Mission, Texas
Encyclopedia
Mission is a city in Hidalgo County
, Texas
, United States
. The population was 77,058 at the 2010 census Mission is part of the McAllen–Edinburg–Mission and Reynosa–McAllen
metropolitan areas.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 24.1 square miles (62.4 km²), of which, 24.1 square miles (62.4 km²) of it is land and 0.04% is water.
of 2000, there were 45,408 people, 13,766 households, and 11,384 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,881.9 people per square mile (726.6/km²). There were 17,723 housing units at an average density of 734.5 per square mile (283.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 77.63% White, 0.37% African American, 0.38% Native American, 1.63% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 18.64% from other races
, and 2.34% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 81.03% of the population.
There were 13,766 households out of which 43.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.8% were married couples
living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.3% were non-families. 15.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.29 and the average family size was 3.68.
In the city the population was spread out with 32.1% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 17.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 91.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,647, and the median income for a family was $33,465. Males had a median income of $25,710 versus $20,718 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $12,796. About 22.6% of families and 26.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.4% of those under age 18 and 15.6% of those age 65 or over.
The United States Postal Service
operates in the city of Mission. Local zip codes include 78571, 78572, 78573, and 78574.
enjoys. The Mission Economic Development Authority promotes development in the area.
The city has been advertised as the "Home of the Ruby Red Grapefruit
" since 1921, due to the fruit being commonly grown in the area.; the city is also home to the Texas Citrus Exchange.
The city holds an annual parade along Conway Avenue called the Texas Citrus Fiesta Parade, which features fruit-decorated floats, bands, law enforcement agencies, and fire departments, and many local and city government officials.
Moore Air Force Base
(deactivated) is located 14 miles northwest of the city. It is the location of the First Lift Station
of the Mission Canal Company that once irrigated 15000 acres (60.7 km²) of farmland in the Rio Grande Valley
.
. Other portions extend into the La Joya Independent School District
and the Sharyland Independent School District
. In addition, South Texas Independent School District
operates magnet schools that serve the community.
Mission is also the site of San Juan Diego Academy, a Catholic high school operated by the Catholic Diocese of Brownsville. Courses will begin in the fall 2011.
The library originated in March 1914, when the Civic League of Mission was formed to maintain a park and form a library. The first library board included officers from the civic league. In 1929 the City of Mission passed an ordinance making the library a part of the city government. In 1930 the library was in a room in the First National Bank. At a later time it moved to the Mission City Hall. From the early 1930s until 1947 the city library shared facilities with the school library. By 1960 it outgrew the building it had occupied. In 1976 Juanita Speer Farley donated the deed to her property to the city. A new library, designed by Warren Suter, an architect from Mission, was constructed in 1976 and 1977. The official completion date of the 14000 square foot library was June 1, 1977. An addition in 1988 increased the library's square footage to 18660 square foot. An additional expansion of 30100 square foot, designed by architect TAG International, L.L.P. and constructed by Velasco Construction, was scheduled to be completed in March 2005, and the renovation of the older portions of the library was scheduled to begin afterwards.
Hidalgo County, Texas
Hidalgo County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. Located in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas, Hidalgo County is one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States, and is the seventh most-populous county in Texas. Its population in 2010 was 774,769, a 35% increase from 2000...
, 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...
. The population was 77,058 at the 2010 census Mission is part of the McAllen–Edinburg–Mission and Reynosa–McAllen
Reynosa–McAllen Metropolitan Area
Reynosa–McAllen, also known as McAllen–Reynosa, or simply as Borderplex, is one of the six bi-national metropolitan areas along the Mexico–U.S border. The city of Reynosa is situated on the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, on the southern bank of the Rio Grande, while the city of McAllen is located in...
metropolitan areas.
Geography
Mission is located at 26°12′41"N 98°19′17"W (26.211402, -98.321277).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 24.1 square miles (62.4 km²), of which, 24.1 square miles (62.4 km²) of it is land and 0.04% 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 45,408 people, 13,766 households, and 11,384 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 1,881.9 people per square mile (726.6/km²). There were 17,723 housing units at an average density of 734.5 per square mile (283.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 77.63% White, 0.37% African American, 0.38% Native American, 1.63% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 18.64% 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 2.34% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 81.03% of the population.
There were 13,766 households out of which 43.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.8% 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, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.3% were non-families. 15.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.29 and the average family size was 3.68.
In the city the population was spread out with 32.1% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 17.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 91.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,647, and the median income for a family was $33,465. Males had a median income of $25,710 versus $20,718 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 $12,796. About 22.6% of families and 26.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.4% of those under age 18 and 15.6% of those age 65 or over.
