Wichita Falls, Texas
Encyclopedia
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 Wichita County
Wichita County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 131,664 people, 48,441 households, and 32,891 families residing in the county. The population density was 210 people per square mile . There were 53,304 housing units at an average density of 85 per square mile...
, 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Wichita Falls is the principal city of the Wichita Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area
Wichita Falls metropolitan area
The Wichita Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area is a metropolitan area in North Texas that covers three counties - Archer, Clay, and Wichita. As of the 2000 census, the MSA had a population of 151,524 .-Counties:*Archer*Clay*Wichita-Places with 1,000 to 25,000 people:*Archer...
, which encompasses all of Archer
Archer County, Texas
Archer County is a county located in the US state of Texas, and was formed in 1858 from Fannin County. It is part of the Wichita Falls, Texas, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2005, the population estimate is 9,095, up from 8,854 in 2000. Its county seat is Archer City. Archer is named for...
, Clay
Clay County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 11,006 people, 4,323 households, and 3,181 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile . There were 4,992 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile...
and Wichita counties. According to the U.S. Census estimate of 2010, the city had a population of 104,553. In addition to Sheppard Air Force Base
Sheppard Air Force Base
Sheppard Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located five miles north of the central business district of Wichita Falls, in Wichita County, Texas, United States. It is the largest training base and most diversified in Air Education and Training Command...
, Wichita Falls is also home to the "world's littlest skyscraper
World's littlest skyscraper
The Newby-McMahon Building, commonly referred to as the world’s littlest skyscraper, is located at 701 LaSalle Street in downtown Wichita Falls, Texas. This late Neoclassical style red brick and cast stone structure is tall, and its exterior dimensions are deep and wide...
".
History
The Choctaw Indians settled the area in the early 18th century. White settlers arrived in the 1860s to form cattle ranches. The city of Wichita Falls was officially born on September 27, 1872. On that day, a sale of town lots was held at what is now the corner of Seventh and Ohio streets — the birthplace of the city. The Fort Worth and Denver RailwayFort Worth and Denver Railway
The Fort Worth and Denver Railway , nicknamed "the Denver Road," was a class I American railroad company that operated in the northern part of Texas from 1881 to 1982, and had a profound influence on the early settlement and economic development of the region....
arrived in 1882, the same year the city became the county seat of Wichita County, Texas
Wichita County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 131,664 people, 48,441 households, and 32,891 families residing in the county. The population density was 210 people per square mile . There were 53,304 housing units at an average density of 85 per square mile...
. The city grew westwards from the train depot. This area is now referred to as the Depot Square Historic District, which has been declared a Texas Historic Landmark
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark is a designation awarded by the Texas Historical Commission for historically and architecturally significant properties in the state of Texas....
.
A flood in 1886 destroyed the original falls
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
on the Wichita River
Wichita River
The Wichita River, part of the Red River watershed, lies in north-central Texas. Rising in northeastern Knox County at the confluence of its North and South Forks, the river flows northeast across Baylor, Archer, Wichita, and Clay counties before joining the Red River just west of Byers Bend in...
for which the city was named. After nearly 100 years of visitors wanting to visit the non-existent falls, the city built an artificial waterfall beside the river in Lucy Park. The recreated falls are 54 feet (16.5 m) high and recirculates at 3,500 gallons per minute. They are visible to south-bound traffic on Interstate 44.
The city is currently seeking funding to rebuild and restore the downtown area. Downtown Wichita Falls was once the city's main shopping area for many years, but lost ground to the creation of new shopping centers throughout the city beginning with Parker Square in 1953 and other similar developments during the 1960s and 1970s, culminating with the opening of Sikes Senter Mall in 1974. The last surviving major downtown retail store, Sears, moved to Sikes Senter in 1990. The former downtown Sears building, constructed in 1967, covered an entire city block and featured "roof top" parking.
Wichita Falls was once home to offices of several oil companies and related industries, along with oil refineries operated by the Continental Oil Company (now Conoco Phillips) until 1952 and Panhandle Oil Company (later American Petrofina) until 1965. Both firms continued to utilize a portion of their former refineries as gasoline/oil terminal facilities for many years.
