Westminster, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Westminster, Texas
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Location of Westminster in Collin County, Texas
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Collin |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.99 sq mi (10.34 km2) |
| • Land | 3.98 sq mi (10.32 km2) |
| • Water | 0.008 sq mi (0.02 km2) |
| Elevation | 699 ft (213 m) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 861 |
| • Density | 216/sq mi (83.4/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
75485
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| Area code(s) | 972 |
| FIPS code | 48-77680 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2587003 |
Westminster is a small community in northeastern Collin County, Texas, United States. It is called a census-designated place (CDP). This means it's an area that looks like a town but isn't officially a city. In 2010, about 861 people lived there. This was a big jump from 390 people in 2000, when it was still a city.
Westminster is located where two roads, FM 3133 and FM 2862, meet. It's northeast of McKinney and close to other towns like Anna and Blue Ridge.
Contents
History of Westminster
Early Settlement and Naming
Westminster was first settled in 1860 and was called "Seven Points." It grew quickly. By 1885, it had joined with nearby communities like Prospect and Graybill.
In 1888, a private school opened. This building was later sold to the Methodist Church. It became Westminster College. This college was a special school for people who wanted to become ministers. It was named after Westminster, Maryland, a place known for Methodists.
Within a year, the people of Seven Points decided to change their town's name to Westminster. The town got its own post office in 1899. On June 17, 1916, Westminster officially became a city after a vote. Around the same time, a railway line was built through Westminster, connecting Anna to Blue Ridge.
Growth and Decline
The railway helped Westminster grow. From the early 1900s to the 1920s, Westminster was a busy place. Farmers brought their cotton to sell there, and it was a trade center. The population reached its highest point of 600 people. There were many businesses and a high school.
However, in 1920, the railroad line was closed. Other new railroads were built that did not pass through Westminster. This caused the town to decline.
During the Great Depression, a tough economic time, Westminster's population dropped by more than half, to 268 people. The town never grew back like its larger neighbors, such as Van Alstyne or Anna. Most of its businesses closed by World War II.
The population kept going down until the early 1970s, when it slowly started to recover. By 1990, Westminster had 388 people.
Volunteer Fire Department
In the 1990s, Westminster got a volunteer fire department. A person who lived there his whole life, Sam Geer, saw that the town needed a fire department. He became the fire chief and served until 2013.
2006 Tornado
On May 9, 2006, a strong tornado hit Westminster around 10:30 P.M. This tornado was an F3, which is very powerful. It destroyed many homes and damaged others. Sadly, three people died, and several were hurt. The American Red Cross helped by setting up a shelter at Anna High School. Anna had sirens to warn people, but Westminster did not, so residents had no warning. The storm hit very quickly.
Westminster High School Football
Westminster High School was one of the last schools in Texas to have an eight-man football team. In 1983, their team won a game against a Dallas area team with a score of 90–0!
Recent Changes and Disincorporation
School District Closure
Westminster started to decline more after 1988. The Texas Board of Education removed the accreditation from the Westminster Independent School District. This meant the school district was no longer officially recognized. In 1989, voters decided to close the district and its school. Most students from Westminster now go to school in Anna.
Financial Challenges
Westminster faced money problems. It didn't collect much sales tax and had a weak property tax base. This made it hard for the town to recover from past issues. The city had a large debt of over $300,000. This debt was from unpaid traffic fines and money meant for a sewer system that was not used correctly.
The city tried twice to declare bankruptcy, which is a legal way to deal with debt. The first time, in 2001, it didn't work. In 2004, state agencies agreed to drop their claims if Westminster stopped being an official city.
Voting to Disincorporate
This idea was debated in Westminster. The city council started a petition to let people vote on whether to stop being a city. The mayor, Phil Goplin, and others who supported this idea said that it would help the community. Without money or a sewer system, the town couldn't grow like its neighbors.
On May 7, 2005, the people of Westminster voted to end their town's official city status. This was only the eleventh time a city in Texas had done this since 1975.
After Disincorporation
Even though it's no longer an official city, Westminster still keeps its name as a community. It is now an unincorporated part of Collin County. This means that Collin County is now responsible for services like road maintenance. The agreement with the city's creditors meant the debts were cleared.
If Westminster had stayed a city, its sales tax money would have been held back until half the debt was paid. Some people worried that Westminster would lose its history or that nearby Anna might take over the area.
Geography
Westminster is located in the northeastern part of Collin County.
In 2010, the Westminster area covered about 10.3 square kilometers (about 4 square miles). Most of this area was land, with a very small amount of water.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1920 | 631 | — | |
| 1930 | 268 | −57.5% | |
| 1940 | 290 | 8.2% | |
| 1950 | 192 | −33.8% | |
| 1960 | 194 | 1.0% | |
| 1970 | 257 | 32.5% | |
| 1980 | 278 | 8.2% | |
| 1990 | 388 | 39.6% | |
| 2000 | 390 | 0.5% | |
| 2010 | 861 | 120.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850–1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 |
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Westminster first appeared in the U.S. Census in 1920 as a town. After it stopped being a city, it was listed as a census designated place in the 2010 Census.
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000 | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
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| White alone (NH) | 364 | 677 | 637 | 93.33% | 78.63% | 61.55% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 1 | 3 | 8 | 0.26% | 0.35% | 0.77% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 1 | 5 | 2 | 0.26% | 0.58% | 0.19% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0.26% | 0.00% | 0.68% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.10% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 0 | 9 | 65 | 0.00% | 1.05% | 6.28% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 23 | 167 | 315 | 5.90% | 19.40% | 30.43% |
| Total | 390 | 861 | 1,035 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
In 2000, there were 390 people living in Westminster. There were 140 households, and 112 of them were families. The population was spread out by age:
- About 27.7% were under 18 years old.
- About 7.9% were between 18 and 24.
- About 31.5% were between 25 and 44.
- About 25.9% were between 45 and 64.
- About 6.9% were 65 years or older.
The average age was 35 years.
The average income for a household in the city was $42,083. About 10.4% of the people lived below the poverty line.
Education
Students in Westminster attend schools in the Anna Independent School District. The former Westminster Independent School District joined the Anna district on July 1, 1989.
Motorcycle Mecca
In 2007, Westminster became known again because a bar, now called The Gar Hole, started attracting many motorcycle riders. Other businesses that serve these riders have also opened in the area.
See also
In Spanish: Westminster (Texas) para niños
