Levelland, Texas
Encyclopedia
Levelland is a city in Hockley County, Texas
, in the United States
. As of the 2010 census
, the city population was 13,542. It is the county seat
of Hockley County. It is located on the Llano Estacado
, 30 miles (48.3 km) west of Lubbock
. Major industries include cotton
farming and petroleum
production. It is the home of South Plains College
.
Levelland is the principal city of the Levelland Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Hockley County and part of the larger Lubbock-Levelland Combined Statistical Area
.
, the city has a total area of 9.9 square miles (25.6 km²), of which, 9.9 square miles (25.6 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.20%) is water.
of 2000, there were 12,866 people, 4,574 households, and 3,361 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,296.5 people per square mile (500.8/km²). There were 5,186 housing units at an average density of 522.6 per square mile (201.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 70.34% White, 5.36% African American, 0.95% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 20.92% from other races
, and 2.21% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 39.21% of the population.
There were 4,574 households out of which 36.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.9% were married couples
living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.5% were non-families. 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.17.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.6% under the age of 18, 14.0% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,820, and the median income for a family was $32,408. Males had a median income of $29,800 versus $20,042 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $14,296. About 15.7% of families and 20.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.8% of those under age 18 and 13.2% of those age 65 or over.
song "Levelland," recorded in 1995, is a song about life in the city, told from a slightly acerbic point of view. The song has also been recorded by Robert Earl Keen
.
Held in the third week of July, Camp Bluegrass is a large social event, with public concerts, held on the South Plains College campus.
Levelland is also home to the 12 year old State Champions in baseball, the Levelland Kekambas. This was the first team to ever win state from Levelland. The team ended up placing fifth at the regional tournament in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
On March 26, 2010 the Levelland Police Department ordered Bob Skelding to take his wagon and horses out of town. Skelding is traveling the United States in a covered wagon pulled by horses. Skelding posted on his website “I have never had the pleasure of so much great southern hospitality.”
in November 1957. Several motorists driving on various highways around Levelland claimed to see a large, egg-shaped object which emitted a blue glow and caused their automobiles to shut off. In most cases the object was sitting either on the highway or close to it. When the object took off, the vehicles would restart and work normally. Among witnesses were Weir Clem, Levelland's sheriff, and Ray Jones, the town's fire chief. The United States Air Force
concluded a severe electrical storm was the major cause for the sightings and reported auto failures. However, several prominent UFO researchers, among them Dr. James E. McDonald
, a physicist at the University of Arizona
, and Dr. J. Allen Hynek, an astronomer at Northwestern University
, disputed this explanation. Both men argued that there was no electrical storm in the area when the sightings occurred.
The UFO Book: Encyclopedia Of The Extraterrestrial; Jerome Clark
, author. ppgs. 339-340. Detroit: Visible Ink Press, 1998.
An article about the Levelland Sightings from the popular "Texas Monthly" magazine
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...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. As of the 2010 census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
, the city population was 13,542. 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 Hockley County. It is located on the Llano Estacado
Llano Estacado
Llano Estacado , commonly known as the Staked Plains, is a region in the Southwestern United States that encompasses parts of eastern New Mexico and northwestern Texas, including the South Plains and parts of the Texas Panhandle...
, 30 miles (48.3 km) west of Lubbock
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
. Major industries include cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
farming and petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
production. It is the home of South Plains College
South Plains College
South Plains College is a community college located in Levelland, Texas. It operates satellite branches in Plainview and at the Reese Technology Center, formerly Reese Air Force Base, in Lubbock. SPC also has many classes in the Byron Martin Advanced Technology Center in Lubbock, as part of a...
.
Levelland is the principal city of the Levelland Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Hockley County and part of the larger Lubbock-Levelland Combined Statistical Area
Lubbock-Levelland combined statistical area
The Lubbock-Levelland Combined Statistical Area is made up of three counties in the South Plains region of Texas. The statistical area consists of the Lubbock Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Levelland Micropolitan Statistical Area...
.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited 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 9.9 square miles (25.6 km²), of which, 9.9 square miles (25.6 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.20%) is water.
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 12,866 people, 4,574 households, and 3,361 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 1,296.5 people per square mile (500.8/km²). There were 5,186 housing units at an average density of 522.6 per square mile (201.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 70.34% White, 5.36% African American, 0.95% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 20.92% 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 2.21% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 39.21% of the population.