1964 tornado
A devastating tornadoTornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
hit the north and northwest portions of Wichita Falls along with Sheppard Air Force Base during the afternoon of April 3, 1964 leaving 7 dead, more than 100 injured and causing roughly $15 million in property damage (approximately 225 homes and businesses). This tornado was also among the first in the nation to be broadcast on live television through warning coverage by KAUZ-TV
KAUZ-TV
KAUZ-TV, digital channel 22 , is the CBS affiliate television station located in Wichita Falls, Texas. It also serves Lawton, Oklahoma. Its transmitter is located at the studio in Wichita Falls and has a low-power translator in Bowie...
Channel 6 due to the efforts by station officials to drag a studio camera outside and point it toward the funnel
Funnel cloud
A funnel cloud is a funnel-shaped cloud of condensed water droplets, associated with a rotating column of wind and extending from the base of a cloud but not reaching the ground or a water surface. A funnel cloud is usually visible as a cone-shaped or needle like protuberance from the main cloud...
as it was approaching the city's northwest edge. KFDX-TV
KFDX-TV
KFDX, virtual channel 3, is the NBC affiliated television station located in Wichita Falls, Texas. It also serves Lawton, Oklahoma. Its transmitter is located at the studio in Wichita Falls...
Channel 3 also provided live tornado warning coverage; reporters were out in the field to report on the tornado's movement and aftermath utilizing two-way radio communication with news director Fred Brooks and weathercaster Ben Strickland back at the studio. A Wichita Falls Times Record News photographer shot a picture from the roof of the newspaper's downtown offices of the funnel as it was approaching Sheppard Air Force Base .
1979 tornado
An F4Fujita scale
The Fujita scale , or Fujita-Pearson scale, is a scale for rating tornado intensity, based primarily on the damage tornadoes inflict on human-built structures and vegetation...
tornado struck the heavily populated southern sections of Wichita Falls in the late afternoon on Tuesday, April 10, 1979 (known locally as "Terrible Tuesday"). The storm was part of an outbreak that produced 30 tornadoes around the region. Despite having nearly an hour's advance warning that severe weather
Severe weather
Severe weather phenomena are weather conditions that are hazardous to human life and property.- Examples Include :Severe weather can occur under a variety of situations, but three characteristics are generally needed: a temperature or moisture boundary, moisture, and , instability in the...
was imminent, 42 people were killed (25 in vehicles) and 1,800 were injured because the storm arrived just in time for many people to be driving home from work. The tornado left 20,000 people homeless and caused $400 million in damage, a U.S. record not topped by an individual tornado until the F5
Fujita scale
The Fujita scale , or Fujita-Pearson scale, is a scale for rating tornado intensity, based primarily on the damage tornadoes inflict on human-built structures and vegetation...
Moore-Oklahoma City tornado of May 3, 1999.
45 people were killed in this tornado.
Geography and climate
Wichita Falls is located at 33°53′49"N 98°30′54"W (33.897047, -98.514881). The city is about 15 miles (24.1 km) south of the border with OklahomaOklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, 115 miles (185.1 km) northwest of Fort Worth, and 140 miles (225.3 km) southwest of Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
. 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 70.71 square miles (183.1 km²) of which 70.69 square miles (183.1 km²) is land and 0.02 square mile (0.0517997622 km²) (0.03%) is water.
Wichita Falls experiences a humid subtropical climate
Humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
(Köppen climate classification
Köppen 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...
Cfa).
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 104,197 people, 37,970 households, and 24,984 families residing in the city. City-data.com reports the population has since declined to 99,354 in July 2006, though the city disputes these numbers. 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 1474.1 PD/sqmi. There were 41,916 housing units at an average density of 593 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 75.11% White, 12.40% African American, 0.86% Native American, 2.20% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 6.39% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.95% from two or more races. Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin accounted for 13.98% of the population.
Of the 37,970 recorded households, 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.7% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.04. In the city the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 15.2% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 106.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.7 males. The median income for a household in the city was $32,554, and the median income for a family was $39,911. Males had a median income of $27,609 versus $21,877 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $16,761. About 10.8% of families and 13.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.7% of those under age 18 and 10.3% of those age 65 or over. Based on a July 1, 2006 estimate, the metropolitan statistical area has a population of 145,528, a decline of nearly 4% since 2000 (see Table of United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas
Table of United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas
thumb|An enlargeable map of the 942 [[Core Based Statistical Area]]s of the [[United States]]. The 367 [[Metropolitan Statistical Area]]s are shown in red....
).
Radio stations
- KBZSKBZSKBZS is a radio station broadcasting a Active Rock format. Licensed to Wichita Falls, Texas, USA, the station serves the Wichita Falls area. The station is currently owned by Townsquare Media and features programing from Premiere Radio Networks....
