Greenville, Texas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Greenville, Texas
City
Lee Street in downtown Greenville
Flag
Motto(s):  "Rich Heritage, Vibrant Future"
Location of Greenville, Texas
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Hunt
Incorporated	April 13, 1852
Named for	Thomas J. Green
Government
• Type	Council-Manager
Area
• Total	33.11 sq mi (85.75 km2)
• Land	32.29 sq mi (83.62 km2)
• Water	0.82 sq mi (2.12 km2)
Elevation	541 ft (165 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	25,557
• Estimate  (2019)	28,827
• Density	892.84/sq mi (344.73/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP codes	75401–75404
Area code(s)	903, 430
FIPS code	48-30920
GNIS feature ID	1377755

Greenville is a city in Hunt County, Texas, United States, about 50 miles (80 km) northeast of Dallas. It is the county seat and largest city of Hunt County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 25,557, and in 2019, its estimated population was 28,827. The town's slogan from 1921 to the 1960s was: "The blackest land, the whitest people."

Greenville was named for Thomas J. Green, a significant contributor to the founding of the Texas Republic.

Geography

Greenville is located at 33°7′34″N 96°6′35″W / 33.12611°N 96.10972°W / 33.12611; -96.10972 (33.126004, −96.109703). Greenville is situated in the heart of the Texas Blackland Prairies, 45 minutes northeast of Dallas, and about 50 minutes south of the Texas/Oklahoma border on the eastern edge of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 34.7 square miles (90 km²), of which, 33.9 square miles (88 km²) of it is land and 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²) of it (2.30%) is water.

Climate

Greenville is considered to be a part of the humid subtropical region. Due to its location on the north Texas prairies the climate is typically windy.

History

City in 1886

Cotton scene, public square, Greenville, Texas (postcard, circa 1908)

Greenville was founded in 1846. The city was named after Thomas J. Green, a significant contributor to the establishment of Texas as a Republic. He later became a member of the Congress of the Republic of Texas. The city was almost named “Pinckneyville” in honor of James Pinckney Henderson, the first Governor of Texas.

As the Civil War loomed, Greenville was divided over the issue of secession, as were several area towns and counties. Greenville attorney and State Senator Martin D. Hart was a prominent Unionist. He formed a company of men who fought for the Union in Arkansas, even as other Greenville residents fought for the Confederacy. The divided nature of Greenville, Hunt County and the State of Texas is noted by an historical marker in "The SPOT" Park at 2800 Lee Street in downtown Greenville. In the post-Civil War era, Greenville's economy became partly dependent on cotton as the local economy entered a period of transition.

With a population of 12,384 in the 1920 census, the city, at one time, was the 20th largest in Texas.

In World War II, the Mexican Escuadrón 201 was stationed in Greenville while training at nearby Majors Field.

The town was also famous for a large sign, installed on July 7, 1921 over Lee Street, the main street in the downtown district, between the train station and the bus station in the 1920s to 1960s. The sign read: "Welcome to Greenville, The Blackest Land, The Whitest People." The original intent behind "the whitest people" was to define "the citizens of Greenville as friendly, trustworthy and helpful was sincere, and it was meant to include all citizens, regardless of race." However, the sign subsequently acquired racial overtones, and the original sign was taken down and placed into storage on April 13, 1965, possibly at the urging of Texas Governor John Connally, who had made a visit to the town weeks before. In 1968, Greenville Sybil Maddux had the sign reinstalled, with the wording modified to read "The Greatest People"; the original sign is in the collection of the Audie Murphy American Cotton Museum.

In 1957, Greenville annexed the small town of Peniel, Texas, which had been founded in 1899 as a Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene community centered around Texas Holiness University. The annexation was approved by the citizens of Peniel, which at the time had a population of about 157.

On May 12, 2011, a white buffalo was born near Greenville, Texas during a thunderstorm on the ranch of Arby Littlesoldier, who identified himself as a great-great grandson of Sitting Bull. A public naming ceremony and dedication was held on June 29, 2011 during which the male calf was officially given the title "Lightning Medicine Cloud." However, on August 21, 2012, 'Lightning Medicine Cloud' died. The Sheriff's department declared it had died from a bacterial infection, but the owners disagree, claiming that the buffalo was allegedly skinned by an unknown party.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, 23,960 people, 9,156 households, and 6,171 families were residing in the city. The population density was 706.5 people per square mile (272.8/km²). The 9,977 housing units averaged 294.2 per square mile (113.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 69.7% White, 18.9% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 8.2% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 14.65% of the population.

Of the 9,156 households, 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.4% were married couples living together, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were not families. About 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56, and the average family size was 3.13.