There were 4,574 households out of which 36.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.9% 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, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.5% were non-families. 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.17.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.6% under the age of 18, 14.0% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,820, and the median income for a family was $32,408. Males had a median income of $29,800 versus $20,042 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 $14,296. About 15.7% of families and 20.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.8% of those under age 18 and 13.2% of those age 65 or over.
Education
- The City of Levelland is served by the Levelland Independent School DistrictLevelland Independent School DistrictLevelland Independent School District is a public school district based in Levelland, Texas .In addition to Levelland, the district also serves the town of Opdyke West....
. - The Levelland High School mascot is the LoboGray WolfThe gray wolf , also known as the wolf, is the largest extant wild member of the Canidae family...
. - Levelland is also home to South Plains CollegeSouth Plains CollegeSouth Plains College is a community college located in Levelland, Texas. It operates satellite branches in Plainview and at the Reese Technology Center, formerly Reese Air Force Base, in Lubbock. SPC also has many classes in the Byron Martin Advanced Technology Center in Lubbock, as part of a...
.
Levelland in popular culture
The James McMurtryJames McMurtry
James McMurtry is a Texas rock/Texas Country singer, songwriter, guitarist, bandleader and occasional actor...
song "Levelland," recorded in 1995, is a song about life in the city, told from a slightly acerbic point of view. The song has also been recorded by Robert Earl Keen
Robert Earl Keen
Robert Earl Keen, Junior is an American Texas Country singer-songwriter. He is popular with fans of traditional country music, folk music, college radio, and alt-country. Keen currently resides in Kerrville, Texas and maintains a ranch in Medina, Texas.-Early life:Growing up in Houston, Texas,...
.
Held in the third week of July, Camp Bluegrass is a large social event, with public concerts, held on the South Plains College campus.
Levelland is also home to the 12 year old State Champions in baseball, the Levelland Kekambas. This was the first team to ever win state from Levelland. The team ended up placing fifth at the regional tournament in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
On March 26, 2010 the Levelland Police Department ordered Bob Skelding to take his wagon and horses out of town. Skelding is traveling the United States in a covered wagon pulled by horses. Skelding posted on his website “I have never had the pleasure of so much great southern hospitality.”
UFO Allegations
Levelland is famous as the site of a well-publicized series of UFO sightingsLevelland UFO Case
The Levelland UFO Case occurred on November 2-3, 1957 in and around the small town of Levelland, Texas. Levelland, which in 1957 had a population of about 10,000, is located west of Lubbock on the flat prairie of the Texas panhandle...
in November 1957. Several motorists driving on various highways around Levelland claimed to see a large, egg-shaped object which emitted a blue glow and caused their automobiles to shut off. In most cases the object was sitting either on the highway or close to it. When the object took off, the vehicles would restart and work normally. Among witnesses were Weir Clem, Levelland's sheriff, and Ray Jones, the town's fire chief. The United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
concluded a severe electrical storm was the major cause for the sightings and reported auto failures. However, several prominent UFO researchers, among them Dr. James E. McDonald
James E. McDonald
James Edward McDonald was an American physicist. He is best known for his research regarding UFOs. McDonald was senior physicist at the Institute for Atmospheric Physics and professor in the Department of Meteorology, University of Arizona, Tucson.McDonald campaigned vigorously in support of...
, a physicist at the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
, and Dr. J. Allen Hynek, an astronomer at Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
, disputed this explanation. Both men argued that there was no electrical storm in the area when the sightings occurred.
The UFO Book: Encyclopedia Of The Extraterrestrial; Jerome Clark
Jerome Clark
Jerome Clark is an American researcher and writer, specializing in unidentified flying objects and other anomalous phenomena; he is also a songwriter of some note....
, author. ppgs. 339-340. Detroit: Visible Ink Press, 1998.
An article about the Levelland Sightings from the popular "Texas Monthly" magazine
Levelland Municipal Airport (LLN)
- Airport Elevation - 3514' MSLMSL- Organizations :* Major Series Lacrosse* Major Soccer League* Malaysia Super League* MBCgame Starleague * Metal Storm Limited, an Australian modern armament company...