106.3 FM (Active RockActive rockActive rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock plays contemporary rock artists with a mix of songs common in the classic rock radio format.-Format background:...
) - KLURKLURKLUR is a radio station serving Wichita Falls, Texas and Vicinity with a country music format. It operates on FM frequency 99.9 MHz and is under ownership of Cumulus Media. The station has had many nicknames including "King of the Country". Former on-air talent includes Bob St. Clair , Dan Baker,...
99.9 FM (CountryCountry musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
) - KMCUKMCUKMCU , is a National Public Radio-affiliated radio station in Wichita Falls, Texas. It primarily features National Public Radio programming.KMCU is a repeater frequency for KCCU, whose signal originates from Lawton, Oklahoma.-External links:*...
88.7 FM (National Public Radio) - KMOCKMOCKMOC, The Message of Christ is a contemporary Christian music station located in Wichita Falls, Texas and broadcasts at 89.5 FM. The station was created by the Christian Service Foundation and began broadcasting on July 7, 1987. The station began with a single microphone, an old phonograph, and...
89.5 FM (Contemporary ChristianContemporary Christian musicContemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
) - KNINKNIN-FMKNIN-FM , "Today's Hit Music," is a radio station broadcasting an Top 40 format. The station serves the Wichita Falls, Texas area. The station is currently owned by Townsquare Media....
92.9 FM (CHRContemporary hit radioContemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
) - KQXC 103.9 FM ( Rhythmic Top 40)
- KWFBKWFB (FM)KWFB is a radio station licensed to Holliday, Texas, USA, the station serves the Wichita Falls area. The station is currently owned by Kixc-FM L.L.C.KWFB programs are relayed to the Lawton, OK area on FM translator station K288FQ...
100.9 FM (Adult HitsAdult hitsAdult hits is a radio format, popular in the early 2000s, that does not adhere to a specific music genre, but instead draws from a wider playlist...
) - KWFSKWFS (AM)KWFS is a radio station serving the Wichita Falls area with a news/talk radio format. It broadcasts on AM frequency 1290 kHz and is under ownership of Townsquare Media....
1290 AM (newsAll-news radioAll-news radio is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcast of news.All-news radio is available in both local and syndicated forms, and is carried in some form on both major US satellite radio networks...
/talk radioTalk radioTalk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
) - KWFS-FMKWFS-FMKWFS-FM is a radio station serving the Wichita Falls area with a Modern Country format. It broadcasts on FM frequency 102.3 MHz and is under ownership of Townsquare Media.- History :...
102.3 FM (Modern CountryCountry musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
) - KZKL 90.5 FM (Contemporary ChristianContemporary Christian musicContemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
) - KYYIKYYIKYYI , branded as "The Bear 104.7", is a radio station serving Wichita Falls, Texas, and vicinity with a classic rock format. It operates on FM frequency 104.7 MHz and is under ownership of Cumulus Media....
104.7FM (Classic rockClassic rockClassic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
)
Television stations
- KFDX-TVKFDX-TVKFDX, virtual channel 3, is the NBC affiliated television station located in Wichita Falls, Texas. It also serves Lawton, Oklahoma. Its transmitter is located at the studio in Wichita Falls...
Channel 3 (NBCNBCThe 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...
) - KAUZ-TVKAUZ-TVKAUZ-TV, digital channel 22 , is the CBS affiliate television station located in Wichita Falls, Texas. It also serves Lawton, Oklahoma. Its transmitter is located at the studio in Wichita Falls and has a low-power translator in Bowie...
Channel 6 (CBSCBSCBS 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...
) - KSWO-TVKSWO-TVKSWO-TV, virtual channel 7, is the ABC affiliated television station located in Lawton, Oklahoma. It also serves Wichita Falls, Texas. Its transmitter is located near Grandfield, Oklahoma. KSWO broadcasts its digital signal on VHF channel 11...
Channel 7 (ABCAmerican Broadcasting CompanyThe 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...
) - KJTLKJTLKJTL, virtual channel 18, is the Fox affiliate located in Wichita Falls, Texas also serving Lawton, Oklahoma owned by Nexstar Broadcasting "affiliate" Mission Broadcasting in a virtual duopoly with NBC affiliate KFDX channel 3...
Channel18 (FoxFox Broadcasting CompanyFox 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...
