Terrell, Texas Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Terrell, Texas
City
Downtown Terrell, Texas (2021)
Motto(s): "Building a Better Community"
Location of Terrell in Kaufman County, Texas
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Kaufman
Incorporated (city)	1874
Government
• Type	Council-Manager
Area
• Total	27.33 sq mi (70.78 km²)
• Land	26.95 sq mi (69.80 km²)
• Water	0.38 sq mi (0.98 km²)
Elevation	522 ft (159 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	17,465
• Density	639.04/sq mi (246.750/km²)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP codes	75160-75161
Area code(s)	214, 469, 945, 972
FIPS code	48-72284
GNIS feature ID	2412050

Terrell is a city in Texas, a state in the United States. It is located in Kaufman County. In 2020, about 17,465 people lived there. Terrell is about 32 miles (51 km) east of Dallas.

History of Terrell
Geography and Climate
- Terrell's Climate
People of Terrell
Fun Things to Do in Terrell
Education in Terrell
- Public Schools
- Colleges in Terrell
Famous People from Terrell
Images for kids
See also

History of Terrell

Terrell started as a railroad town in 1873. This was when the Texas and Pacific Railroad line was being built. The town got its name from Robert A. Terrell. He was an early European-American settler. His farm was on the west side of the town.

Robert Terrell built a special octagonal house. It was called "Round House." He built it to help defend against attacks by Native Americans. Later, this house got the first glass windows in the county. Terrell officially became a city in 1875. The first car appeared in the city in 1899.

For a period in 1892, African Americans were largely not allowed to live in Terrell.

The Terrell Military College was in Terrell for many years. It closed after World War II. Its campus was on part of Robert Terrell's old farm. His historic Round House was part of the campus. In 1949, the Southern Bible Institute bought the college property. This school was from Dallas and was part of the Churches of Christ. They moved their school here and renamed it Southwestern Christian College. This is a private college mainly for Black students. The Round House is still on campus. It is one of only 20 such buildings in the country.

The main office for the 3rd Battalion of the 144th Infantry Regiment was also in Terrell. This is part of the Texas Army National Guard.

Geography and Climate

Terrell is in the northern part of Kaufman County. U.S. Route 80 goes through the center of the city. It leads west to Dallas and east to Wills Point. Interstate 20 runs along the south side of Terrell. It goes west to Interstate 635 near Dallas. It goes east to Canton. Texas State Highway 34 is on the east side of Terrell. It goes northeast to Greenville and south to Kaufman. Kaufman is the main town of the county.

Terrell has a total area of about 27.33 square miles (70.78 km²). About 0.38 square miles (0.98 km²) of this area is water.

Terrell's Climate

The weather in Terrell has hot, humid summers. Winters are usually mild to cool. Terrell has a humid subtropical climate. This means it gets a lot of rain and has warm temperatures most of the year.

People of Terrell

Terrell City Hall

Terrell's population has grown over the years. Here's how it has changed:

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1880	2,003	—
1890	2,988	49.2%
1900	6,330	111.8%
1910	7,050	11.4%
1920	8,349	18.4%
1930	8,795	5.3%
1940	10,481	19.2%
1950	11,544	10.1%
1960	13,803	19.6%
1970	14,182	2.7%
1980	13,169	−7.1%
1990	12,490	−5.2%
2000	13,606	8.9%
2010	15,816	16.2%
2020	17,465	10.4%
2023 (est.)	21,480	35.8%
U.S. Decennial Census

Iris Theatre in downtown Terrell

Terrell water tower

In 2020, 17,465 people lived in Terrell. There were 6,023 households and 4,111 families. The table below shows the different groups of people living in Terrell in 2020. "NH" means "Non-Hispanic."

**Terrell racial composition as of 2020**
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race	Number	Percentage
White (NH)	6,696	38.34%
Black or African American (NH)	4,500	25.77%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)	64	0.37%
Asian (NH)	131	0.75%
Pacific Islander (NH)	3	0.02%
Some other race (NH)	40	0.23%
Mixed/multiracial (NH)	604	3.46%
Hispanic or Latino	5,427	31.07%
Total	17,465

Fun Things to Do in Terrell

British Flying Training School

During World War II, a special flight school was in Terrell. It was called the No. 1 British Flying Training School. This was the first of six schools in the U.S. that taught British pilots. These pilots were from the Royal Air Force (RAF).

Today, the Terrell Municipal Airport has a museum about this school. It's called the No. 1 British Flying Training School Museum. The museum has many records from the school. In 2000, the museum helped honor four RAF airmen. They died in a plane crash during World War II. The AT6 Monument marks the crash spot. Many people from Terrell and the United Kingdom came for its dedication. In 2011, a new airport building opened. It was named the Major William F. Long Terminal Building.

World War II Veterans Reunion

The city of Terrell and the British Flying Training School Museum host an event every year. It's a reunion for World War II veterans. It also has an air show. This event happens on the first Saturday of October. People from all over the world come to it.

You can see old airplanes and military vehicles. There are also skydiving shows and flight simulators. You can listen to talks, watch films, and see demonstrations. There are activities for everyone in the family. On Friday night, there's a reunion dinner and a hangar dance. On Saturday morning, the event starts with a pancake breakfast. Then there's a ceremony and entertainment all day.

Terrell Jubilee Festival

The Terrell Jubilee is a big family festival. It happens on the third weekend in April at Ben Gill Park. It has a BBQ cooking contest and museum tours. You can see arts and crafts, enjoy a carnival, and listen to live music. There's also a quilt show and a car show.

Education in Terrell

Public Schools

Students in Terrell go to schools in the Terrell Independent School District.

Terrell High School (for grades 9–12)
Herman Furlough, Jr. Middle School (for grades 6–8)
Dr. Bruce Wood Intermediate School (for grades K–5 on the west side of Terrell)
J.W. Long Elementary School (for grades K–5 on the east side of Terrell)
Gilbert Willie Sr. Elementary School (for grades K–5)
W.H. Burnett Early Childhood Center (for three- and four-year-olds)

In 2010, the school district changed how students were assigned to schools. Grades 3–6 were divided into East and West zones.

Colleges in Terrell

Trinity Valley Community College has a campus in Terrell. It's called the Kaufman County Campus.

Southwestern Christian College is a private college. It is mainly for Black students and is connected to the Churches of Christ. It offers a four-year degree for people who want to become ministers. It also has two-year degrees in general studies and technical skills.

Famous People from Terrell

Many notable people have come from Terrell:

Harry Ables, a baseball player
Betty Brown, a politician
Louis Conradt, an attorney
Robert H. Dennard, an electrical engineer who invented DRAM (a type of computer memory)
Jamie Foxx, a famous musician, singer, and actor who has won many awards
Don Gay, an eight-time world champion bull rider
Lance Gooden, a U.S. congressman
Jimmy Harris, a football player
Kenoy Kennedy, a football safety
Brice McCain, a football cornerback
Laci Mosley, an actress
Cynthea Rhodes, a member of the U.S. track and field team in the 1996 Summer Olympics
Randy Snow, a tennis player
C. J. Wilson, an American football cornerback