Round Rock, Texas
Encyclopedia
Round Rock is a city in Travis
and Williamson
counties in the U.S. state
of Texas
. It is part of the metropolitan area. The 2010 census places the population at 99,887.
The city straddles both sides of the Balcones Escarpment, a fault line in which the areas roughly east of IH-35 are flat and characterized by having black, fertile soils of the Blackland Prairie
, and the west side of the Escarpment which consists mostly of hilly, karst-like
terrain with little topsoil and higher elevations and which is part of the Texas Hill Country
. Located about 20 miles (32.2 km) north of downtown Austin, Round Rock shares a common border with Austin at SH 45.
In August 2008, Money
magazine named Round Rock as the seventh-best American small city in which to live. Round Rock was the only Texas city to make the Top 10. In a CNN article dated July 1, 2009, Round Rock was listed as the second-fastest growing city in the country, with a population growth of 8.2% in the preceding year.
Round Rock has a strong public education system. According to the 2008 ratings from the Texas Education Agency, the Round Rock Independent School District
(RRISD) ranks among the best in the state. Of 42 schools within it, twelve were rated exemplary and eleven are recognized. No RRISD school received an academically unacceptable rating.
Round Rock is perhaps best known as the international headquarters of Dell
, which employs approximately 16,000 people at its Round Rock facilities. The presence of Dell along with other major employers, a strong economic development program, favorable tax rates, and major retailers such as IKEA
and a Premium Outlet Mall, and the mixed use La Frontera
center, have changed Round Rock from a sleepy bedroom community into its own self-contained "super suburb."
Round Rock and Williamson County have been the site of human habitation since at least 9,200 BC. The earliest known inhabitants of the area lived during the late Pleistocene
(Ice Age), and are linked to the Clovis culture
around 9,200 BC (11,200 years old) based on evidence found at the much-studied Gault Site, midway between Georgetown and Fort Hood. One of the most important discoveries in recent times is that of the ancient skeletal remains dubbed "The Leanderthal Lady" because of its age and proximity to Leander, Texas
. The site is 4 miles (6 km) west of Round Rock and was discovered by accident by Texas Department of Transportation
workers while drilling core samples for a new highway. The site has been extensively studied for many years and samples carbon date to this particular Pleistocene
period at approximately 10,500 years ago (8,500 BC). Prehistoric and Archaic Period "open occupation" campsites are also found throughout the county along streams and other water sources including Brushy Creek in Round Rock and the San Gabriel River in Georgetown, ten miles (16 km) north. These archeology dig sites show a much greater volume of evidence of Archaic Period inhabitants based on relics and flint tools recovered from burned rock midden
s.
The earliest known "historical" Native American occupants, the Tonkawa
, were a flint-working, hunting people who followed the buffalo on foot and periodically set fire to the prairie to aid them in their hunts. During the 18th century they made the transition to a horse culture and used firearms to a limited extent. There also appear to have been small numbers of Kiowa
, Yojuane, Tawakoni, and Mayeye Indians living in the county at the time of the earliest Anglo settlements. After they were crowded out by white settlement, the Comanches continued to raid settlements in the county until the 1860s. In the late 19th century, Native Americans were being push out of Central Texas.
As the area developed into a rural Anglo community, some of the new paved roads actually followed the original Indian pathways. One famous immigration route passed through Round Rock and is called the "Double File Trail" because the path was wide enough for two horsemen to ride side-by-side. It is part of a longer trail from north Texas that crossed the San Gabriel River in Georgetown, Brushy Creek in Round Rock, and the Colorado River in Austin. An elementary school in the Round Rock school district is named for the trail, Double File Trail Elementary School.
In 1851, a small community was formed on the banks of Brushy Creek, near a large round and anvil-shaped rock located in the middle of the creek. This round rock marked a convenient low-water crossing for wagons, horses, and cattle. The first postmaster called the community "Brushy," and the creek was called "Brushy Creek"
. But in 1854, at the suggestion of the postmaster, the small settlement was renamed Round Rock in honor of this now famous rock. After the Civil War, Jesse Chisholm
began moving cattle from South Texas through Round Rock on the way to Abilene, Kansas
. The route he established, which crossed Brushy Creek at the round rock, became known as the Chisholm Trail
. Most of the old buildings, including the old Saint Charles Hotel, have been preserved. This historic area is now called "Old Town."