)
Sports and recreation
Wichita Falls is the home of the annual Hotter'N Hell HundredHotter'N Hell Hundred
The Hotter’N Hell Hundred is an annual bicycle ride in Wichita Falls, Texas. It is held each year on the 4th or 5th Saturday in August and includes professional as well as amateur riders. The professional racers ride a 100-mile road race, as well as time trials and criterium...
, the largest century bicycle ride
Challenge riding
Challenge riding is a form of cycling where the riders challenge themselves rather than each other. Some challenge rides are charity events or pledge rides. Some are organised as pre- or early-season training events...
in the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The city has been home to a number of semi-pro, development, and minor league sports teams, including the Wichita Falls Drillers, a semi-pro football team that has won numerous league titles and a national championship; Wichita Falls Kings (formerly known as Wichita Falls Razorbacks), the semi-pro football team Wichita Falls Texans
Wichita Falls Texans
The Wichita Falls Texans were a minor league basketball team in the Continental Basketball Association from 1988-1994. The team was located in Wichita Falls, Texas, and played their games at D.L. Ligon Coliseum, located on the campus of Midwestern State University. The Texans won the CBA...
of the Continental Basketball Association
Continental Basketball Association
The Continental Basketball Association was a professional men's basketball league in the United States, which has been on hiatus since the 2009 season.- History :...
; Wichita Falls Fever
Wichita Falls Fever
The Wichita Falls Fever was an American soccer club based in Wichita Falls, Texas that was a member of the Lone Star Soccer Alliance.-Year-by-year:...
in the Lone Star Soccer Alliance
Lone Star Soccer Alliance
Lone Star Soccer Alliance was a soccer league that existed from 1987 to 1992. While the majority of the teams came from Texas, some also came from Oklahoma and Kansas.-History:...
(1989–92); the Wichita Falls Spudders
Wichita Falls Spudders
The Wichita Falls Spudders were a minor league baseball team that formed in 1920 and played its last game in 1957. They were based in Wichita Falls, Texas....
baseball team in the 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...
; the Wichita Falls Wildcats
Wichita Falls Wildcats
The Wichita Falls Wildcats are a Tier II Junior A ice hockey team in the North American Hockey League's South Division. The Wildcats play out of the 6,500-seat Kay Yeager Coliseum in Wichita Falls, Texas. Current coaches of the team are Paul Baxter, Brian Huebel, and Sean Fish.The team's games...
(formerly the Wichita Falls Rustlers) of the North American Hockey League
North American Hockey League
The North American Hockey League is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the United States and is enterting its 36th season in 2011-12. It is currently the only Junior A Tier II league, sanctioned by USA Hockey. The NAHL currently acts as an alternative to the United States Hockey League...
, an American "Junior A" Hockey league; and the Wichita Falls Roughnecks (formerly the Graham Roughnecks) of the Texas Collegiate League
Texas Collegiate League
The Texas Collegiate League is a collegiate summer baseball league comprising teams of the top college players from North America and beyond. The TCL is based in Coppell, Texas, and shares its headquarters with the Coppell Copperheads, the DFW Metroplex-area team...
James Darren Black, a once youth goalie phenom, still resides here today. He won All American Goalie of the year 1999, 2000, and 2001..
Lucy Park is a 170 acres (68.8 ha) park with a log cabin, duck pond, playground, a frisbee golf course, and picnic areas. It has multiple paved walkways suitable for walking, running, biking, or rollerskating, including a river walk that goes to a re-creation of the original falls for which the city was named (the original falls were destroyed in a 19th century flood; the new falls were built in response to numerous tourist requests to visit the "Wichita Falls"). There are also unpaved trails for off-road biking and hiking.
Local government
The Mayor of Wichita Falls is Glenn Barham. The Wichita Falls City Council has six members: Linda Ammons, Michael Smith, Dorothy Roberts-Burns, Rick Hatcher, Tim Ingle, and Mary Ward. The City Manager is Darron Leiker.State and federal politics
Wichita Falls is located in the 69th district of the Texas House of RepresentativesTexas House of Representatives
The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Texas Legislature. The House is composed of 150 members elected from single-member districts across the state. The average district has about 150,000 people. Representatives are elected to two-year terms with no term limits...
. Lanham Lyne, a Republican
Republican 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...
