Glen Rose, Texas
Encyclopedia
Glen Rose is a city in Somervell County
, Texas
, United States
. It is the county seat
of Somervell County
. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,444. Glen Rose is part of the Granbury micropolitan area
.
in 1855, Barnard moved his business to Fort Belknap
. Circa
1859 when the reservation was abolished, he returned to the area and built the first store on what is now the site of Glen Rose.
A three-story stone gristmill was constructed along the Paluxy River
and the town that grew up around it became known as Barnard's Mill. The mill was sold to T.C. Jordan of Dallas in 1871 for $65,000. Jordan's wife, a native of Scotland
, decided to rename the town Rose Glen to reflect the area's natural surroundings. The citizens later voted to call the community Glen Rose. A post office opened in 1874.
When Somervell County was formed on March 15, 1875, Glen Rose was designated as its county seat. A Baptist college was organized in 1879 and was later sold to the Paluxy Baptist Association. In 1889, the northern Presbyterians opened Glen Rose Collegiate Institute (also known as Glen Rose College), which remained in operation for the next 15 to 20 years. A courthouse around Glen Rose's town square was completed around 1892, but burned down a year later. A newly built Romanesque Revival
style courthouse was constructed soon after with locally quarried limestone. That building sustained damage in a 1902 tornado that also damaged part of the town square.
, the area was a center of moonshining
and Glen Rose became known as the "whiskey woods capital of the state." The population remained steady during the Great Depression
, although unemployment rates in both Glen Rose and Somervell County increased. As part of the New Deal
, Glen Rose borrowed $80,000 under the Public Works Administration
(PWA) to construct a new water and sewage system. Three low-water dams on the Paluxy River, several local school buildings, and a canning plant were built with Works Projects Administration (WPA) money.
During the post-war
years, the population of Somervell County declined from 3,071 in 1940 to 2,542 in 1950 as many residents moved in search of greater employment opportunities. At the same time, Glen Rose grew from 1,050 residents in 1940 to 1,248 in 1950. The construction of the Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant in the mid-1970s brought financial advantages and new residents to the Glen Rose area. The city experienced a 34 percent increase in population between 1970 and 1980. The nuclear plant came to dominate the local economy. Other chief industries include farming, ranching, and tourism. 111 rated businesses were located in Glen Rose as of 1991. By 2000, the population of the city had grown to 2,122 and the total number of rated businesses rose to 224.
and State Highway 144
in central Somervell County. The city is situated nearly 17 miles (27 km) south of Granbury and 52 miles (84 km) southwest of Fort Worth
. According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 2.7 square miles (7.1 km²), all land.
of 2000, there were 2,122 people, 801 households, and 543 families residing in the city. The population density
was 777.6 people per square mile (300.1/km²). There were 903 housing units at an average density of 330.9 per square mile (127.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.09% White, 0.28% African American, 0.94% Native American, 0.38% Asian, 5.51% from other races
, and 1.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.32% of the population.
There were 801 households out of which 36.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% were married couples
living together, 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were non-families. 29.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.4% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 88.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,837, and the median income for a family was $37,545. Males had a median income of $30,238 versus $19,500 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $14,940. About 12.2% of families and 14.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.2% of those under age 18 and 16.2% of those age 65 or over.
-Fort Worth
and the Waco
/Temple
/Killeen
(Central Texas
) metropolitan areas. The Somervell County Salon is a local blog that has historical audio and video of public meetings.
Somervell County, Texas
There were 2,438 households out of which 37.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.70% were married couples living together, 9.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.50% were non-families. 21.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.20% had...
, 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...
. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Somervell County
Somervell County, Texas
There were 2,438 households out of which 37.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.70% were married couples living together, 9.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.50% were non-families. 21.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.20% had...
. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,444. Glen Rose is part of the Granbury micropolitan area
Granbury micropolitan area
The Granbury Micropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties in North Central Texas, anchored by the city of Granbury....
.
19th century
The area was first settled in 1849 by Charles Barnard, who opened a trading post near Comanche Peak. After the region became a federal Indian reservationIndian reservation
An American Indian reservation is an area of land managed by a Native American tribe under the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs...
in 1855, Barnard moved his business to Fort Belknap
Fort Belknap (Newcastle, Texas)
Fort Belknap, located near Newcastle, Texas, was established in 1851 by brevet Brigadier William G. Belknap to protect the Texas frontier against raids by the Kiowa and Comanche. It was the northernmost fort in a line from the Rio Grande to the Red River...