, by the Texas Ranger Division on July 19, 1878. The Rangers followed Bass and his gang after they robbed the Fort Worth-to-Cleburn train. Bass was tracked to Round Rock and as he attempted to flee, Bass was shot and killed in a gun battle by Ranger George Herold and Ranger sergeant Richard Ware. Near Ware was Soapy Smith
, a noted con man, and his cousin Edwin, who witnessed Ware's shot. Soapy exclaimed, "I think you got him." The event is known locally as the "Sam Bass Shootout." This shootout is re-created each year at the July 4 'Frontier Days' Celebration in Old Settlers Park. Bass is buried in Round Rock Cemetery, located northwest of "Old Town" on Sam Bass Road. His original headstone can be found on display at the Round Rock Public Library.
In the first half of the 20th century the county's wealth came from the cotton fields. Cotton
, row-crops, grapes, and truck farming were the predominat subsistence east of Interstate 35
. West of the Balcones divide ranchers raised cattle, sheep and to a lesser extent goats. Due to Round Rock's favorable geographic location over the rich, fertile "blackland prairie
" soils also known locally as the "black waxy" (due to the soil's high clay content), cotton was the largest economic driver at that time. Because of the soil and climate, this eco-region is ideally suited to crop agriculture. Nearby Taylor, Texas
, east of Round Rock, was the primary cotton center where the crop was hauled for ginning
(its seeds mechanically removed) at the cotton gin
, compressed into bales, and shipped by train. Austin was also a cotton center for a time once the railroad arrived there in the 1870s. Cotton production and cattle raising, on a much smaller scale, continues today although primarily east of Round Rock.
a group of Confederate veterans held a reunion in Georgetown
on August 27, 1904, for the old settlers of Williamson County
and their descendants. The invitation promised "good music, plenty to eat, and above all a warm welcome." The event was well-attended, and reunions — now called Old Settlers Association (OSA) reunions — have been held annually ever since. After the initial one, the event was moved to Round Rock and eventually a structure was built (along with three restored log cabins) in the Palm Valley area of Round Rock, in front of Old Settlers Park, just off Highway 79 in east Round Rock. All members of the organization are descendants of Williamson County residents prior to 1904. OSA has approximately 50 active members and 300 members total. The Old Settlers Association today is a social and educational group, with the purpose of facilitating social activities, as well as collecting and preserving important historical information and facts. The facilities are rented for meetings, arts and craft and collectable shows, events, parties, weddings and rehearsal dinners.
was the economic powerhouse in the county due to it being the center of cotton production and shipping and had a large population. So it was expected, then, that the proposed Interstate 35
, part of the new Interstate Highway System
would pass through Taylor on its way from Dallas
to Austin
. In fact, the original routing plans drawn by Highway Commioner DeWitt Greer
called for the "interregional" highway to go through Taylor. Some of the citizens and leadership of Taylor lobbied against the Taylor route citing multiple concerns ranging from the loss of farmland, to unwanted right of way (ROW) acquisition — it was proposed to be an astounding 300 feet (91.4 m) wide, unheard of before this time—the possibility of cutting farmers off from their fields or having their fields be located on opposite sides of the road, traffic noise, and loss of country life. No one even knew what an "Interregional Highway" would look like. Instead they wanted improvements to the farm-to-market roads and a straight route to Austin.
