Duncanville, Texas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Duncanville, Texas
City
Nickname(s):  City of Champions
Location of Duncanville in Dallas County, Texas
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Dallas
Government
• Type	Council-Manager
Area
• Total	11.21 sq mi (29.04 km2)
• Land	11.20 sq mi (29.01 km2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2)
Elevation	715 ft (218 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	40,706
• Density	3,631.2/sq mi (1,401.72/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (Central)
ZIP codes	75116, 75137, 75138
Area code(s)	214, 469, 945, 972
FIPS code	48-21628
GNIS feature ID	2410369
Website	www.duncanvilletx.gov

Duncanville is a city in southwestern Dallas County, Texas, United States. It's a fun place to live and learn! In 2020, about 40,706 people lived here. Duncanville is part of a special area called the "Best Southwest." This area also includes the cities of Cedar Hill, DeSoto, and Lancaster.

History of Duncanville

The story of Duncanville began in 1845. That's when Crawford Trees bought a lot of land south of what is now Dallas. Later, in 1880, a railway line came through the area. They built a stop called "Duncan Switch," named after a railway worker.

In 1882, the first postmaster, Charles P. Nance, changed the name to Duncanville. By the late 1800s, Duncanville had stores, a pharmacy, a game parlor, and a school. The population grew from 113 people in 1904 to over 300 by 1933.

Duncanville During World War II

During World War II, the Army Air Corps built a landing field here. It was used for flight training. This field was near where Main Street and Wheatland Road are today.

After the war, on August 2, 1947, Duncanville officially became a city. The military turned the old landing field into the Duncanville Air Force Station. This station was important for protecting Dallas and Fort Worth. It had Nike-Hercules missile sites to guard against attacks. It also had radars to track planes.

City Growth and Changes

By 1962, Duncanville's population reached 5,000. The citizens decided to adopt a "home-rule charter." This meant they could manage their own city government with a council and a city manager.

In the 1960s and 1970s, many white families moved to suburbs like Duncanville. Today, the city is known for its many different cultures and people. The population grew a lot, from about 13,000 in 1970 to over 31,000 by 1988.

Preserving Duncanville's History

The Texas Historical Commission has named Duncanville an official "Main Street City." This means they work to preserve the city's historic downtown and buildings.

The Duncanville Air Force Station closed in 1964. However, the Army continued to use the Nike Missile air defense until 1969. After that, the city took over the facility. Over time, the old buildings were taken down. But a special monument stands outside the library and community center. It helps everyone remember the history of the base.

There's also a unique story about the "stone igloo." This was a small building that covered a natural spring. In the late 1960s or early 1970s, it was taken apart. The stones were then used to build a copy of it in a nearby park! This made way for new shops.

You can learn more about the city's past at the Duncanville Historical Park. It's located on Wheatland Road in Armstrong Park. This land was once part of the old Air Force Station. Historic buildings, like the city's first Music Room, are preserved there.

Geography of Duncanville

Duncanville covers about 11.3 square miles (29.04 square kilometers). Almost all of this area is land.

People and Population

The table below shows the different groups of people living in Duncanville as of 2020. "NH" means "Non-Hispanic."

In 2020, there were 40,706 people living in Duncanville. There were also 13,573 households and 10,000 families.

Education in Duncanville

Students in Duncanville attend schools in the Duncanville Independent School District (DISD).

Many students go to Duncanville High School. It has about 3,750 students each year. In fact, during the 2010–2011 school year, it had over 4,000 students! The high school campus is huge, covering about 900,000 square feet (83,612 square meters). It's one of the largest high school campuses in Texas and even the world!

Many schools in the district are highly rated by the Texas Education Agency. Duncanville ISD often performs better than nearby school districts.

Duncanville is also home to the offices of Advantage Academy. If you live in Dallas County, you can also attend Dallas College (which used to be called Dallas County Community College).

Famous People from Duncanville

Many interesting people have lived in or come from Duncanville:

• Greg Abbott – He is the current governor of Texas. He graduated from Duncanville High School in 1976.
• Brigetta Barrett – A high jumper who won a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics.
• Tamika Catchings – A famous WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association) all-star player. She graduated from DHS in 1997.
• Barry Foster – A former running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers football team.
• Cyrus Gray – A running back for the Kansas City Chiefs football team.
• Joe Greene – A professional football player who lived in Duncanville.
• Ron Holland (basketball) – A professional basketball player for the Detroit Pistons.
• Perry Jones – A professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
• Greg Ostertag – A basketball player who graduated from Duncanville High School in 1991.
• Dashaun Phillips – An American football cornerback who was born and lived in Duncanville.
• Kenneth Lee Pike – A linguist and author who lived in Duncanville for many years. He was even nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
• Ennis Rakestraw Jr. – A professional football player for the Detroit Lions.
• Jon Randall – A musician.
• Steven Romo (journalist) – A news anchor, reporter, and writer who grew up in Duncanville.
• Elliott Smith – A singer who lived in Duncanville as a child.

Images for kids

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  Monument commemorating NIKE missile base in Duncanville

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  Plaque describing NIKE base

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  Water tower in the Fairmeadows neighborhood of Duncanville, depicting the city slogan

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  Water towers on the southern edge of Duncanville, northern edge of Cedar Hill

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  Water tower on east side of Clark Road

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  War memorial monument

See also

In Spanish: Duncanville (Texas) para niños