- Two Active Runways
- 17/35 - 6,110'
- 08/26 - 2,072'
Notable residents
- Billy Guinn Jones (May 30, 1934—April 26, 2008) was a prominent Levelland banker and businessman. Born to Carl and Ella Mae Jones in Grassland in Lynn County, Jones graduated from Post High School in PostPost, TexasPost is a city in and the county seat of Garza County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,708 at the 2000 census.There are many ranchers and civic boosters in Garza County, among them Giles McCrary, a former mayor who operates the OS Museum, a hybrid of exhibits from both the American West...
, the seat of Garza CountyGarza County, TexasGarza County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas southeast of Lubbock. In 2000, its population was 4,872. Its county seat is Post. Garza is named for a pioneer Bexar County family, as it was once a part of that county....
, and procured a Bachelor of Business AdministrationBachelor of Business AdministrationThe Bachelor of Business Administration is a bachelor's degree in Commerce and business administration. In most universities, the degree is conferred upon a student after four years of full-time study in one or more areas of business concentrations; see below...
degree from Texas Tech UniversityTexas Tech UniversityTexas Tech University, often referred to as Texas Tech or TTU, is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and originally known as Texas Technological College, it is the leading institution of the Texas Tech University System and has the...
in Lubbock. He was a second lieutenantSecond LieutenantSecond lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in the United States ArmyUnited States ArmyThe United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. After a brief career in farming, he became a bank examiner. Thereafter, he was an officer of the First National Bank of Levelland and the president and chief operating officer of the Citizens Bank of SlatonSlaton, TexasSlaton is a city in Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The population was 6,109 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Lubbock Metropolitan Statistical Area.Slaton is named for Lubbock rancher and banker O.L. Slaton, Sr...
, Plains State Bank in PlainsPlains, TexasPlains is a town in and the county seat of Yoakum County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,450 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Plains is located at .....
and South Plains Bank in Levelland. He was a former president of the Levelland Chamber of CommerceChamber of commerceA chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
, a director of the Levelland Development Foundation, a Little League Baseball umpireUmpire (baseball)In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and handling the disciplinary actions. The term is often shortened to the colloquial form ump...
, and a member of the First BaptistBaptistBaptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
Church of Levelland. Survivors include his wife, the former LaRue Stevens, whom he married in 1957; son, Steven Carl Jones (born ca. 1958) of Levelland, and daughter, D'Les C. Jones (born ca. 1963) of DallasDallas, TexasDallas 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...
, and three grandchildren. He is interred at Terrace Cemetery at Post.
- Sam Langford (July 14, 1928—October 23, 2008) was one of four elected Hockley County commissioners, having represented Precinct 1 from 1974-1998. The son of Ed and Lula Langford, he was born in WhitarralWhitharral, TexasWhitharral is an unincorporated community in Hockley County, Texas, United States.-History:Whitharral was founded in 1924 after the sale of the Littlefield ranchlands. The town was named by an early settler by the name of Whitfield Harral, or possibly Harold Whitfield.A school was founded in 1925,...
, a community in Hockley County, where he graduated from high school. He attended South Plains College in Levelland and served thereafter in the United States ArmyUnited States ArmyThe United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. He was a Levelland automobileAutomobileAn automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
dealer for many years. He died at Covenant Hospital in Levelland. Services were held on October 25, 2008, at the Fifth Street BaptistBaptistBaptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
Church, where Langford was a deacon and the song director. Interment was at the City of Levelland Cemetery. Survivors include his wife, the former Flo Campbell, originally from BorgerBorger, TexasBorger is the largest city in Hutchinson County, Texas, United States. The population was 14,302 at the 2000 census. Borger is named for businessman Asa Philip "Ace" Borger, who also established the Hutchinson County seat of Stinnett and several other small towns in Texas and Oklahoma.- History...
; son, David Campbell Langford of Levelland; a brother, Gerry Langford of Hart Camp in Lamb County; one sister, Roberta "Bill" Langford Thomman of Levelland; four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a son, Eddie Campbell Langford, in 1989.
- Gene MayfieldGene Mayfield-Further reading:...
(1928-2009), a successful high schoolHigh schoolHigh school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
and collegeCollegeA college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coachCoach (sport)In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
, concluded his career at Levelland High School.