Meanwhile, Round Rock leaders wanted the highway to come their way as they were focused on the potential economic development opportunities it would bring. At that time no one had ever seen such a road as an "Interstate" (unless they had traveled to Germany to see the Autobahn or Connecticut), but then-Mayor Louis Henna lobbied hard at the Highway Commission for the Round Rock route. In June 1956, the fifteen-year debate over the form, funding and route of the Interstate was resolved. Due to the heavy lobbying effort, and not wanting to antagonize Taylor, the route was eventually changed and the highway was built along the edge of the Balcones Fault line
running through Round Rock. The precise route was not without opposition, however, as the final route cut off "Old Town" to the west from what had become the more recent "downtown" area east of Interstate 35
. The Interstate eventually made Round Rock into a viable and vibrant commercial center. Due to the Interstate and the reduction in the importance of cotton as a primary crop, Taylor is today a minor, modest town with a smaller population, while Round Rock has thrived and rapidly grown into the largest city in the county, attracting companies like Dell Computer
and major retail centers. The transformation of Round Rock is detailed in a book by Linda Scarborough (publisher of the Williamson County Sun newspaper) titled Road, River and Ol' Boy Politics: A Texas County's Path from Farm to Supersuburb published by Texas State Historical Press.
became a major focus of the City and the Chamber of Commerce
. Dell Corp (later re-named Dell
) moved its headquarters to Round Rock and provided significant jobs with 16,000 employees, at its Round Rock headquarters, as well as other major employers allowing many residents to work in the community where they live. (See also the Business and economic development section in this article.)
, and 10 miles (16 km) south of Georgetown
. Its elevation is 709 ft (216.1 m).
According to the US Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 26.3 square miles (68.0 km2), of which 26.1 square miles (67.7 km2) are land and 0.1 square mile (0.3 km2) (0.50%) is water.
, and 3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race made up 25% of its population. According to a 2009 estimate by the U.S Census Bureau, the median income for a household was $69,892, and the median income for a family was $79,417.
There were 21,076 households out of which 47.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.5% were married couples
living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.4% were non-families. 18.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 3.29.
In the city the age distribution of the population shows 31.9% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 38.8% from 25 to 44, 16.3% from 45 to 64, and 4.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 99.1 males. For every 100 women age 18 and over, there were 96.3 men.
, consisting of five members. The county judge presides as chairman over the court, and is elected every four years by all voters in the county. Four commissioners are elected by single-member precincts every four years. While the majority of Round Rock is within Precinct 1, all four precincts include some portions of the City. (See Williamson County, Texas
article for more detail.)
s, commonly called a "MUD", play a significant role in Round Rock. Easch is a special-purpose district that provides public utilities such as water, wastewater
, storm water, and sometimes roads, parks, solid waste and other infrastructure and services to the residents of that district. MUD's are typically formed by a residential developer as a means to install utilities and roads to a project when a city is not ready or able to provide them. The developer gets reimbused over time from the fees levied by the MUD, and at some point the area may be annexed by the City to bring the development into the City's tax base once the basic infrastructure costs are paid off. The MUD is represented by its own board of directors
who are voted on by the residents of the district, and it has the authority to condemn land, add additional land area, and levy fees in lieu of property taxes to maintain the utilities and other facilities.
There are currently ten MUD's in Round Rock: Brushy Creek, Fern Bluff, Highlands at Mayfield Ranch, Meadows at Chandler Creek, Paloma Lake, Parkside at Mayfield Ranch, Siena, Teravista, Vista Oaks, and Walsh Ranch. Total population living within these MUD's is 47,648 (2010 city estimate).
Round Rock's largest district is Brushy Creek Municipal Utility District. Brushy Creek MUD was formed as Williamson County Municipal Utility District No. 2 in October 1977 with 725 acres (2.9 km²) of land. An annexation in 1983 increased the District to 2210 acres (8.9 km²). The district name was changed to Brushy Creek Municipal Utility District on August 1990. The MUD provides a wide range of city-like services including parks and recreation, full utilities, road maintennance and a Home Owner's Association. Services a MUD can offer, however are also limited by law (for example they cannot offer library services).
Another similar but somewhat smaller MUD in Round Rock's is Fern Bluff Municipal Utility District in the Wyoming Springs area of town. Both MUD's play a significant role in local governance and maintenance of basic utilities.
From time to time there have been very contentious elections to the boards and heated debates regarding other MUD issues. Round Rock does not often annex a MUD in order to avoiding having to take on the aging infrastructure replacement and upkeep costs.
