Allen, Texas
Encyclopedia
Allen is a city
in Collin County
, Texas
, United States
, a northern suburb of Dallas
. As of the 2010 census the city had a total population
of 84,246.
except the small ponds scattered throughout the city.
region, meaning it experiences mild to very cold winter with temperatures in winter ranging from 21 to 43 °F (-6.1 to 6.1 C) in daytime and 8 to 30 °F (-13.3 to -1.1 C) at nighttime. In spring the city has severe thunderstorms and mild warm days; temperatures range from 50 to 70 °F (10 to 21.1 C) in daytime and 37 to 57 °F (2.8 to 13.9 C) at night. In summer the city experiences very hot days ranging from 90 to 100 °F (32.2 to 37.8 C). In the autumn the daytime temperatures vary from about 85 to 40 °F (29.4 to 4.4 C).
, and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 16.2% of the population.
There were 14,205 households out of which 55.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.6% were married couples
living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.2% were non-families. 11.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 1.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.07 and the average family size was 3.35.
In the city the population was spread out with 34.9% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 40.7% from 25 to 44, 16.2% from 45 to 64, and 2.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city in 2007 was $93,392, and the median income for a family was $100,736.
, Comanche
, and other indigenous peoples. The first immigrants from the United States and Europe arrived in the early 1840s. The town was established by the Houston and Central Texas Railroad and named in 1872 for Ebenezer Allen, a state politician and railroad promoter. The railroad allowed crops to be sold across the country before rotting, causing a shift from the previous cattle-based agriculture. On February 22, 1878, a gang led by Sam Bass
committed in Allen what is said to be Texas's first train robbery.
From 1908 through 1948, Allen was a stop along the Texas Traction Company's interurban
line from Denison
to Dallas. Allen was a small town of a few hundred residents when it was incorporated in 1953. Since this time, it has grown dramatically due to the construction of U.S. Route 75
, the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, and the development of nearby Dallas and Plano
.
The structure of the management and coordination of city services is:
has 17 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, 1 freshman center, 1 Pat Dillard Special Achievement Center, and 1 high school (Allen High School
). Allen ISD serves almost all of Allen.
Small portions of the Allen city limits extend into Lovejoy
, McKinney
, and Plano
ISDs. In the fall of 2006, new 9th grade high school students in the Lovejoy ISD boundaries began attending the newly opened Lovejoy High School
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/081406dnccowakelandopen.23cd566.html. The school became a full 4-year high school in the 2009-10 school year.
Allen hosts a campus of Collin College, which is located inside Allen High School
.
Allen High School's football team won the 5A Div 1 state championship on December 20, 2008. They defeated Fort Bend Hightower
21–14.
The Allen Eagle Escadrille, Allen High School's marching band participated in the 1994 St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland, 1995 and 1999 Texas Gubernatorial Parades, 1997 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, a recipient of the Sudler Shield Award by the John Phillip Sousa Foundation in 2004 and marched in the 117th Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California on January 2, 2006.
's Allen Americans
, and the Allen Wranglers who play in the Indoor Football League
.
In October 2004, the City of Allen purchased Chase Oaks Golf Club in Plano, Texas, adjacent to the southern city limits of the City of Allen. Chase Oaks is a public golf course, and residents are entitled to discounted fees.
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
in Collin County
Collin County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 491,675 people, 181,970 households, and 132,292 families residing in the county. The population density was 580 people per square mile . There were 194,892 housing units at an average density of 230 per square mile...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, a northern suburb of Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
. As of the 2010 census the city had a total population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 84,246.
Geography
According to the City of Allen, the city has a total area of 27.1 square miles (70.2 km²). None of the area is covered with waterWater
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
except the small ponds scattered throughout the city.
Climate
Allen is considered to be part of the humid continentalHumid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot summers and cold winters....
region, meaning it experiences mild to very cold winter with temperatures in winter ranging from 21 to 43 °F (-6.1 to 6.1 C) in daytime and 8 to 30 °F (-13.3 to -1.1 C) at nighttime. In spring the city has severe thunderstorms and mild warm days; temperatures range from 50 to 70 °F (10 to 21.1 C) in daytime and 37 to 57 °F (2.8 to 13.9 C) at night. In summer the city experiences very hot days ranging from 90 to 100 °F (32.2 to 37.8 C). In the autumn the daytime temperatures vary from about 85 to 40 °F (29.4 to 4.4 C).
