Muenster, Texas
Encyclopedia
Muenster is a city in Cooke County
, Texas
, United States
, along U.S. Route 82
. The population was 1,556 at the 2000 census.
constructed a line from Gainesville
to Henrietta
that passed through the site that would become Muenster. The town was subsequently founded in 1889 by German
Catholic
settlers Carl and Emil Flusche, who invited other German Catholics to join them. The town was originally to be called Westphalia
, but since the name Westphalia, Texas
was already taken, Muenster was selected instead in honor of Münster
, the capital of Westphalia, but these cities are not sister-cities.
Many residents still spoke German
in day-to-day life up until the First World War, after which the language was no longer taught in the schools and steadily declined in use.
With more than 90% of the population German Catholic, the town did manage to preserve many German customs, and still produces traditional foods at the local meat market and bäckerei. There is an annual festival in April, Germanfest, which includes lots of beer, BBQ, German food, music, and bike and footraces. A Christkindlmarkt is also held each year on Thanksgiving
weekend.
Catholicism was so important to the early colonists that they built a school before a church was ever established. That school, Sacred Heart Catholic School still exists today (one of only four high schools in the Fort Worth Diocese), along with the public Muenster Independent School District
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²), of which, 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²) of it is land and 0.77% is water.
of 2000, there were 1,556 people, 588 households, and 401 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,209.3 people per square mile (465.7/km2). There were 628 housing units at an average density of 488.1 per square mile (188.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.62% White, 0.13% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 0.71% from other races
, and 1.03% from two or more races. 2.19% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 588 households out of which 35.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.1% were married couples
living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.8% were non-families. 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.20.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.5% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 19.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 88.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $39,125, and the median income for a family was $48,000. Males had a median income of $29,688 versus $22,697 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $20,638. About 4.3% of families and 5.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.7% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
Cooke County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 36,363 people, 13,643 households, and 10,000 families residing in the county. The population density was 42 people per square mile . There were 15,061 housing units at an average density of 17 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...
, along U.S. Route 82
U.S. Route 82
U.S. Route 82 is an east–west United States highway in the southern United States. What started as a 1932 addition to the system across central Mississippi and southern Arkansas eventually became a 1,609 mile route extending from the White Sands of New Mexico to Georgia's Atlantic coast.The...
. The population was 1,556 at the 2000 census.
History
In 1887 the Missouri-Kansas-Texas RailroadMissouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad
The Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad was incorporated May 23, 1870. In its earliest days the MKT was commonly referred to as "the K-T", which was its stock exchange symbol; this common designation soon evolved into "the Katy"....
constructed a line from Gainesville
Gainesville, Texas
Gainesville is a city in and the county seat of Cooke County, Texas, United States. The population was 15,538 at the 2000 census.-History:...
to Henrietta
Henrietta, Texas
Henrietta is a city in and the county seat of Clay County, Texas, United States. It is part of the Wichita Falls, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,264 at the 2000 census.-History:...
that passed through the site that would become Muenster. The town was subsequently founded in 1889 by German
Germany
Germany , 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...
Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
settlers Carl and Emil Flusche, who invited other German Catholics to join them. The town was originally to be called Westphalia
Westphalia
Westphalia is a region in Germany, centred on the cities of Arnsberg, Bielefeld, Dortmund, Minden and Münster.Westphalia is roughly the region between the rivers Rhine and Weser, located north and south of the Ruhr River. No exact definition of borders can be given, because the name "Westphalia"...
, but since the name Westphalia, Texas
Westphalia, Texas
Westphalia is a small unincorporated German community in Falls County, Texas, United States located 35 miles south of Waco on state highway 320. Westphalia has a strong Catholic background. The Church of the Visitation was, until recently, the largest wooden church west of the Mississippi River...
was already taken, Muenster was selected instead in honor of Münster
Münster
Münster is an independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also capital of the local government region Münsterland...
, the capital of Westphalia, but these cities are not sister-cities.
Many residents still spoke German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
in day-to-day life up until the First World War, after which the language was no longer taught in the schools and steadily declined in use.
With more than 90% of the population German Catholic, the town did manage to preserve many German customs, and still produces traditional foods at the local meat market and bäckerei. There is an annual festival in April, Germanfest, which includes lots of beer, BBQ, German food, music, and bike and footraces. A Christkindlmarkt is also held each year on Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving (United States)
Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day, is a holiday celebrated in the United States on the fourth Thursday in November. It has officially been an annual tradition since 1863, when, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving to be celebrated on Thursday,...
weekend.
Catholicism was so important to the early colonists that they built a school before a church was ever established. That school, Sacred Heart Catholic School still exists today (one of only four high schools in the Fort Worth Diocese), along with the public Muenster Independent School District
Muenster Independent School District
Muenster Independent School District is a public school district based in Muenster, Texas .In 2009, the school district was rated "recognized" by the Texas Education Agency.-Schools:...
.
Geography
Muenster is located at 33.650937°N 97.375659°W.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 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²), of which, 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²) of it is land and 0.77% 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 1,556 people, 588 households, and 401 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 1,209.3 people per square mile (465.7/km2). There were 628 housing units at an average density of 488.1 per square mile (188.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.62% White, 0.13% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 0.71% 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 1.03% from two or more races. 2.19% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 588 households out of which 35.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.1% 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, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.8% were non-families. 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.20.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.5% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 19.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 88.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $39,125, and the median income for a family was $48,000. Males had a median income of $29,688 versus $22,697 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 $20,638. About 4.3% of families and 5.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.7% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.