In the city, the population was distributed as 27.0% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,606, and for a family was $41,808. Males had a median income of $31,556 versus $22,373 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,231. About 11.3% of families and 16.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.8% of those under age 18 and 14.4% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Roads

Interstate 30

• Interstate 30 (Martin Luther King Jr. Freeway) is a major route through Greenville. To the west, Interstate 30 goes through Rockwall and Dallas to Fort Worth. To the east, Interstate 30 goes through Sulphur Springs, Mount Pleasant, and Texarkana.

Commercial and residential developments line the interstate from Monty Stratton Parkway through Lamar Street. The frontage roads have recently been converted to one-way for safety due to increased traffic.

U.S. highways

• U.S. Highway 67 (Martin Luther King Jr. Freeway) runs concurrent with Interstate 30 through Greenville.
• U.S. 69 (Joe Ramsey Boulevard) serves as a partial loop through Greenville. It connects with Celeste, Leonard, and Denison to the north and with Lone Oak, Mineola, and Tyler to the south. U.S. 69 is a four-lane divided highway from U.S. 380 / Texas Highway 302 to just past Business U.S. 69 (Moulton Street).
• U.S. 380 (Joe Ramsey Boulevard/Lee Street) heads west out of Greenville through Farmersville, McKinney, and Denton. U.S. 380 is a four-lane divided highway. Within Greenville city limits it runs mostly concurrent with U.S. 69 along Joe Ramsey Boulevard.
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  Business U.S. 69 follows several local streets which serve the northern, downtown, and southern areas of the city. It starts and ends at U.S. 69. The local street names are Rees Street (through Peniel), Sockwell Street (north of downtown), Stonewall Street / Johnson Street (couplet through downtown, where Stonewall is southbound and Johnson is northbound), Park Street (east of downtown), and Moulton Street (south of downtown and over Interstate 30).

State highways

• Texas Highway 34 (Wesley Street, Wolfe City Drive) serves as a primary north-south route through Greenville and is a main commercial corridor. Connects with Wolfe City to the north and Quinlan to the south.
• Texas Highway 66 (Old Dallas Highway) heads southwest out of the city towards Caddo Mills and Royse City.
• Texas Highway 224 (Commerce Drive) heads northeast out of the city towards Commerce and Cooper.
• Texas Highway Spur 302 (Lee Street / Washington Street) serves as an east-west route through Greenville. It starts at U.S. 69 / U.S. 380 at the west end and ends at Interstate 30 at the east end. The route, mostly on Lee Street, goes through downtown as a couplet, where Lee Street goes eastbound and Washington Street goes westbound.

Farm-to-Market roads

• Farm Road 118 (Fannin Street) heads north out of Greenville from FM 499 towards Jacobia.
• Farm Road 499 (Forester Street) heads east out of Greenville from Spur 302 going through Campbell and Cumby.
• Farm Road 1569 heads west out of Greenville from a junction with highway 69 towards Merit.
• Farm Road 1570 (Jack Finney Boulevard) serves the southern parts of the city, particularly the L-3 facility / Majors Field Airport.
• Farm Road 2101 heads south out of Greenville from Majors Airport towards Boles Home in Quinlan.

Airports

The nearest airports with passenger air service are Dallas Love Field (55.4 miles) and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (70.0 miles).

Majors Airport is a municipal airport located in Greenville.

Public transportation

A Connection bus in Greenville

"The Connection" serves Greenville and all of Hunt County. The transit system operates Monday through Friday from 7 am to 7 pm. Reservations have to be made one day in advance. The charge is $2 ($4 round trip) if the passenger is traveling to a place within the same community or city, and $3 ($6 round trip) if the passenger is traveling from one city or community to another within Hunt County. The Connection will take Hunt County residents to Dallas, on a round-trip only basis: passengers are charged $34, and a minimum of three passengers is required.

Economy

The Hunt County cotton exhibit at the Audie Murphy American Cotton Museum

The Northeast Texas Farmers Co-op Sabine Valley Feeds mill in Greenville

In early years, Hunt County was known as the cotton capital of the world. The world's largest inland cotton compress was located in Greenville until it was destroyed by fire in the mid-1900s.

Currently, the largest industry is L3 Mission Integration Division (MID, formerly E-Systems, then Raytheon Intelligence and Information Systems (RIIS, IIS)) a major U.S. defense contractor located at Majors Airport. This airport, created in 1942 and initially financed by the local Rotary Club, was used as a training base for P-47 Thunderbolt fighter pilots in World War II, and since then has served as a focal point for economic growth in Greenville.