Demographics
As of the 2010 Census, the city had a population of 84,246 people. The racial makeup of the city was 64.9% White, 8.4% African American, 0.5% Native American, 13.9% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.9% from other racesRace (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 16.2% of the population.
There were 14,205 households out of which 55.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.2% were non-families. 11.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 1.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.07 and the average family size was 3.35.
In the city the population was spread out with 34.9% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 40.7% from 25 to 44, 16.2% from 45 to 64, and 2.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city in 2007 was $93,392, and the median income for a family was $100,736.
History
The Allen area was previously home to the CaddoCaddo
The Caddo Nation is a confederacy of several Southeastern Native American tribes, who traditionally inhabited much of what is now East Texas, northern Louisiana and portions of southern Arkansas and Oklahoma. Today the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma is a cohesive tribe with its capital at Binger, Oklahoma...
, Comanche
Comanche
The Comanche are a Native American ethnic group whose historic range consisted of present-day eastern New Mexico, southern Colorado, northeastern Arizona, southern Kansas, all of Oklahoma, and most of northwest Texas. Historically, the Comanches were hunter-gatherers, with a typical Plains Indian...
, and other indigenous peoples. The first immigrants from the United States and Europe arrived in the early 1840s. The town was established by the Houston and Central Texas Railroad and named in 1872 for Ebenezer Allen, a state politician and railroad promoter. The railroad allowed crops to be sold across the country before rotting, causing a shift from the previous cattle-based agriculture. On February 22, 1878, a gang led by Sam Bass
Sam Bass
Sam Bass was a nineteenth-century American train robber and outlaw.-Early life:Bass was orphaned at the age of 10. For the next five years, he and his siblings lived with an abusive uncle. In 1869, he set out on his own and spent the next year in Mississippi...
committed in Allen what is said to be Texas's first train robbery.
From 1908 through 1948, Allen was a stop along the Texas Traction Company's interurban
Interurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
line from Denison
Denison, Texas
Denison is a city in Grayson County, Texas, United States. The population was 22,773 at the 2000 census; it is estimated to have grown to 24,127 in 2009. Denison is one of two principal cities in the Sherman-Denison Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
to Dallas. Allen was a small town of a few hundred residents when it was incorporated in 1953. Since this time, it has grown dramatically due to the construction of U.S. Route 75
U.S. Route 75
U.S. Route 75 is a north–south U.S. Highway. The highway's northern terminus is in Kittson County, Minnesota, at the Canadian border, where it continues as Manitoba Highway 75 on the other side of a closed border crossing. Its southern terminus is at Interstate 30 and Interstate 45 in Dallas,...
, the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, and the development of nearby Dallas and Plano
Plano, Texas
Plano is a city in the state of Texas, located mostly within Collin County. The city's population was 259,841 at the 2010 census, making it the ninth-largest city in Texas and the 71st most populous city in the United States. Plano is located within the metropolitan area commonly referred to as...
.
Local government
According to the city’s most recent Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the city’s various funds had $160.9 million in Revenues, $105.6 million in expenditures, $654.8 million in total assets, $125.6 million in total liabilities, and $42.5 million in cash and investments.The structure of the management and coordination of city services is:
| City Department | Director |
|---|---|
| City Manager | Peter H. Vargas |
| Assistant City Manager | Shelli Siemer |
| Director of Finance | Kevin Hammeke |
| Director of Building and Code Compliance | Bret McCullough |
| Director of Human Resources | Monika Kretschmer |
| Director of Public and Media Relations | Teresa Forsyth Warren |
| City Secretary | Shelley George |
| Director of Community Services | Steve Massey |
| Director of Engineering | John Baumgartner |
| Fire Chief | Bill Hawley |
| Police Chief | Bill Rushing |
| Director of Information Technology | Sid Hudson |
| Director of Library | Jeff Timbs |
| Director of Parks and Recreation | Tim Dentler |
| Director of Planning and Development | Bo Bass |
Education
The Allen Independent School DistrictAllen Independent School District
Allen Independent School District is a public school district based in Allen, Texas .Allen ISD covers most of the city of Allen, as well as portions of the cities of McKinney, Plano, and Parker....
has 17 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, 1 freshman center, 1 Pat Dillard Special Achievement Center, and 1 high school (Allen High School
Allen High School (Allen, Texas)
-Athletics:-Football:The Allen Eagle football program has had five playoff berths and two bi-district championships in six seasons. In 2006 the varsity football team finished its season as the District 9-5A Champions by beating Plano East in the last game of the regular season, 22-17. Its only loss...
