Pleasanton, Texas
Encyclopedia
Pleasanton is a city in Atascosa County, Texas
, United States
. The population was 8,266 at the 2000 census. Pleasanton's official motto is "The City of Live Oaks and Friendly Folks." It is part of the San Antonio-New Braunfels Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Pleasanton honors its cowboy
heritage with the "Mr. Cowboy" sculpture in front of City Hall and across from the giant oak tree downtown. The roots of the cattle kingdom can be traced to Atascosa County in the 1860s
, which calls itself "the birthplace of the cowboys." The sculpture is a gift of Ben and Mona Parker. The Longhorn Museum in east Pleasanton on Texas State Highway 97 contains artifacts and memorabilia of the cowboy years. The Cowboy Homecoming, begun in 1966, is an annual event held at the Atascosa River Park in Pleasanton.
caused the settlers to move the location of the county seat from Amphion
. The settlers chose the current town site because of its location at the mouth of Bonita Creek. John Bowen (d.1867), San Antonio's first Anglo-American postmaster, founded and named the town of Pleasanton after his good friend and fellow early Texas Settler John Pleasants.
At one time Pleasanton had two newspapers, the Pleasanton Picayune, which became the Pleasanton Express in 1909, and the Pleasanton Reporter. The county seat was moved from Pleasanton to Jourdanton
in 1910. Pleasanton was incorporated in 1917.
In November 1957, the citizens of Pleasanton voted overwhelmingly to desegregate the public schools. This came some two months after the chaos at Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas
. Some three dozen African American
pupils were integrated into the Pleasanton school.
, 110 miles south-southwest of Austin
, and 110 miles north by north-northwest of Corpus Christi
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 6.4 square miles (16.6 km²), all of it land. The average elevation of Pleasanton is 374 feet above sea level.
The annual temperature of Pleasanton is 70 degrees F. The mean temperature on January 1 is 50 degrees F. and on June 1 is 78 degrees F. Average annual precipitation is 26.1 inches.
Most soils of Pleasanton are quite sandy at the surface but have a clay-rich subsoil which holds moisture. They belong to the Alfisol soil order. Common soil series in town are Nusil, Poth and Rhymes.
of 2000, there were 8,266 people, 2,941 households, and 2,135 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,293.5 people per square mile (499.5/km²). There were 3,212 housing units at an average density of 502.6 per square mile (194.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 79.13% White, 0.98% African American, 0.97% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.17% Pacific Islander, 15.34% from other races
, and 2.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 51.15% of the population.
There were 2,941 households out of which 39.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.8% were married couples
living together, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.4% were non-families. 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.28.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.4% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 90.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,644, and the median income for a family was $34,718. Males had a median income of $28,849 versus $20,144 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $14,878. About 16.8% of families and 22.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.9% of those under age 18 and 21.8% of those age 65 or over.
The Sugarland Express
was filmed around the intersection of 2nd Street and Commerce Street. Every year, Pleasanton hosts the "Hottest Festival in Texas," Cowboy Homecoming, which takes place during the third weekend in August.
.
A small portion of Pleasanton is in the Jourdanton Independent School District
.
Coastal Bend College
of Beeville
maintains a branch two-year campus in Pleasanton.
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 8,266 at the 2000 census. Pleasanton's official motto is "The City of Live Oaks and Friendly Folks." It is part of the San Antonio-New Braunfels Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Pleasanton honors its cowboy
Cowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
heritage with the "Mr. Cowboy" sculpture in front of City Hall and across from the giant oak tree downtown. The roots of the cattle kingdom can be traced to Atascosa County in the 1860s
1860s
The 1860s were an extremely turbulent decade with numerous cultural, social, and political upheavals in Europe and America. Revolutions were prevalent in Germany and the Ottoman Empire...
, which calls itself "the birthplace of the cowboys." The sculpture is a gift of Ben and Mona Parker. The Longhorn Museum in east Pleasanton on Texas State Highway 97 contains artifacts and memorabilia of the cowboy years. The Cowboy Homecoming, begun in 1966, is an annual event held at the Atascosa River Park in Pleasanton.
History
Pleasanton was established in 1858 when conflicts with the IndiansNative Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
caused the settlers to move the location of the county seat from Amphion
Amphion, Texas
Amphion is an unincorporated community fourteen kilometres northwest of Pleasanton in west central Atascosa County. The origin of the name is not known....
