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White Settlement, Texas
City of White Settlement
White Settlement Police station, November 2023
White Settlement Police station, November 2023
Location of White Settlement in Tarrant County, Texas
Location of White Settlement in Tarrant County, Texas
Country  United States
State  Texas
County Tarrant
Government
 • Type Council-Manager
Area
 • Total 5.04 sq mi (13.05 km2)
 • Land 5.04 sq mi (13.05 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2)
Elevation
666 ft (203 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 18,269
 • Estimate 
(2022)
18,046
 • Density 3,543.97/sq mi (1,368.36/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
76108
Area code(s) 817 and 682
FIPS code 48-78544
GNIS feature ID 1349989
Website wstx.us

White Settlement is a city in Tarrant County, Texas, United States, and a northwestern suburb of Fort Worth. The population was estimated to be 18,084 in 2021.

History

Even before the beginnings of a nearby military outpost, Fort Worth, settlers took up refuge along a creek, later named Farmers Branch Creek. Before the end of 1841, settlers began arriving from Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee. In 1850 the area's first census showed the population consisted of 599 Anglo-Americans and 65 black slaves. By the mid-1850s, many more settlers arrived bringing with them more slaves.

The oldest street in White Settlement is White Settlement Road. This original trail led from the fort to the "white settlement" about eight miles west into Native American territory. As the Native Americans were forced from the area and the settlement moved westward, the road followed. This was the only public road in White Settlement's early history.

While early life was not easy for the settlers with frequent clashes with indigenous populations, White Settlement became a trading outpost. As the migrating settlers carved out homesteads among the various indigenous tribes, outsiders and American Indians referred to the area as "the white settlement."

In February 1942, Consolidated Aircraft Company began construction on the B-24 Liberator heavy bomber at Air Force Plant #4. Liberator Village, as it became known, consisted of housing units across the city to house aircraft workers.

In modern times, the city of White Settlement is the gateway to national defense, bordered by Lockheed Martin and the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth. As federal properties, the White Settlement Police Department has concurrent jurisdiction for calls for service and patrols at the military base and aircraft plant.

Two members of the city's West Freeway Church of Christ were killed by a gunman on December 29, 2019, during a morning service. The shooter was in turn shot dead by a church security guard.

Most recent White Settlement mayor Ronald White died in office on January 17, 2023. On May 6, 2023, citizens of White Settlement elected Faron Young in a special election to fill the office for the remainder of White's term.

Name

The city got its name as it was a lone settlement of white colonists amid several Native American villages in the Fort Worth area in the Texas Republic territory in the 1840s.

On October 14, 2005, city leaders, citing hurdles in attracting businesses, announced a plan to have local voters decide on a possible name change for the town from White Settlement to West Settlement. In the November 8 election, the name change was overwhelmingly rejected by a vote of 2,388 to 219.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.1 square miles (13.1 km2), all land.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1950 10,827
1960 11,513 6.3%
1970 13,449 16.8%
1980 13,508 0.4%
1990 15,472 14.5%
2000 14,831 −4.1%
2010 16,116 8.7%
2020 18,269 13.4%
2022 (est.) 18,046 12.0%
U.S. Decennial Census
White Settlement racial composition as of 2020
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race Number Percentage
White (NH) 9,515 52.08%
Black or African American (NH) 1,290 7.06%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH) 112 0.61%
Asian (NH) 393 2.15%
Pacific Islander (NH) 68 0.37%
Some Other Race (NH) 65 0.36%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) 844 4.62%
Hispanic or Latino 5,941 32.52%
Total 18,269

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 6,290 households, and 4,010 families residing in the city.

Culture

Castleberry Baptist Church Fort Worth
Castleberry Baptist Church, a Baptist church in White Settlement, September 2018

The city boasts amenities including a city-owned water park, Splash Days, that operates during the summer months.

White Settlement is also the winter home of several groups of Irish Travellers.

The majority of White Settlement residents identify as Protestant Christians; however, there is also a Mormon church as well as a Buddhist temple within the city limits.

The Texas Civil War Museum is located in White Settlement.

Education

The City of White Settlement is served by the White Settlement Independent School District. In 2009, the school district was rated "academically acceptable" by the Texas Education Agency.

The White Settlement Public Library is located in the Municipal Complex.

Less than 16% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher as opposed to 34% of all Texans.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: White Settlement (Texas) para niños

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