). Allen ISD serves almost all of Allen.
Small portions of the Allen city limits extend into Lovejoy
Lovejoy Independent School District
Lovejoy Independent School District is a public school district in central Collin County, Texas, United States. The district's administration building is located at 259 Country Club Road in Allen....
, McKinney
McKinney Independent School District
McKinney Independent School District is a public school district in McKinney, Texas .In addition to McKinney, the district serves the town of New Hope and parts of Allen, Fairview, Lovejoy, Weston, Princeton, and Lowry Crossing....
, and Plano
Plano Independent School District
Plano Independent School District is a public school district in southeastern Collin County, Texas, with its headquarters in Plano. Plano ISD serves about of land, with of it within the City of Plano...
ISDs. In the fall of 2006, new 9th grade high school students in the Lovejoy ISD boundaries began attending the newly opened Lovejoy High School
Lovejoy High School (Texas)
Lovejoy High School is a public, co-educational secondary school in Lucas, Texas in south central Collin County. It is the only high school of the Lovejoy Independent School District serving grades 9-12. Lovejoy High School serves most of the cities of Lucas, most of Fairview, and a small portion...
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/081406dnccowakelandopen.23cd566.html. The school became a full 4-year high school in the 2009-10 school year.
Allen hosts a campus of Collin College, which is located inside Allen High School
Allen High School (Allen, Texas)
-Athletics:-Football:The Allen Eagle football program has had five playoff berths and two bi-district championships in six seasons. In 2006 the varsity football team finished its season as the District 9-5A Champions by beating Plano East in the last game of the regular season, 22-17. Its only loss...
.
Allen High School's football team won the 5A Div 1 state championship on December 20, 2008. They defeated Fort Bend Hightower
Hightower High School
L.V. Hightower High School is a secondary school located at 3333 Hurricane Lane, Missouri City, Texas, United States.Hightower is administered by Fort Bend Independent School District and its mascot is Poseidon, but they are known as the Hightower Hurricanes.Hightower serves parts of Missouri City...
21–14.
The Allen Eagle Escadrille, Allen High School's marching band participated in the 1994 St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland, 1995 and 1999 Texas Gubernatorial Parades, 1997 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, a recipient of the Sudler Shield Award by the John Phillip Sousa Foundation in 2004 and marched in the 117th Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California on January 2, 2006.
Economy
According to the City's 2008 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:| # | Employer | # of Employees | % of Total City Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Allen Independent School District Allen Independent School District Allen Independent School District is a public school district based in Allen, Texas .Allen ISD covers most of the city of Allen, as well as portions of the cities of McKinney, Plano, and Parker.... |
2,345 | 10.28% |
| 2 | Presbyterian Hospital | 858 | 3.76% |
| 3 | City of Allen | 712 | 3.12% |
| 4 | Graphic Converting | 650 | 2.85% |
| 5 | Experian Experian Experian plc, formerly known as CCN Systems, is a global credit information group with operations in 36 countries. The company employs 15,500 people with corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ireland and operational headquarters in Nottingham, England and Costa Mesa, California, US... |
575 | 2.52% |
| 6 | Sanmina SCI | 525 | 2.30% |
| 7 | Celerity, Inc | 340 | 1.49% |
| 8 | Jack Henry & Associates Jack Henry & Associates Jack Henry & Associates an S&P 400 company, supports more than 11,200 financial institutions with core processing solutions as well as the highly specialized products and services that financial services organizations of all asset sizes and diverse businesses outside the financial industry use to... |
362 | 1.59% |
| 9 | Sage Telecom Sage Telecom Sage Telecom, Inc was founded in 1996 as a CLEC reselling telecommunications primarily in rural markets served by SBC Communications. Currently the company provides local phone service, local bundled phone service and dial up internet access in Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana,... |
285 | 1.25% |
| 10 | RCL Enterprises / ColorDynamics | 185 | 0.81% |
Sports
A multi-purpose arena, the 7,500-seat Allen Event Center, was completed in November 2009. It is home to the Central Hockey LeagueCentral Hockey League
The Central Hockey League is a mid-level professional hockey league, owned by Global Entertainment Corporation. Its current champions are the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, which defeated the Colorado Eagles four games to three in the 2011 playoffs....
