Irving, Texas

Irving is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within Dallas County. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 191,615. Irving is within the Dallas–Plano–Irving metropolitan division of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area, designated by the U.S. Census Bureau and colloquially referred to as the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.

Irving contains the Las Colinas area, including the Mustangs at Las Colinas, which is the largest equestrian sculpture in the world. Irving has the headquarters of ExxonMobil, Michael's Stores, and Zale Corporation, and the national headquarters for the Boy Scouts of America. Irving is home to the Dallas Cowboys until a new stadium is finished in Arlington, TX in 2010.

Part of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, which serves the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, is inside the city limits of Irving.

History

Irving was founded in 1903 by J.O. "Otto" Schulze and Otis Brown. It is believed that literary author Washington Irving was a favorite of Netta Barcus Brown, and consequently the name of the townsite, Irving, was chosen. Irving originally began in 1889 as an area called Gorbit, and in 1894 the name changed to Kit. Irving was incorporated April 14, 1914, with Otis Brown as the first mayor.

By the late nineteeth century the Irving area was the site of churches, two cotton gins, a blacksmith shop and a general store. The Irving district public school system dates back to the 1909 establishment of Kit and Lively schools. Population growth was slow and sometimes halting, with only 357 residents in 1925, but a significant increase began in the 1930s.

By the early 1960s the city had a population of approximately 45,000. A number of manufacturing plants operated in Irving, along with transportation, retail and financial businesses. The University of Dallas in Irving opened in 1956, and Texas Stadium was completed in 1971 as the home park of the Dallas Cowboys. Irving's population reached 155,037 in 1990 and is currently (2004) estimated at 194,547. Former Irving City Council member Mayor Herbert Gears was elected to a three-year term in June, 2005.

Geography

Irving is located at (32.847128, -96.966255).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 175.3 km² (67.7 mi²). 174.1 km² (67.2 mi²) of it is land and 1.1 km² (0.4 mi²) of it (0.65%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 191,615 people, 76,241 households, and 46,202 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,100.4/km² (2,850.2/mi²). There were 80,293 housing units at an average density of 461.1/km² (1,194.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 64.2% White, 10.2% African American, 0.7% Native American, 8.24% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 13.4% from other races, and 3.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 31.2% of the population.

There were 76,241 households out of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.1% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.4% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.19.

In the city the population was spread out with 25.2% under the age of 18, 11.9% from 18 to 24, 39.4% from 25 to 44, 17.4% from 45 to 64, and 6.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 104.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $44,956, and the median income for a family was $50,172. Males had a median income of $35,852 versus $30,420 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,419. About 8.0% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.2% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Most of Irving is served by the Irving Independent School District (IISD). Other portions are served by the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District (CFBISD), and Coppell Independent School District (CISD).

The major high schools serving the Irving area are:

Irving High School (IISD)
MacArthur High School (IISD)
Nimitz High School (IISD)
The Academy of Irving ISD (IISD)
Ranchview High School (CFBISD)

Irving is home to Cistercian Preparatory School, a highly-selective day school for boys, grades 5 through 12. North Lake College, a campus of the Dallas County Community College District, is also in Irving, as is the University of Dallas. DeVry University has an Irving campus, as well.

Sports

Irving is the location of Texas Stadium, the home park of the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League, though the team will soon be moving to a new stadium in Arlington, Texas. Irving Independent School District (IISD) high schools play football and other sports at Irving Schools Stadium. Irving sponsors a citywide high-school age ice hockey team, the Irving Wolfpack of the D/FW Junior Varsity GOLD league.

Transportation

Irving is one of 13 member-cities of the Dallas region's transit agency, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART). Currently, Irving receives bus service, but by the early 2010s or late 2000s the DART Purple Line will provide light-rail service connecting Irving with Plano, Carrollton, Richardson, Garland, Downtown Dallas, Oak Cliff, Pleasant Grove, and North Dallas.

North Irving is bisected by Texas State Highway 114, with other main roads in city including the Belt Line Road that encircles the inner metroplex and Story Road. There is a free-to-use people mover system called the Las Colinas APT System that serves Las Colinas for limited hours on weekdays.

External links

Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex | Cities in Texas | Dallas County, Texas

Irving | Irving (Texas)