Scurry, Texas
Encyclopedia
Scurry is a town in Kaufman County
, Texas
, United States
. It was incorporated in 2003. A July 1, 2008 U.S. Census Bureau
estimate placed the population at 719.
Both Kaufman County and the town of Scurry are part of the Dallas, Texas
–Fort Worth
–Arlington
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
and 37 miles southeast of Dallas
.
in the 1870s established the settlement as a shipment point for area farmers. When local residents requested a post office, they submitted the name Scurry – in honor of Scurry Dean, who was killed during the Civil War
. Post service began in 1883 and a year later, Scurry had an estimated population of fifty. By 1914, the community was home to around 400 people as well as a number of businesses. The Great Depression
caused Scurry to decline, which lasted through the first decade after World War II
. Only 250 people remained in the community by the mid-1950s. The trend was later reversed during the latter half of the twentieth century. In 1990, there were nine businesses and approximately 315 people living in the community. That figure approached 600 by 2000 and Scurry was officially incorporated as a town three years later.
. The district has three campuses and also serves the incorporated communities of Rosser
, Cottonwood
, and Grays Prairie
in southwestern Kaufman County.
Kaufman County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 71,313 people, 24,367 households, and 19,225 families residing in the county. The population density was 91/sq mi . There were 26,133 housing units at an average density of 33/sq mi...
, 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...
. It was incorporated in 2003. A July 1, 2008 U.S. 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...
estimate placed the population at 719.
Both Kaufman County and the town of Scurry are part of the Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
–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...
–Arlington
Arlington, Texas
Arlington is a city in Tarrant County, Texas within the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. According to the 2010 census results, the city had a population of 365,438, making it the third largest municipality in the Metroplex...
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Geography
Scurry is located at 32°31′07"N 96°22′51"W (32.518611, -96.380833). It is situated along State Highway 34 in southwestern Kaufman County, approximately four miles southwest of KaufmanKaufman, Texas
Kaufman is a city in Kaufman County, Texas, United States. The population was 6,490 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Kaufman County.-Geography:Kaufman is located at ....
and 37 miles southeast of Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
.
History
The first settlers in the area arrived in the mid-1840s. Over the next quarter century, a church and school community developed and the number of farms increased. The arrival of 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....
in the 1870s established the settlement as a shipment point for area farmers. When local residents requested a post office, they submitted the name Scurry – in honor of Scurry Dean, who was killed during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Post service began in 1883 and a year later, Scurry had an estimated population of fifty. By 1914, the community was home to around 400 people as well as a number of businesses. The Great Depression
Great Depression in the United States
The Great Depression began with the Wall Street Crash of October, 1929 and rapidly spread worldwide. The market crash marked the beginning of a decade of high unemployment, poverty, low profits, deflation, plunging farm incomes, and lost opportunities for economic growth and personal advancement...
caused Scurry to decline, which lasted through the first decade after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Only 250 people remained in the community by the mid-1950s. The trend was later reversed during the latter half of the twentieth century. In 1990, there were nine businesses and approximately 315 people living in the community. That figure approached 600 by 2000 and Scurry was officially incorporated as a town three years later.
Education
Public education in the town of Scurry is provided by the Scurry-Rosser Independent School DistrictScurry-Rosser Independent School District
Scurry-Rosser Independent School District is a school district based in Scurry, Texas .In addition to Scurry, the district serves the towns of Rosser, Cottonwood, and Grays Prairie in southwestern Kaufman County....
. The district has three campuses and also serves the incorporated communities of Rosser
Rosser, Texas
Rosser is a village in Kaufman County, Texas, United States. The population was 379 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
, Cottonwood
Cottonwood, Kaufman County, Texas
Cottonwood is a city in Kaufman County, Texas, United States. The population was 181 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Cottonwood is located at ....
, and Grays Prairie
Grays Prairie, Texas
Grays Prairie is a village in Kaufman County, Texas, United States. The population was 296 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Grays Prairie is located at ....
in southwestern Kaufman County.
External links
- Scurry, Texas - Texas Handbook Online.
- Scurry-Rosser news - Kaufman County Online.
- Scurry-Rosser Independent School District - Official site.