, represents the district since 2011. Wichita Falls is also located in the 30th district of the Texas Senate
Texas Senate
The Texas Senate is the upper house of the Texas Legislature. There are 31 members of the Senate, representing 31 single-member districts across the state with populations of approximately 672,000 per constituency. There are no term limits, and each term is four years long. The Senate meets at the...
. Craig Estes
Craig Estes
Craig Linton Estes is a Republican member of the Texas Senate representing the 30th District.-2004:-2002:-2001:-External links:* official TX Senate website* official website* profile...
, a Republican
Republican 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...
, has held the senate seat since 2001. Wichita Falls is part of Texas's 13th congressional district
Texas's 13th congressional district
-References:*...
for the U.S. House of Representatives. Mac Thornberry
Mac Thornberry
William McClellan "Mac" Thornberry is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1995. He is a member of the Republican Party....
, a Republican, has held this seat since 1995.
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice
Texas 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...
James V. Allred Unit is located in Wichita Falls, 4 miles (6.4 km) northwest of downtown Wichita Falls. 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 Wichita Falls Post Office,the Morningside Post Office, the Bridge Creek Post Office,and the Sheppard Air Force Base
Sheppard Air Force Base
Sheppard Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located five miles north of the central business district of Wichita Falls, in Wichita County, Texas, United States. It is the largest training base and most diversified in Air Education and Training Command...
Post Office.
Education
Wichita Falls is home to Midwestern State UniversityMidwestern State University
Midwestern State University is a public liberal arts college in Wichita Falls, Texas, and a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges...
, an accredited 4-year college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
and the only independent liberal arts college in Texas offering both bachelor's
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
and master's
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
degrees
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
. A local branch of nearby Vernon College
Vernon College
Vernon College, known as Vernon Regional Junior College until May 2001, is a community college, located in Wichita Falls, Texas and Vernon, Texas.-Service area:Vernon College's service area includes twelve counties in North Texas.*Archer*Baylor...
offers two-year degrees, certificate programs, and workforce development programs, and also Wayland Baptist University
Wayland Baptist University
Wayland Baptist University is private, coeducational Baptist university based in Plainview, Texas, U.S.A. Wayland Baptist has a total of fourteen campuses in four additional Texas cities, five other states, and the country of Kenya. On August 31, 1908, the university was chartered by the state of...
, whose main branch is located in Plainview, Texas
Plainview, Texas
Plainview is a city in and the county seat of Hale County, Texas, United States. The population was 22,336 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Plainview is located at ....
.
Public primary and secondary education
Public education
State schools, also known in the United States and Canada as public schools,In much of the Commonwealth, including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, the terms 'public education', 'public school' and 'independent school' are used for private schools, that is, schools...
is covered by the Wichita Falls Independent School District
Wichita Falls Independent School District
Wichita Falls Independent School District ' is a public school district based in Wichita Falls, Texas, United States and is accredited by the Texas Education Agency....
, the City View Independent School District
City View Independent School District
City View Independent School District is a public school district based in Wichita Falls, Texas .Northwestern portions of Wichita Falls are served by the district.In 2009, the school district was rated "recognized" by the Texas Education Agency....
, and the Bright Ideas Charter School
Charter school
Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter...
. There are several parochial school
Parochial school
A parochial school is a school that provides religious education in addition to conventional education. In a narrower sense, a parochial school is a Christian grammar school or high school which is part of, and run by, a parish.-United Kingdom:...
s, the largest of which is Notre Dame Catholic school
Notre Dame Catholic School (Wichita Falls, Texas)
Notre Dame Catholic School is a private, Roman Catholic high school, middle school, and elementary school in Wichita Falls, Texas. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth....
. Other private school
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
s operate in the city, as does an active home-school
Homeschooling
Homeschooling or homeschool is the education of children at home, typically by parents but sometimes by tutors, rather than in other formal settings of public or private school...
community. Many of the local elementary schools participate in the Head Start program for preschool-aged children. The Wichita Falls ISD is one of only a handful of school districts in Texas that does not require its students to attend a particular school in the district based on their residency. Instead, all schools have magnet programs
Magnet school
In education in the United States, magnet schools are public schools with specialized courses or curricula. "Magnet" refers to how the schools draw students from across the normal boundaries defined by authorities as school zones that feed into certain schools.There are magnet schools at the...
to attract students, such as the Washington Jackson Math & Science Center.