Tourism is playing an increasing role in the local economy, with attractions such as Splash Kingdom Water Park located on Interstate 30, and the redeveloping historic downtown featuring Landon Winery and the restored vintage Texan Theater, which opened in 2014. Tourism promotion has been under the wing of the Greenville Chamber of Commerce Convention and Visitors Bureau and the City of Greenville, which took over CVB duties in 2014. Greenville is also known for its saddlemaking industry.

Greenville Municipal Auditorium in August 2015

According to the city's 2017–2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Hunt Regional Medical Center

Entertainment includes the Kenneth Threadgill Concert series, which brings well-known Texas performers to the Municipal Auditorium stage in three concerts per year; the Greenville Entertainment Series, a subscription concert series featuring artists from a variety of musical genres; the Symphony Festival Series, which brings the world-famous Dallas Symphony Orchestra to Greenville for three concerts and an additional children's concert per year; and the Greenville Follies, a musical review showcasing local talent every other year. Local clubs with musical entertainment, live theater in nearby Commerce, local art shows, a movie theater and a bowling alley offer year-round entertainment.

Tourism draws include the Audie Murphy/American Cotton Museum and the historic downtown area, which includes wineries, antique malls, public gardens, boutique shopping, and regular events at the 1,700-seat Greenville Municipal Auditorium. The vintage Texan Theater was slated for a grand re-opening in 2014. The Rally 'Round Greenville festival is held the third weekend each September and includes the Cotton Patch Challenge Bicycle Ride, an art show, a barbecue and chili cook-off, Texas Music Weekend, Kids Alley, and more. Backstreet Bash is held in March to celebrate the revitalization of the historic Main Street Area.

Greenville is also home to the Hunt Regional Medical Center.

Education

Paris Junior College in Greenville

Primary and secondary education of Greenville is provided by Greenville Independent School District along with private institutions such as Greenville Christian School.

Postsecondary education is offered through Paris Junior College-Greenville Center. Texas A&M University-Commerce, a major university of over 12,000 students, is located 15 miles (24 km) northeast in Commerce.

Notable people

• Byron Bell, player for NFL's Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys
• Yusuf Bey, Black Muslim activist, founder of Your Black Muslim Bakery in Oakland, California
• John Boles, movie and stage actor of the early 20th century
• Brandon Couts, athlete, Baylor University Hall of Famer who ran professionally and specialized in 400 meter dash
• Maud Crawford, first woman to practice law in Camden, Arkansas; disappeared in 1957 amid international attention; born in Greenville in 1891
• Kay Granger, a Republican politician representing Texas' 12th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives
• Mack Harrell, operatic baritone; father of cellist Lynn Harrell
• Stanley Hauerwas, Gilbert T. Rowe Professor of Theological Ethics at Duke Divinity School; named "America's Best Theologian" by Time magazine;
• Burt Hooton, Major League Baseball pitcher who won 151 games with the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers and Texas Rangers (1971–1985); pitched no-hitter in 1972; member of 1981 World Series champion Dodgers
• V. E. Howard, minister of Church of Christ who founded radio's International Gospel Hour; formerly a clergyman in Greenville
• Ben Kweller, rock musician
• Haldor Lillenas, prolific hymn writer and Gospel Music Hall of Fame inductee, pastor of the Church of the Nazarene from 1920 to 1923
• George Maddox, former NFL player
• Bart Millard, lead singer and founder of contemporary Christian band MercyMe
• Robert Neyland, Hall of Fame football coach at Tennessee and decorated officer in U.S. Army
• Collin Raye, country music singer
• Monty Stratton, Major League Baseball pitcher from the 1930s; portrayed by Jimmy Stewart in The Stratton Story
• Earl Thomas, former wide receiver of NFL's Chicago Bears, St. Louis Cardinals, and Houston Oilers
• Jimmy Thomas, former running back of NFL's San Francisco 49ers
• Mike Thomas, NFL running back for the Washington Redskins and San Diego Chargers; won Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1975 and went to Pro Bowl after 1976 NFL season
• Francia White, opera singer, radio and television personality during 1930s and 1940s
• Buzz Williams, head coach of men's basketball team at Texas A&M University

Images for kids

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  Cotton scene, public square, Greenville, Texas (postcard, c. 1908)

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  KGVL radio station in Greenville

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  Gen. Hal C. Horton Home

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  Kavanaugh United Methodist Church

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  The Texan

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  Downtown Greenville

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  Downtown Greenville

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  Kress Building

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  Fred Ende Building

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  United States Post Office

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  Downtown Greenville

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  Downtown Greenville

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  Central Christian Church

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  Washington Hotel

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  Downtown Greenville

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  Hunt County Courthouse

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  Ende Building

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  Masonic Lodge