The United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
operates in the city of Mission. Local zip codes include 78571, 78572, 78573, and 78574.
Economy
Mission shares the same economic growth that nearby McAllenMcAllen, Texas
McAllen is the largest city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. It is located at the southern tip of Texas in an area known as the Rio Grande Valley and is part of the . Its southern boundary is located about five miles from the U.S.–Mexico border and the Mexican city of Reynosa, the Rio...
enjoys. The Mission Economic Development Authority promotes development in the area.
The city has been advertised as the "Home of the Ruby Red Grapefruit
Grapefruit
The grapefruit , is a subtropical citrus tree known for its sour fruit, an 18th-century hybrid first bred in Barbados. When found, it was named the "forbidden fruit"; it has also been misidentified with the pomelo or shaddock , one of the parents of this hybrid, the other being sweet orange The...
" since 1921, due to the fruit being commonly grown in the area.; the city is also home to the Texas Citrus Exchange.
The city holds an annual parade along Conway Avenue called the Texas Citrus Fiesta Parade, which features fruit-decorated floats, bands, law enforcement agencies, and fire departments, and many local and city government officials.
Moore Air Force Base
Moore Air Force Base
Moore Air Base is an inactive United States Air Force facility located fourteen miles northwest of Mission, Texas. It was inactivated on 1 February 1961...
(deactivated) is located 14 miles northwest of the city. It is the location of the First Lift Station
First Lift Station
Dedicated as a Texas Historic Landmark by the Texas Historical Commission in 1985, the First Lift Station in Mission, Texas once provided water for irrigating the crops of the early Rio Grande Valley. In 1907 John J. Conway and James W. Hoit began the Mission Canal Co. Irrigation system, which was...
of the Mission Canal Company that once irrigated 15000 acres (60.7 km²) of farmland in the Rio Grande Valley
Rio Grande Valley
The Rio Grande Valley or the Lower Rio Grande Valley, informally called The Valley, is an area located in the southernmost tip of South Texas...
.
Notable natives and residents
- Lloyd BentsenLloyd BentsenLloyd Millard Bentsen, Jr. was a four-term United States senator from Texas and the Democratic Party nominee for Vice President in 1988 on the Michael Dukakis ticket. He also served in the House of Representatives from 1949 to 1955. In his later political life, he was Chairman of the Senate...
, former U.S. Senator and vice-presidential nominee, born in Mission in 1921 - William Jennings BryanWilliam Jennings BryanWilliam Jennings Bryan was an American politician in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. He was a dominant force in the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, standing three times as its candidate for President of the United States...
, presidential candidate and former Secretary of State, lived for a time in Mission - William S. BurroughsWilliam S. BurroughsWilliam Seward Burroughs II was an American novelist, poet, essayist and spoken word performer. A primary figure of the Beat Generation and a major postmodernist author, he is considered to be "one of the most politically trenchant, culturally influential, and innovative artists of the 20th...
, writer of Naked Lunch, lived in Mission for a short while, before going to Mexico for cheap morphineMorphineMorphine is a potent opiate analgesic medication and is considered to be the prototypical opioid. It was first isolated in 1804 by Friedrich Sertürner, first distributed by same in 1817, and first commercially sold by Merck in 1827, which at the time was a single small chemists' shop. It was more...
. He wrote about it in JunkieJunkie (novel)Junkie is a 1953 semi-autobiographical novel by William S. Burroughs. It was his first published novel and has come to be considered a seminal text on the lifestyle of heroin addicts in the early 1950s. Burroughs' working title was Junk.-Inspiration:The novel was considered unpublishable more than... - Jaime GarciaJaime GarcíaJaime García Cruz was a Spanish horse rider who competed in the 1948 Summer Olympics and in the 1952 Summer Olympics....
, professional MLB player from Shayland High School playing with 2011 World Series Champions, St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to... - Jorge CantuJorge CantúJorge Luís Cantú Guzmán is an American professional baseball first baseman.Cantú bats and throws right-handed. He was born in McAllen, Texas, went to Sharyland High School, but was raised and makes his home in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico.-Tampa Bay Devil Rays:Cantú was spotted by a scout while...
, professional MLB player from Sharyland High SchoolSharyland High SchoolSharyland High School is a high school in Mission, Texas, United States. The school, which is classified as "5A" by the UIL, is a part of the Sharyland Independent School District....
and played for Tampa Bay RaysTampa Bay RaysThe Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
, Cincinnati RedsCincinnati RedsThe Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
, Florida MarlinsFlorida MarlinsThe Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
, Texas RangersTexas Rangers (baseball)The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
, San Diego PadresSan Diego PadresThe San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
, and now playing for Colorado RockiesColorado RockiesThe Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains... - Kika de la GarzaKika de la GarzaEligio “Kika” de la Garza, II was the Democratic representative for the 15th congressional district of Texas from January 3, 1965, to January 3, 1997....