Two schools in the Wichita Falls Independent School District participate in the International Baccalaureate programmes. Hirschi High School
Hirschi High School
John R. Hirschi Math/Science International Baccalaureate Magnet High School, or commonly known as Hirschi High School or HHS for short, is a four year public high school in Wichita Falls, Texas located at 3106 Borton Lane...
offers the IB Diploma Programme
IB Diploma Programme
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a two-year educational programme for students aged 16–19that provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education, and is recognised by universities worldwide. It was developed in the early to mid-1960s in Geneva by...
, and G.H. Kirby Junior High School for the Middle Years Programme. Other public high schools are Wichita Falls High School
Wichita Falls High School
Wichita Falls High School or WFHS is a public school in Wichita Falls, Texas . It is part of the Wichita Falls Independent School District and is one of the district's three high schools....
and S. H. Rider High School
S. H. Rider High School
S.H. Rider High School is a public school in Wichita Falls, Texas . It is part of the Wichita Falls Independent School District and is one of the district's three high schools....
(Wichita Falls ISD) and City View High School
City View Junior/Senior High School
City View Junior/Senior High School is a public school in Wichita Falls, Texas . It is part of the City View Independent School District.Located at 1600 City View Drive, the school serves students in grades seven through twelve...
(City View ISD).
Highways
Wichita Falls is the western terminus for Interstate 44. U.S. HighwaysUnited States Numbered Highways
The system of United States Numbered Highways is an integrated system of roads and highways in the United States numbered within a nationwide grid...
leading to or through Wichita Falls include 287, 277, 281, and 82. State Highway 240 ends at Wichita Falls and State Highway 79
State Highway 79 (Texas)
State Highway 79 or SH 79 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Texas that runs from the Oklahoma border near Wichita Falls to Throckmorton. It was originally designated in 1926 along its current route, except for the unfinished portion from Olney to Elbert. This section was completed by 1938....
runs through it. Wichita Falls has one of the largest numbers of freeway mileage for a city of its size as a result of a 1954 bond issue approved by city and county voters to purchase right-of-way for several expressway routes through the city and county, the first of which was opened in 1958 as an alignment of U.S. 287 from Eighth Street at Broad and Holliday streets northwestward across the Wichita River and bisecting Lucy and Scotland parks to the Old Iowa Park Road, which was the original U.S. 287 alignment. That was followed by other expressway links including U.S. 82-287 east to Henrietta (completed in 1968), U.S. 281 south toward Jacksboro (completed 1969), U.S. 287 northwest to Iowa Park and Electra (opened 1962), Interstate 44 north to Burkburnett and the Red River (opened 1964), and Interstate 44 from Old Iowa Park Road to U.S. 287/Spur 325 interchange on the city's north side along with Spur 325 itself from I-44/U.S. 287 to the main gate of Sheppard Air Force Base (both completed as one single project in 1960). However, cross-country traffic for many years had to contend with several ground-level intersections and stop lights over Holliday and Broad streets near the downtown area for approximately 13 blocks between connecting expressway links until a new elevated freeway running overhead was completed in 2001.
Efforts to create an additional freeway along the path of Kell Boulevard for U.S. 82-277 began in 1967 with the acquisition of right-of-way that included a former railroad right-of-way and the first project including construction of the present frontage roads completed in 1977, followed by freeway lanes, overpasses and on/off ramps in 1989 from just east of Brook Avenue west to Kemp oulevard; and similar projects west from Kemp to Barnett Road in 2001 followed by Barnett Road west past FM 369 in 2010 to tie in which a project now underway to transform U.S. 277 into a continuous four-lane expressway between Wichita Falls and Abilene.
Ground transportation
Greyhound LinesGreyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
provides intercity bus
Intercity bus
An intercity bus is a bus that carries passengers significant distances between different cities, towns, or other populated areas. Unlike a municipal bus, which has frequent stops throughout a city or town, an intercity bus generally has a single stop at a centralized location within the city, and...
service from Wichita Falls to other locations served by Greyhound via its terminal at the Jolly truck stop outside of town. Skylark Van Service shuttles passengers to and from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport on several runs during the day all week long.
Air transportation
The Wichita Falls Municipal AirportWichita Falls Municipal Airport
Wichita Falls Municipal Airport is an airport located five miles north of the central business district of Wichita Falls, a city in Wichita County, Texas, United States. The airport is joint use in that its runways and taxiways are shared with Sheppard Air Force Base...
is served by American Eagle
American Eagle Airlines
American Eagle Airlines is a brand name used by American Eagle Airlines, Inc. , based in Fort Worth, Texas, and Executive Airlines based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in the operation of passenger air service as regional affiliates of American Airlines. All three airlines are wholly owned subsidiaries...
with five flights daily to the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is located between the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas, and is the busiest airport in the U.S. state of Texas...