. The settlers chose the current town site because of its location at the mouth of Bonita Creek. John Bowen (d.1867), San Antonio's first Anglo-American postmaster, founded and named the town of Pleasanton after his good friend and fellow early Texas Settler John Pleasants.
At one time Pleasanton had two newspapers, the Pleasanton Picayune, which became the Pleasanton Express in 1909, and the Pleasanton Reporter. The county seat was moved from Pleasanton to Jourdanton
Jourdanton, Texas
Jourdanton is a city in and the county seat of Atascosa County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,732 at the 2000 census. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
in 1910. Pleasanton was incorporated in 1917.
In November 1957, the citizens of Pleasanton voted overwhelmingly to desegregate the public schools. This came some two months after the chaos at Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
. Some three dozen African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
pupils were integrated into the Pleasanton school.
Geography and climate
Pleasanton is located at 28°58′1"N 98°29′6"W (28.966953, -98.484937), about 35 miles south of San AntonioSan Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
, 110 miles south-southwest of Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, and 110 miles north by north-northwest of Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. The MSA population in 2008 was 416,376. The population was 305,215 at the 2010 census making it the...
.
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 6.4 square miles (16.6 km²), all of it land. The average elevation of Pleasanton is 374 feet above sea level.
The annual temperature of Pleasanton is 70 degrees F. The mean temperature on January 1 is 50 degrees F. and on June 1 is 78 degrees F. Average annual precipitation is 26.1 inches.
Most soils of Pleasanton are quite sandy at the surface but have a clay-rich subsoil which holds moisture. They belong to the Alfisol soil order. Common soil series in town are Nusil, Poth and Rhymes.
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 8,266 people, 2,941 households, and 2,135 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 1,293.5 people per square mile (499.5/km²). There were 3,212 housing units at an average density of 502.6 per square mile (194.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 79.13% White, 0.98% African American, 0.97% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.17% Pacific Islander, 15.34% 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 2.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 51.15% of the population.
There were 2,941 households out of which 39.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.8% 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, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.4% were non-families. 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.28.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.4% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 90.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,644, and the median income for a family was $34,718. Males had a median income of $28,849 versus $20,144 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 $14,878. About 16.8% of families and 22.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.9% of those under age 18 and 21.8% of those age 65 or over.
Culture
Part of the filmFilm
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
The Sugarland Express
The Sugarland Express
The Sugarland Express is a 1974 American drama film starring Goldie Hawn, Ben Johnson, William Atherton, and Michael Sacks. It was directed by Steven Spielberg, his first film to be intended as a theatrical release .It is about a husband and wife trying to outrun the law and was based on a...
was filmed around the intersection of 2nd Street and Commerce Street. Every year, Pleasanton hosts the "Hottest Festival in Texas," Cowboy Homecoming, which takes place during the third weekend in August.
Education
Almost all of Pleasanton is located within the Pleasanton Independent School DistrictPleasanton Independent School District
Pleasanton Independent School District is a public school district based in Pleasanton, Texas .In 2009, the school district was rated "academically acceptable" by the Texas Education Agency.-Schools:*Pleasanton High...
.
A small portion of Pleasanton is in the Jourdanton Independent School District
Jourdanton Independent School District
Jourdanton Independent School District is a public school district based in Jourdanton, Texas .In 2009, the school district was rated "academically acceptable" by the Texas Education Agency.-Schools:*Jourdanton High...
.
Coastal Bend College
Coastal Bend College
Coastal Bend College is a community college which has its main campus in Beeville, Texas, and which operates branch campuses in Alice, Kingsville, and Pleasanton, Texas....
of Beeville
Beeville, Texas
Beeville is a city in Bee County, Texas, United States. The population was 13,129 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Bee County...
maintains a branch two-year campus in Pleasanton.
Notable residents
- Country music legend George StraitGeorge StraitGeorge Harvey Strait is an American country music singer, actor, and music producer. Strait is referred to as the "King of Country," and critics call Strait a living legend. He is known for his unique style of western swing music, bar-room ballads, honky-tonk style, and fresh yet traditional...
was born in PoteetPoteet, TexasPoteet is a city in Atascosa County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,305 as of the 2000 census. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was named for its first postmaster, Francis Marion Poteet....
outside Pleasanton and spent most of his youth in Pearsall. - Willie NelsonWillie NelsonWillie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
was a radio DJ in Pleasanton at one time.