's Allen Americans
Allen Americans
The Allen Americans is an ice hockey team in the Central Hockey League which began play in the 2009–10 season. They play at the Allen Event Center in Allen, Texas.-History:...
, and the Allen Wranglers who play in the Indoor Football League
Indoor Football League
The Indoor Football League began in 1999 as an offshoot of the troubled Professional Indoor Football League. Keary Ecklund, the owner of the Green Bay Bombers and Madison Mad Dogs, left the PIFL after its first, financially-troubled, season to start his own league. Unlike the PIFL, the IFL was an...
.
In October 2004, the City of Allen purchased Chase Oaks Golf Club in Plano, Texas, adjacent to the southern city limits of the City of Allen. Chase Oaks is a public golf course, and residents are entitled to discounted fees.
Notable residents
- Matt BarrMatt BarrMatthew Jerome "Matt" Barr is an American television and film actor. He is best known for his roles as Mike Fleming in Commander in Chief, Ian Banks in One Tree Hill, Christopher Sullivan in the mystery horror series Harper's Island, and Dan Patch in The CW series Hellcats.-Early life:Matthew...
, actorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity... - Kathleen Baskin-BallKathleen Baskin-BallKathleen Baskin-Ball was an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church. She was ordained as deacon and probationary member of the North Texas Conference in 1983 and as elder and full member of the North Texas Conference in 1988. She received national recognition for her preaching, especially...
, nationally known preacher - Tony DorsettTony DorsettAnthony "Tony" Drew Dorsett is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos.-Early years:...
, National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
player - Amanda DunbarAmanda DunbarAmanda Dunbar is a Texas-based artist who gained notoriety at an early age for her oil painting skills. Amanda Dunbar began painting in an after school art class at the age of 12. Her spontaneous and advanced works acquired significant interest immediately...
, artist, member of Texas Women's Hall of Fame - Burton GilliamBurton GilliamBurton Gilliam is an American actor.-Career:Prior to acting, Gilliam was a member of the Coast Guard's boxing team and reportedly posted a record of 201 wins out of 217 fights during his enlistment. Gilliam was credited with winning more Golden Gloves bouts than anyone in its history at that time...
, actor - Candie KungCandie KungCandie Kung is an American professional golfer of Taiwanese descent who plays on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour.-Amateur career:...
, golfer - Adrianna LynnAdrianna LynnAdrianna Lynn, aka Adrenalynn, is a pornographic actress.As a child she modelled for the J. C. Penney catalogue and later on she attended and graduated from Plano East Senior High...
aka. Adrenalynn, Pornographic actorPornographic actorA pornographic actor/actress or a porn star is a person who appears in pornographic film. Most actors appear nude in films... - Jim ParrackJim ParrackJim Parrack is an American actor. He has a starring role as Hoyt Fortenberry in HBO series True Blood, and appeared in the film Battle: Los Angeles, which was released March 2011....
, actor - Carly PattersonCarly PattersonCarly Rae Patterson is an American singer and former gymnast. She is the 2004 Olympic All-Around Champion and a member of the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame...
, Olympic champion gymnastGymnastics at the 2004 Summer OlympicsAt the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, three disciplines of gymnastics were contested: artistic gymnastics , rhythmic gymnastics and trampoline... - Cal SlaytonCal SlaytonCal Slayton is an American comic book artist and designer.-Biography:Slayton grew up in Forrest City, Arkansas and now lives in Texas with his wife. His most prominent work was on the indie comic book Shades of Blue published first by AMP Comics and then by Digital Webbing...
, Comic Book Artist