, former U.S. representative - Koy DetmerKoy DetmerKoy Dennis Detmer is a retired American football quarterback. He was originally drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the seventh round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He played college football at Colorado. He is the younger brother of former NFL quarterback Ty Detmer, and son of coach Sonny...
, brother of Heisman Trophy winner Ty DetmerTy DetmerTy Hubert Detmer is a former National Football League and NCAA quarterback. He starred at Brigham Young University, where he set many records and won the Heisman Trophy in 1990...
, played for and carried the Mission Eagles football team to the Semi-finals in Texas 5A football under the leadership of his father, Sonny Detmer - Lena GuerreroLena GuerreroLena Guerrero Aguirre, known as Lena Guerrero , was the first woman and the first person of ethnic minority background to have served on the Texas Railroad Commission, an elected body which currently regulates the oil and natural gas industry. In 1992, her once promising political career ended over...
(1957–2008), the first woman and first ethnic minority person to serve on the regulatory Texas Railroad Commission - Tom LandryTom LandryThomas Wade "Tom" Landry was an American football player and coach. He is ranked as one of the greatest and most innovative coaches in National Football League history, creating many new formations and methods...
, former coach of the Dallas CowboysDallas CowboysThe Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
, born and raised, played for Mission High School - Tito SantanaTito SantanaMerced Solis better known by his ring name Tito Santana, is an American professional wrestler whose heyday spanned from the late 1970s to the early 1990s, though he continues to appear on the independent circuit. He is best known from his time in the World Wrestling Federation...
(aka Merced Solis), former World Wrestling Federation (now WWE) star - Trinidad SilvaTrinidad SilvaTrinidad Silva, Jr. was an American actor who played small supporting roles in a number of films of the 1980s. His television work includes the role of Jesus Martinez on the television series Hill Street Blues....
, actor
Primary and secondary schools
Most of Mission is a part of the Mission Consolidated Independent School DistrictMission Consolidated Independent School District
Mission Consolidated Independent School District is a public school district based in Mission, Texas , in the lower Rio Grande Valley.In addition to Mission, the district serves most of Alton, part of Palmhurst, and the unincorporated community of Alton North.In 2009, the school district was rated...
. Other portions extend into the La Joya Independent School District
La Joya Independent School District
La Joya Independent School District is a school district headquartered in La Joya, Texas, United States.The La Joya Independent School District, located in the western portion of Hidalgo County, Texas consist of more than stretching west of Mission to Sullivan City, including the smaller...
and the Sharyland Independent School District
Sharyland Independent School District
Sharyland Independent School District is a public school district based in Mission, Texas .The district serves parts of Mission, Palmhurst, McAllen, and Alton as well as the unincorporated community of West Sharyland....
. In addition, South Texas Independent School District
South Texas Independent School District
South Texas Independent School District is a public school district headquartered in Mercedes, Texas . STISD operates magnet schools that draw students from three counties: Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy...
operates magnet schools that serve the community.
Mission is also the site of San Juan Diego Academy, a Catholic high school operated by the Catholic Diocese of Brownsville. Courses will begin in the fall 2011.
Public libraries
The Speer Memorial Library serves Mission. The facility has 48760 square foot of space.The library originated in March 1914, when the Civic League of Mission was formed to maintain a park and form a library. The first library board included officers from the civic league. In 1929 the City of Mission passed an ordinance making the library a part of the city government. In 1930 the library was in a room in the First National Bank. At a later time it moved to the Mission City Hall. From the early 1930s until 1947 the city library shared facilities with the school library. By 1960 it outgrew the building it had occupied. In 1976 Juanita Speer Farley donated the deed to her property to the city. A new library, designed by Warren Suter, an architect from Mission, was constructed in 1976 and 1977. The official completion date of the 14000 square foot library was June 1, 1977. An addition in 1988 increased the library's square footage to 18660 square foot. An additional expansion of 30100 square foot, designed by architect TAG International, L.L.P. and constructed by Velasco Construction, was scheduled to be completed in March 2005, and the renovation of the older portions of the library was scheduled to begin afterwards.
Radio stations
- KCASKCASKCAS is a non-commercial educational radio station licensed to serve McCook, Texas. McCook is a "dispersed rural community" about 20 miles northwest of the county seat, Edinburg, in Hidalgo County, Texas...
The New KCAS 91.5 FM - Renewing the Mind Official Site - KFRQ 94.5FM
- KKPS 99.5FM
- KNVO 101.1FM
- KVLY 107.9FM
- KVMV 96.9FM