. Circa
Circa
Circa , usually abbreviated c. or ca. , means "approximately" in the English language, usually referring to a date...
1859 when the reservation was abolished, he returned to the area and built the first store on what is now the site of Glen Rose.
A three-story stone gristmill was constructed along the Paluxy River
Paluxy River
The Paluxy River is a river in the U.S. state of Texas. It is a tributary of the Brazos River. It is formed by the convergence of the North Paluxy River and the South Paluxy River near Bluff Dale, Texas in Erath County and flows a distance of before joining the Brazos just to the east of Glen...
and the town that grew up around it became known as Barnard's Mill. The mill was sold to T.C. Jordan of Dallas in 1871 for $65,000. Jordan's wife, a native of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, decided to rename the town Rose Glen to reflect the area's natural surroundings. The citizens later voted to call the community Glen Rose. A post office opened in 1874.
When Somervell County was formed on March 15, 1875, Glen Rose was designated as its county seat. A Baptist college was organized in 1879 and was later sold to the Paluxy Baptist Association. In 1889, the northern Presbyterians opened Glen Rose Collegiate Institute (also known as Glen Rose College), which remained in operation for the next 15 to 20 years. A courthouse around Glen Rose's town square was completed around 1892, but burned down a year later. A newly built Romanesque Revival
Romanesque Revival architecture
Romanesque Revival is a style of building employed beginning in the mid 19th century inspired by the 11th and 12th century Romanesque architecture...
style courthouse was constructed soon after with locally quarried limestone. That building sustained damage in a 1902 tornado that also damaged part of the town square.
20th century
Throughout the period from the 1900s to the 1920s, Glen Rose was home to approximately 1,000 people. The area's mineral springs attracted numerous doctors and self-styled healers to the community. During ProhibitionProhibition in the United States
Prohibition in the United States was a national ban on the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol, in place from 1920 to 1933. The ban was mandated by the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution, and the Volstead Act set down the rules for enforcing the ban, as well as defining which...
, the area was a center of moonshining
Moonshine
Moonshine is an illegally produced distilled beverage...
and Glen Rose became known as the "whiskey woods capital of the state." The population remained steady during the Great Depression
Great Depression in the United States
The Great Depression began with the Wall Street Crash of October, 1929 and rapidly spread worldwide. The market crash marked the beginning of a decade of high unemployment, poverty, low profits, deflation, plunging farm incomes, and lost opportunities for economic growth and personal advancement...
, although unemployment rates in both Glen Rose and Somervell County increased. As part of the New Deal
New Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
, Glen Rose borrowed $80,000 under the Public Works Administration
Public Works Administration
The Public Works Administration , part of the New Deal of 1933, was a large-scale public works construction agency in the United States headed by Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes. It was created by the National Industrial Recovery Act in June 1933 in response to the Great Depression...
(PWA) to construct a new water and sewage system. Three low-water dams on the Paluxy River, several local school buildings, and a canning plant were built with Works Projects Administration (WPA) money.
During the post-war
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
years, the population of Somervell County declined from 3,071 in 1940 to 2,542 in 1950 as many residents moved in search of greater employment opportunities. At the same time, Glen Rose grew from 1,050 residents in 1940 to 1,248 in 1950. The construction of the Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant in the mid-1970s brought financial advantages and new residents to the Glen Rose area. The city experienced a 34 percent increase in population between 1970 and 1980. The nuclear plant came to dominate the local economy. Other chief industries include farming, ranching, and tourism. 111 rated businesses were located in Glen Rose as of 1991. By 2000, the population of the city had grown to 2,122 and the total number of rated businesses rose to 224.