Round Rock has more than twenty major employers including: Toppan Photomasks, Sears Customer Care, Ikea
, Round Rock Premium Outlets, KoMiCo Technology Inc., Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corp (TGSL), Cintas
, Dresser
, Hospira
, and TECO-Westinghouse, Cerilliant Corporation
, Emerson Process Management and Dell
.
is a multinational
computer
and information technology
corporation based in Round Rock, which develops, sells and supports computers and related products and services. The company employees about 16,000 people in the Round Rock facilities and about 96,000 people worldwide. Dell was originally based in Austin after its initial formation in 1984 as PC's Limited by UT college student Michael Dell
. With the need for significant space as it expanded, the City of Round Rock in 1996 offered Dell a "Chapter 380" agreement by offering to split sales tax revenue from in-state sales 50/50 between Dell and the City. A "Chapter 380" agreement is named for the chapter in Vernon's Statutes that permits sales tax revenue sharing for economic development
purposes. It was the first time such an agreement had been used in Central Texas
and among the very first in the state. As of 1999, approximately half of the general fund of the City of Round Rock originates from sales taxes generated from the Dell headquarters. Today the company is one of the largest technology companies in the world, listed as number 38 on the Fortune 500
(2010). Fortune
also lists Dell as the #5 most admired company in its industry.
As part of its clean energy program, in 2008 Dell switched the power sources of the Round Rock headquarters to more environmentally friendly ones, with 60% of the total power coming from TXU Energy wind farms and 40% coming from the Austin Community Landfill gas-to-energy plant operated by Waste Management, Inc.
, located at the intersection of Loop 1, SH 45 and IH-35. La Frontera
combines multi-tenant offices, company headquarter facilities, 1000000 square feet (92,903 m²) of retail, and several apartment complexes and other smaller retail and housing centers. The project also includes Williamson County's only major hotel, the Austin North Marriot, which provides space for large conferences, meetings and banquets - a first for the county and an important component of Round Rock's economic efforts. The center is also home to the Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation (TGSL). The retail portion is the second largest outdoor commercial project in the Austin - Round Rock Metro area. La Frontera was developed by Bill Smalling and Don Martin, with Fort Worth
financier Ed Bass as financial partner.
In 2006, a retail-only hub opened in Round Rock at the corner of Interstate 35
and Highway 1431 (now re-named "University Boulevard"): The major retailer center includes the Simon Property Group
's Premium Outlets Mall, across the street is IKEA
as well as numerous other retail stores and restaurants. The project was developed by Simon Property Group
, with other portions by Barshop & Oles of Austin.
In November 2006, the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority
(CTRMA) opened the first segment of the region's first toll road
system. Both State Highway 130 and State Highway 45
toll roads run through portions of Round Rock and provide greatly increased mobility to the city, albeit with strong regional opposition to the high-toll charges to motorists. State Highway 130
runs just south of Austin Bergstrom International Airport at US Highway 183 and connecting to Interstate 35
north of Georgetown
, and passes through the easternmost portion of Round Rock. It provides Round Rock residents with quick access to the Austin airport for about $6 each way. The project, when completed, will end at Interstate 10
just east of Seguin
, about 30 miles (48.3 km) east-northeast of San Antonio
essentially creating a parallel roadway to Interstate 35
.
State Highway 45
is part of an eventual loop that runs east from State Highway 183 in Cedar Park
to 130 at Pflugerville
(east of Round Rock) where it merges with the SH 130 toll road, and then intercects with the southern portion of SH 45 near Buda, south of Austin. SH 45 passes through the entire southern portion of Round Rock. Highway 45 provides much faster access between Round Rock and Austin, alleviating what was previously a major bottleneck at Interstate 35
. The project includes a tolled extension to Loop 1 (also known locally as the "Mopac Expressway") and allows direct access from to I-35 to Loop 1 by use of flyover connections rather than ground level intersections. The toll roads also provide access to the Dell
headquarters and its considerable number of employees. Together, both toll roads significantly improve mobility in Round Rock in a positive manner.
