Overview
Duncanville is a city in Dallas County, Texas (USA). Duncanville's
population was 36,081 at the 2000 census. Duncanville is a suburb of Dallas
and is part of the Best Southwest area, which includes Duncanville, Cedar
Hill, DeSoto, and Lancaster.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of
29.2 km² (11.3 mi²), all land.
History
Settlement of the area began in 1845, when Illinois resident Crawford Trees
purchased several thousand acres south of Camp Dallas. In 1880 the Chicago,
Texas and Mexican Central Railway reached the area and built Duncan Switch,
named for a line foreman. Charles P. Nance, the community's first
postmaster, renamed the settlement Duncanville in 1882. By the late 1800s
Duncanville was home to a dry goods stores, a pharmacy, a domino parlor, and
a school. Between 1904 and 1933 the population of Duncanville increased from
113 to more than 300.
During World War II, the Army Air Corp established a landing field for
flight training on property near the present day intersection of Main and
Wheatland roads.
Duncanville residents incorporated the city on Aug. 2, 1947. During the post
war years, the military developed the Army’s old landing field into the
Duncanville Air Force Station, which was the headquarters for the four Nike
Hercules missile launch sites guarding Dallas/Fort Worth from Soviet bomber
attack. It also housed the Air Force tracking radars for the region.
When the town's population reached 5,000 in 1962, citizens adopted a
home-rule charter with council-manager city government. Sometimes regarded
as a so-called "white flight" suburb in the 1960s and 1970s, the city is now
known for its racial diversity. (See "Demographics") Its population
increased from about 13,000 in 1970 to more than 31,000 in 1988.
Historic preservation
The Texas Historical Commission has designated the City of Duncanville as an
official Main Street City.
Duncanville has a long-term commitment to recognizing its history. When the
Duncanville Air Force Station was closed about 1970, the entire facility was
turned over to the city. The WWII-era barracks and some other structures
were initially repurposed for civic and community use. Over time the
buildings were systematically demolished, obliterating all signs of the
historic base. But the history of the facility lives on in a monument, which
stands outside the Library and Community Center.
The “stone igloo,” a spring house originally located near the intersection
of Center Street and Cedar Ridge Road, was preserved in a unique way. In the
late 1960s or early 1970s it was demolished, thereby producing a supply of
rocks that were used to build a replica of the structure at a nearby park
and paving the way for the construction of a neighborhood retail center.
Various pieces of the city’s history are preserved at the Duncanville
Historical Park, which is located on Wheatland Road in Armstrong Park on
land that was once a part of the Duncanville Air Force Station. Historic
buildings include the city’s first Music Room.
Tourism
With the completion of nearby Joe Pool Lake in the 1980s, Duncanville has
increased in stature as a popular tourist destination. Overnight
accommodations include several well-known chains, such as Motel 6, and
Hilton Garden Inn. The city is home to a variety of local eateries and
national restaurant chains, some of which have been in business for decades.
Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 36,081 people, 12,896 households,
and 10,239 families residing in the city. The population density was
1,233.9/km² (3,196.6/mi²). There were 13,290 housing units at an average
density of 454.5/km² (1,177.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 63.90%
White, 24.76% African American, 0.32% Native American, 1.99% Asian, 0.09%
Pacific Islander, 6.83% from other races, and 2.11% from two or more races.
Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.30% of the population.
There were 12,896 households out of which 38.4% had children under the age
of 18 living with them, 59.3% were married couples living together, 16.1%
had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.6% were
non-families. 17.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.7%
had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average
household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.1% under the age of 18,
8.5% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 26.1% from 45 to 64, and 9.6% who
were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100
females there were 90.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there
were 85.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $51,654, and the median
income for a family was $57,064. Males had a median income of $39,199 versus
$30,145 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,924. About
3.9% of families and 6.1% of the population were below the poverty line,
including 8.2% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Duncanville is served by the Duncanville Independent School District.
The Duncanville ISD portion is zoned to Duncanville High School, which
enrolls approximately 3,750 students annually. The high school campus is the
largest in Texas and second-largest in the nation in terms of physical size.