Tommy Lee JonesTommy Lee JonesTommy Lee Jones is an American actor and film director. He has received three Academy Award nominations, winning one as Best Supporting Actor for the 1993 thriller film The Fugitive....
, Actor - J. Hugh Liedtke, Founder of PennzoilPennzoilPennzoil is an American oil company founded in Los Angeles, California in 1913. In 1955, it was acquired by Oil City, Pennsylvania company South Penn Oil, a former branch of Standard Oil. In 1963, South Penn Oil merged with Zapata Petroleum; the merged company took the Pennzoil name. During the...
- Bessie LoveBessie LoveBessie Love was an American motion picture actress who achieved prominence mainly in the silent films and early talkies. With a small frame and delicate features, she played innocent young girls, flappers, and wholesome leading ladies. Her role in The Broadway Melody earned her a nomination for...
, Actress - Jessica McClureJessica McClureJessica McClure Morales became famous at the age of 18 months after falling into a well in the backyard of 3309 Tanner Dr. Midland, Texas, on October 14, 1987. Between that day and October 16, rescuers worked for 58 hours to free "Baby Jessica" from the eight-inch-wide well casing below the ground...
, "Baby Jessica" - Wahoo McDanielWahoo McDanielEdward "Wahoo" McDaniel was a Choctaw-Chickasaw Native American who achieved fame as a professional American football player and later as a professional wrestler.-Early life:...
, Professional Football Player and wrestler - Douglas McGrathDouglas McGrathDouglas Geoffrey McGrath is an American screenwriter. He is also a film director and actor.McGrath was nominated for a both an Academy Award and a BAFTA award for his Bullets Over Broadway screenplay...
, Film writer and director - Jayson NixJayson NixJayson Truitt Edward Nix is an American professional baseball utility player for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball.-Early life:...
, Toronto Blue Jays utility player - Laynce NixLaynce NixLaynce Michael Nix is a Major League Baseball outfielder. Nix plays all three outfield positions, but plays most of his games at left field. His younger brother is Jayson Nix, a utility player for the Toronto Blue Jays....
, Washington NationalsWashington NationalsThe Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
outfielder - George H. O'Brien, Jr.George H. O'Brien, Jr.George Herman O'Brien, Jr. was a United States Marine Corps officer who received the Medal of Honor, the United States's highest military decoration, for his actions during the Korean War.-Biography:...
, Medal of HonorMedal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipient - Tony PeytonTony PeytonCharles Anthony "Tony" Peyton was a member of the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team. In the early 1940s, the Globetrotters played and defeated many of the country's top professional basketball teams....
, Last surviving member of the original Harlem GlobetrottersHarlem GlobetrottersThe Harlem Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team that combines athleticism, theater and comedy. The executive offices for the team are currently in downtown Phoenix, Arizona; the team is owned by Shamrock Holdings, which oversees the various investments of the Roy E. Disney family.Over... - John V. Pliska, designer and builder of the Pliska aircraft, flown in 1912
- David J. PorterDavid J. PorterDavid Jerome Porter , a Certified Public Accountant, is a member of the Texas Railroad Commission. Formerly in a private CPA practice in Midland in Midland County, Porter has since relocated to Giddings in Lee County, Texas.-Background:...
, Republican nominee for the Railroad Commission of TexasRailroad Commission of TexasThe Railroad Commission of Texas is the state agency that regulates the oil and gas industry, gas utilities, pipeline safety, safety in the liquefied petroleum gas industry, and surface coal and uranium mining .Established by the Texas Legislature in 1891, it is the state's oldest regulatory...
, 2010 - Judy RankinJudy RankinJudy Torluemke Rankin is an American professional golfer and golf broadcaster. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1962 and won 26 LPGA Tour events in all. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.-Amateur career:...
, LPGALPGAThe LPGA, in full the Ladies Professional Golf Association, is an American organization for female professional golfers. The organization, whose headquarters is in Daytona Beach, Florida, is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from...
all-time money winner - Jackson RathboneJackson RathboneMonroe Jackson Rathbone, V , better known as Jackson Rathbone, is an American actor and musician. He is perhaps best known for his role as Jasper Hale in The Twilight Saga and for playing Sokka in The Last Airbender....
, Actor - Doug RussellDouglas RussellDouglas Albert Russell is an Olympic Champion butterfly swimmer from the United States, who won the first ever gold medal in the men's 100m butterfly - an event which made its debut at the 1968 Summer Olympics...
, 1968 Olympic1968 Summer OlympicsThe 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
gold medalist - Mike Stanton, Cincinnati RedsCincinnati RedsThe Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
pitcher - Mike TimlinMike Timlin-Early life:Timlin was born in Midland, Texas to Jerome Francis Timlin Sr. and Nancy Sharon Beyer. Timlin graduated from Midland High School in Midland, Texas. He then attended and pitched at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, where he was a member of Phi Delta Theta.-Baseball career...
, Pitcher for the Boston Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"... - Rex TuckerRex Tucker (American football)Rex T. Tucker is a former professional American football offensive guard. He was selected 66th overall in the 1999 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears for whom he played six seasons . He also played a season with the St...
, Offensive Guard for the Detroit LionsDetroit LionsThe Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... - Ryan TuckerRyan TuckerRyan Tucker is a retired offensive tackle who played for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the fourth round of the 1997 NFL Draft...
, Offensive Tackle for the Cleveland BrownsCleveland BrownsThe Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - Randy VelardeRandy VelardeRandy Lee Velarde is a former Major League Baseball infielder who played for the New York Yankees, California/Anaheim Angels, Oakland Athletics, and Texas Rangers from to...
, Utility player in Major League Baseball. - Joseph Walker, Wide Receiver for the CFLCanadian Football LeagueThe Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
Hamilton Tiger-CatsHamilton Tiger-CatsThe Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium... - Spud WebbSpud WebbAnthony Jerome Webb , also known as Spud Webb, is a retired American NBA professional basketball point guard most notable for winning a slam dunk contest despite being one of the shortest NBA players in the history of the league...
, NBA Basketball Star - Eileen WilksEileen WilksEileen Wilks is an American award-winning fiction writer living in Midland, Texas.- Biography :Wilks lives in the West Texas town of Midland, Texas, and has previously, as a child, lived in Canada and Venezuela as well as twelve U.S...
, Romance and Urban Fantasy author - Clayton WilliamsClayton WilliamsClayton Wheat "Claytie" Williams, Jr. , a businessman from Midland, Texas, was the unsuccessful Republican gubernatorial nominee in 1990 against the Democratic State Treasurer Ann Richards even though Williams initially led in opinion polls by twenty points.-Biographical information:An independent...
, Businessman and 1990 gubernatorial candidate - Michael L. WilliamsMichael L. WilliamsMichael Lawrence Williams is a former member of the elected Texas Railroad Commission, a regulatory body over, not railroads, but the oil and natural gas industries. Williams is the first African American to hold a statewide elected executive office in Texas history. He was appointed to the...
, Texas Railroad Commission member - Leo and Fairfax Windecker, designers of the first composite aircraft to be FAA certified, founders of Windecker IndustriesWindecker IndustriesWindecker Industries was an American aircraft manufacturer founded in 1962 as Windecker Research in Midland, Texas. It was the first company to produce and market powered aircraft built predominantly of composite materials...
- Eric WinstonEric WinstonEric Winston is an American football offensive tackle for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. He was selected by the Texans with the 66th overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami.- High school career :Winston played high school...
, Offensive Tackle for the Houston TexansHouston TexansThe Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - Larry L. King, Author