Round Rock played a major role in the creation of SH 45 through constant pressure on the Texas Department of Transportation
to make it a priority project, the purchase of right of way, and other assistance at critical early stages. Robert L. "Bob" Bennett, who was Round Rock City Manager at the time, oversaw the project for the city. Bennett, now retired, served as a founding member of CTRMA board of directors as an appointee of Williamson County in 2003. Former Williamson County commissioner (and former Round Rock city councilman) Mike Heiligenstein is the Executive Director of the CTRMA.
, a Texas Education Agency
Recognized School District, is located in southern Williamson County
and northwest Travis County
and includes all the City of Round Rock and portions of the City of Austin
and the City of Cedar Park
.
The area covers 110 square miles (284.9 km²) encompassing high-tech manufacturing and urban retail centers, suburban neighborhoods, and farm and ranch land. "Roughly 45,000 students attend the district's five high schools, ten middle schools, 32 elementary schools, and two alternative learning centers. During the past five years, the number of students has increased by nearly 15%, and enrollment continues to grow by more than 1,200 students per year."
In August 2010 the district opened its fifth high school (Cedar Ridge High School
), a ninth grade center reverted to a middle school and the district's 31st elementary school opened in the Stone Oak subdivision. "The average student-teacher ratio for RRISD is 16. The annual dropout rate for students in grades 7 – 12 is 1.1% and more than 77% of the district's graduating seniors take the SAT and ACT college entrance exams, scoring well above state and national averages." The property tax rates are significantly higher than the national average, and the schools' performance reflects the tax dollars invested.
In the annual report released July 30, 2010 the Round Rock Independent School District
received the highest possible rating ("Exemplary") for twenty five of its schools, the highest number so rated in any of the suburban districts in Central Texas. These schools are: Westwood High School. Canyon Vista, Walsh, and Cedar Valley middle schools. Spicewood, Forest North, Caraway, Brushy Creek, Laurel Mountain, Fern Bluff, Canyon Creek, Great Oaks, Teravista, Cactus Ranch, Sommer, Deep Wood, Robertson, Pond Springs, Live Oak, Old Town, Jollyville, Forest Creek, Blackland Prairie, Union Hill and Gattis elementary schools. In 2010 the school district as a whole was rated "academically recognized
" a significant step above 2009 when the school district was rated "academically acceptable
" by the Texas Education Agency
.
(RRHEC). The concept was envisioned as a way to lure colleges and universities to jointly provide education, training and degree opportunities on a part-time and full-time bases. The RRHEC used various empty facilities around town and many of the initial training programs were targeted to help educate students for work at local companies, such as Dell, which had specialized needs. In 2008, an educational campus and the first RRHEC building—the Avery Building—was opened through the combined efforts of Texas State University-San Marcos, Austin Community College
, and Temple College
in order to provide a broader range of educational opportunities, specialized training, and varying degree programs including post graduate degrees. The campus is in the heart of the emerging Avery Center development which houses Seton Williamson, the A&M Health Science Center and other medical camupuses. By the end of 2009 1,700 students were enrolled in the programs. Texas State University has taken on the lead role in this effort and 100 acres (40.5 ha) of land for the facility and additional buildings was donated by the Avery family of Round Rock, whose family were early settlers on the land surrounding the RRHEC. Construction on the second Texas State cumpus building is underway and construction is nearly complete on this additional classroom building. (See also Round Rock Higher Education Center
)
The city is also home to the new Texas A&M Health Science Center
Round Rock which opened its doors December 2010. The campus is designed to eventually accommodate as many as 72 additional buildings over time as monies are appropriated each bienniem by the Texas Legislature
.
In August 2010 Austin Community College
's largest campus in their system, opened adjacent to the Texas State University center. ACC is currently constructing five buildings with a total of 250000 square feet (23,225.8 m²) to accommodate up to 5,000 students in its first phase. All three campuses are adjacent to each other within the burgeoning Avery Farms development.
