Rockett, Texas
Encyclopedia
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Ellis County
Ellis County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 111,360 people, 37,020 households, and 29,653 families residing in the county. The population density was 118 people per square mile . There were 39,071 housing units at an average density of 42 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...
. It is located on FM 813, approximately five miles northeast of Waxahachie
Waxahachie, Texas
Waxahachie is a city in Ellis County, Texas, United States, and a southern suburb of Dallas. The population was 21,426 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Ellis County....
.
History
Rockett was settled in 1846, making it one of the oldest settlements in Ellis County. MissourianMissouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
Hans Smith and his family were among the first settlers in the area. They chose a site along Red Oak Creek, southeast of the present-day community. Other families followed.
Originally known as Liberty, the name was changed to Rockett in 1852 after local store owner John Rockett, who placed the first cotton gin in the area. The community continued to grow and a post office opened in 1894. It remained in operation until January 2, 1907. By 1933, Rockett had an estimated population of 150 and two businesses.
As of 2000, there were approximately 124 people living in the community. In recent years, the building of several new subdivisions has brought more residents to the area. Despite its rural surroundings, Rockett (and all of Ellis County) is considered part of the Dallas
Dallas, 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...
–Arlington
Arlington, Texas
Arlington is a city in Tarrant County, Texas within the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. According to the 2010 census results, the city had a population of 365,438, making it the third largest municipality in the Metroplex...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex
The Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Metropolitan Statistical Area, a title designated by the U.S. Census as of 2003, encompasses 12 counties within the U.S. state of Texas. The area is divided into two metropolitan divisions: Dallas–Plano–Irving and Fort Worth–Arlington. Residents of the area...
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Rockett SUD
Dallas County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,218,899 people, 807,621 households, and 533,837 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,523 people per square mile . There were 854,119 housing units at an average density of 971/sq mi...
. There are approximately 11,000 residents living in its service area.
It was established on January 29, 1965 as the Rockett Water Supply Corporation. The name was changed to the Rockett Special Utility District on November 21, 1989.
Education
Being a dispersed, unincorporated community with no defined boundaries, portions of the Rockett area lie within three different Independent School Districts (ISDs). They are the Red Oak Independent School DistrictRed Oak Independent School District
The Red Oak Independent School District is a school district in northern Ellis County, Texas .The district serves the communities of Pecan Hill and Red Oak, along with portions of Glenn Heights, Oak Leaf, Ovilla, and Waxahachie....
, Ferris Independent School District
Ferris Independent School District
Ferris Independent School District is a public school district based in Ferris, Texas .In addition to Ferris, the district serves the community of Trumbull and rural areas in northeastern Ellis County...
, and the Palmer Independent School District
Palmer Independent School District
Palmer Independent School District is a public school district based in Palmer, Texas .In 2009, the school district was rated "academically acceptable" by the Texas Education Agency....
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Cemeteries
There are four cemeteries that were established in Rockett during its early years. Those still in existence today include Andrews Cemetery, Graves Cemetery, Smith Cemetery, and Bells Chapel Cemetery (where many of the Rockett family are buried) – presently located within the city limits of Pecan HillPecan Hill, Texas
Pecan Hill is a city in Ellis County, Texas, United States. The population was 672 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Pecan Hill is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land....
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