. The Kickapoo Downtown Airpark and the Wichita Valley Airport serve smaller, private planes.
Notable people
- Bowling for SoupBowling for SoupBowling for Soup is an American pop-punk band which originally formed in Wichita Falls, Texas in 1994...
, rock band - Orville BullingtonOrville BullingtonOrville Bullington was an attorney and businessman in Wichita Falls, Texas, who was the unsuccessful Republican gubernatorial nominee in 1932 against former Governor Miriam Wallace "Ma" Ferguson....
, 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...
nominee for governor of TexasGovernor of TexasThe governor of Texas is the head of the executive branch of Texas's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Texas Legislature, and to convene the legislature...
in 1932 - 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...
, MidlandMidland, TexasMidland 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...
oilman and former politician - Greyson ChanceGreyson ChanceGreyson Michael Chance is an American pop rock singer and pianist whose April 2010 performance of Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi" at a sixth-grade music festival became a hit on YouTube, gaining over 43 million views. Two of his original compositions, "Stars" and "Broken Hearts", gained over 5 and 7...
, singer-songwriter and pianist - Don CherryDon Cherry (singer/golfer)Donald Ross Cherry is an American singer of traditional pop music, best known for his 1955 hit, "Band of Gold"; and a former amateur and professional golfer.-Biography:...
, charting pop singer and a leading amateur golfer of the 1950s and early 60s - Phyllis CoatesPhyllis CoatesPhyllis Coates is an American film and television actress. She is perhaps best known for her portrayal of reporter Lois Lane in the 1951 film Superman and the Mole Men, and during the first season of the Adventures of Superman television series.-Early life and career:After graduating from high...
, actress who originated the role of Lois LaneLois LaneLois Lane is a fictional character, the primary love interest of Superman in the comic books of DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in Action Comics #1 ....
in first twenty-six episodes of Adventures of SupermanAdventures of Superman (TV series)Adventures of Superman is an American television series based on comic book characters and concepts created in 1938 by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The show is the first television series to feature Superman and began filming in 1951 in California... - William C. ConnerWilliam C. ConnerWilliam Curtis Conner was a federal judge for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York...
(1920–2009), federal judgeFederal judgeFederal judges are judges appointed by a federal level of government as opposed to the state / provincial / local level.-Brazil:In Brazil, federal judges of first instance are chosen exclusively by public contest...
for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New YorkUnited States District Court for the Southern District of New YorkThe United States District Court for the Southern District of New York is a federal district court. Appeals from the Southern District of New York are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (in case...
. - Paul EggersPaul EggersPaul Walter Eggers is an Indiana native who was the Republican nominee for governor of Texas in both 1968 and 1970, when the state still had two-year gubernatorial terms. Eggers' races for governor were his only attempts at elected office...
, Republican nominee for governor of TexasGovernor of TexasThe governor of Texas is the head of the executive branch of Texas's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Texas Legislature, and to convene the legislature...
in 1968 and 1970 - "Cowboy" Morgan EvansCowboy Morgan EvansCharles "Cowboy" Morgan Evans was an American champion rodeo sports cowboy and oil field worker from Texas who worked as a rancher and oil drilling foreman the majority of his life....
, RodeoRodeoRodeo is a competitive sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia. It was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States,...
champion - Mia HammMia HammMariel Margaret "Mia" Hamm is a retired American soccer player. Hamm played many years as a forward for the United States women's national soccer team and was a founding member of the Washington Freedom. Hamm has scored more international goals in her career than any other player, male or female,...
, professional soccer player - Eddie HillEddie HillEddie Hill is a retired American drag racer who won numerous drag racing championships on land and water. Hill had the first run in the four second range , which earned him the nickname "Four Father of Drag Racing." His other nicknames include "The Thrill", "Holeshot Hill", and "Fast Eddie"...
, NHRANational Hot Rod AssociationThe National Hot Rod Association is a drag racing governing body, which sets rules in drag racing and host events all over the United States and Canada...
drag racerDrag racingDrag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track.... - Neel Kearby, World War IIWorld War IIWorld 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...