Geography
Glen Rose is located at 32°14′12"N 97°45′14"W (32.236637, -97.753823), around the junction of U.S. Highway 67U.S. Route 67
U.S. Route 67 is a 1,560 mile long north–south U.S. highway in the Central United States. The southern terminus of the route is at the United States-Mexico border in Presidio, Texas, where it continues south as Mexican Federal Highway 16 upon crossing the Rio Grande. The northern...
and State Highway 144
Texas State Highway 144
Texas State Highway 144 is a state highway that runs from Meridian to Granbury in central Texas.-Route description:SH 144 begins at an intersection with in Meridian. The route travels northwest to Walnut Springs before turning in a more northerly direction. It enters Glen Rose, where it has a one...
in central Somervell County. The city is situated nearly 17 miles (27 km) south of Granbury and 52 miles (84 km) southwest of Fort Worth
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
. According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 2.7 square miles (7.1 km²), all land.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 2,122 people, 801 households, and 543 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 777.6 people per square mile (300.1/km²). There were 903 housing units at an average density of 330.9 per square mile (127.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.09% White, 0.28% African American, 0.94% Native American, 0.38% Asian, 5.51% from other races
Race (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 1.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.32% of the population.
There were 801 households out of which 36.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% 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, 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were non-families. 29.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.4% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 88.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,837, and the median income for a family was $37,545. Males had a median income of $30,238 versus $19,500 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $14,940. About 12.2% of families and 14.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.2% of those under age 18 and 16.2% of those age 65 or over.
Area attractions
- Fossil Rim Wildlife Center is an 1800 acres (7.3 km²) wildlife preserve open to the public. It features many different species of animals.
- Dinosaur Valley State ParkDinosaur Valley State Park- History :Dinosaur Valley State Park, located just northwest of Glen Rose in Somervell County, is a scenic park set astride the Paluxy River. The land for the park was acquired from private owners under the State Parks Bonds Program during 1968 and opened to the public in 1972...
, located about 2 miles west of Glen Rose, features a large number of dinosaurDinosaurDinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
footprints, the Glen Rose FormationGlen Rose FormationThe Glen Rose Formation is a shallow marine to shoreline geological formation from the lower Cretaceous period exposed over a large area from South Central to North Central Texas...
, in the bed of the Paluxy RiverPaluxy RiverThe Paluxy River is a river in the U.S. state of Texas. It is a tributary of the Brazos River. It is formed by the convergence of the North Paluxy River and the South Paluxy River near Bluff Dale, Texas in Erath County and flows a distance of before joining the Brazos just to the east of Glen...
. The park is one of the top local tourist attractions. - Creation Evidence MuseumCreation Evidence MuseumThe Creation Evidence Museum, originally Creation Evidences Museum, is a museum in Glen Rose in Somervell County in central Texas, USA. Founded in 1984 by Carl Baugh for the purpose of researching and displaying purported evidence for creationism, the museum purports to show that the Earth is only...
, displaying purported evidence for creationismCreationismCreationism is the religious beliefthat humanity, life, the Earth, and the universe are the creation of a supernatural being, most often referring to the Abrahamic god. As science developed from the 18th century onwards, various views developed which aimed to reconcile science with the Genesis...
.
Media
Two newspapers have offices located in Glen Rose, the Glen Rose Reporter and the Glen Rose Newspaper. Local television stations that provide coverage for the area are from the DallasDallas, 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...
-Fort Worth
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
and the Waco
Waco, Texas
Waco is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas. Situated along the Brazos River and on the I-35 corridor, halfway between Dallas and Austin, it is the economic, cultural, and academic center of the 'Heart of Texas' region....
/Temple
Temple, Texas
Temple is a city in Bell County, Texas, United States. Located near the county seat of Belton, Temple lies in the region referred to as Central Texas. Located off Interstate 35, Temple is 65 miles north of Austin and 34 miles south of Waco. In the 2010 Census, Temple's population was 66,102, an...
/Killeen
Killeen, Texas
Killeen is a city in Bell County, Texas, The United States. The population was 86,911 at the 2000 census. As of 2009, Killeen had 119,510 people. In 2010 Killeen's population shot to 127,921...
(Central Texas
Central Texas
Central Texas , is a region in the U.S. state of Texas. It is roughly bordered by San Marcos to Fredericksburg to Waco, and to Brenham, and includes the Austin–Round Rock, Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, Bryan-College Station, and Waco metropolitan areas...
) metropolitan areas. The Somervell County Salon is a local blog that has historical audio and video of public meetings.