US Army Air Forces aceFlying aceA flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
and 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 - Khari LongKhari LongKhari Ahmad Long is a professional American and Canadian football defensive end for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
, professional footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player - Bill McDonaldBill McDonaldBill McDonald is an Australian journalist and news presenter.McDonald is currently the presenter of Brisbane's Ten News at Five with Georgina Lewis....
, legendary Texas RangerTexas Ranger DivisionThe Texas Ranger Division, commonly called the Texas Rangers, is a law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction in Texas, and is based in Austin, Texas... - Dave MitchellDave MitchellJames David Mitchell better known as "Dave Mitchell" is an American radio personality, producer, engineer, voice-over artist and former broadcast executive who has appeared on over 100 radio stations in Texas, Mississippi, Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina, and on Sirius Satellite Radio...
, radio personalityRadio personalityA radio personality is a person with an on-air position in radio broadcasting. A radio personality can be someone who introduces and discusses various genres of music, hosts a talk radio show that may take calls from listeners, or someone whose primary responsibility is to give news, weather,... - Ed NealEd NealWilliam Henry Edward Neal William Henry Edward Neal William Henry Edward Neal (born December 31, 1918 was an American football defensive tackle who played seven seasons for the Green Bay Packers in the National Football League....
, professional footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player - David NelsonDavid Nelson (American football)David Alan Nelson is an American football wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League . He was signed by the Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Florida.-Early years:...
, NFL Wide Receiver Buffalo BillsBuffalo BillsThe Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - Graham B. Purcell, Jr.Graham B. Purcell, Jr.Graham Boynton Purcell, Jr. was a United States Representative from Texas.Born in Archer City, Texas, Purcell attended the public schools and received his Bachelor of Science from The Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas in 1946, and his LL.B...
, U.S. RepresentativeUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from 1962 to 1973. - Frances ReidFrances ReidFrances Reid was an American dramatic actress. Although she starred in many productions, she is best known for her portrayal of Alice Horton on the NBC daytime soap opera Days of our Lives from its debut in November 1965 until her death on February 3, 2010.-Biography:Born in Wichita Falls, Texas,...
, soap operaSoap operaA soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
actress - Lloyd RubyLloyd RubyLloyd Ruby was an American racecar driver.Ruby raced in the USAC Championship Car series in the 1958-1977 seasons, with 177 career starts, including every Indianapolis 500 race during 1960-1977. He finished in the top ten 88 times, with 7 victories. His best Indy finish was 3rd in 1964...
, race car driverAuto racingAuto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:... - Bernard ScottBernard Scott-Cincinnati Bengals:Following training camp, Scott made the active roster as a kick returner and as a backup to running back Cedric Benson. On November 15, 2009, Scott returned a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers, which earned him AFC Special Teams Player of the Week...
, professional footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player - Frank Lee SpragueFrank Lee SpragueFrank Lee Sprague, born in Wichita Falls, Texas, is a US guitarist and composer. He writes both songs and concert pieces. His catalog numbers over 1000 works, including two string quartets, three symphonies, many chamber music compositions, and two operas....
ComposerComposerA composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and musicianMusicianA musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession.... - Keith StegallKeith StegallRobert Keith Stegall is an American country music recording artist and record producer. Active since 1980, Stegall has recorded two-major label studio albums: 1985's Keith Stegall and 1996's Passages...
, country music artistCountry musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
and record producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - John TowerJohn TowerJohn Goodwin Tower was the first Republican United States senator from Texas since Reconstruction. He served from 1961 until his retirement in January 1985, after which time he was the chairman of the Reagan-appointed Tower Commission that investigated the Iran-Contra Affair. He was George H. W...
, U.S. SenatorUnited States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from 1961 to 1984. - Tommy TuneTommy TuneThomas James "Tommy" Tune is an American actor, dancer, singer, theatre director, producer, and choreographer. Over the course of his career, he has won nine Tony Awards and the National Medal of Arts.-Early years:...
, Broadway actor, singer, dancer, producerBroadway theatreBroadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City... - Nathan VasherNathan VasherNathaniel DeWayne Vasher is an American football cornerback who is currently a free agent in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft...
, professional footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player - Dave WillisDave WillisDavid "Dave" Willis is an American voice actor, writer, and producer mostly known as one of the creators, writers, directors, and actors of the adult humored animated series Aqua Teen Hunger Force....
, voice actor, screenwriterScreenwriterScreenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, and television producerTelevision producerThe primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...