The next component of higher education will be the opening of the St. David's School of Nursing at Texas State University, for which construction is already underway. It will be housed within the University's College of Health Professions. Other programs that are offered by the college are health information management, health services research, and physical therapy.
minor league baseball
team Round Rock Express
, owned by RSR Sports (Nolan Ryan, Don Sanders, Reid Ryan) and was founded by Reid Ryan, son of Baseball Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan
. As of August 2010 Nolan Ryan is also the new owner of the major league Texas Rangers ball club. Home games for the Round Rock Express are played at the Dell Diamond
, a facility that is owned by the City of Round Rock and leased long-term to RSR Sports who run and maintain the facility.
Round Rock opened a free public skate park in 2007 behind the Clay Madsen Recreation Center on Gattis School Road.
Round Rock is the self-proclaimed "Sports Capital of Texas." The City's Old Settlers Park offers a professionally designed disc golf course, cricket, twenty-field baseball complex, five-field softball complex, and seven soccer facilities in addition to the Rockin' River Family Aquatic Center.
Travis County, Texas
As of 2009, the U.S. census estimates there were 1,026,158 people, 320,766 households, and 183,798 families residing in the county. The population density was 821 people per square mile . There were 335,881 housing units at an average density of 340 per square mile...
and Williamson
Williamson County, Texas
Williamson County is a county located on both the Edwards Plateau to the west, consisting of rocky terrain and hills, and Blackland Prairies in the east consising of rich, fertile farming land, The two areas are roughly bisected by Interstate 35...
counties in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of 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...
. It is part of the metropolitan area. The 2010 census places the population at 99,887.
The city straddles both sides of the Balcones Escarpment, a fault line in which the areas roughly east of IH-35 are flat and characterized by having black, fertile soils of the Blackland Prairie
Texas blackland prairies
The Texas Blackland Prairies are a temperate grassland ecoregion located in Texas that runs roughly from the Red River in North Texas to San Antonio in the south.-Setting:...
, and the west side of the Escarpment which consists mostly of hilly, karst-like
Karst topography
Karst topography is a geologic formation shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble bedrock, usually carbonate rock such as limestone or dolomite, but has also been documented for weathering resistant rocks like quartzite given the right conditions.Due to subterranean drainage, there...
terrain with little topsoil and higher elevations and which is part of the Texas Hill Country
Texas Hill Country
The Texas Hill Country is a vernacular term applied to a region of Central Texas featuring tall rugged hills consisting of thin layers of soil atop limestone or granite. It also includes the Llano Uplift and the second largest granite monadnock in the United States, Enchanted Rock, which is located...
. Located about 20 miles (32.2 km) north of downtown Austin, Round Rock shares a common border with Austin at SH 45.
In August 2008, Money
Money (magazine)
Money is published by Time Inc. Its first issue was published in October 1972. Its articles cover the gamut of personal finance topics ranging from investing, saving, retirement and taxes to family finance issues like paying for college, credit, career and home improvement...
magazine named Round Rock as the seventh-best American small city in which to live. Round Rock was the only Texas city to make the Top 10. In a CNN article dated July 1, 2009, Round Rock was listed as the second-fastest growing city in the country, with a population growth of 8.2% in the preceding year.
Round Rock has a strong public education system. According to the 2008 ratings from the Texas Education Agency, the Round Rock Independent School District
Round Rock Independent School District
Round Rock Independent School District is a school district headquartered in the city of Round Rock, Texas, United States. As of 2007, the school district served 39,079 students....
(RRISD) ranks among the best in the state. Of 42 schools within it, twelve were rated exemplary and eleven are recognized. No RRISD school received an academically unacceptable rating.
Round Rock is perhaps best known as the international headquarters of Dell
Dell
Dell, Inc. is an American multinational information technology corporation based in 1 Dell Way, Round Rock, Texas, United States, that develops, sells and supports computers and related products and services. Bearing the name of its founder, Michael Dell, the company is one of the largest...
, which employs approximately 16,000 people at its Round Rock facilities. The presence of Dell along with other major employers, a strong economic development program, favorable tax rates, and major retailers such as IKEA
IKEA
IKEA is a privately held, international home products company that designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture such as beds and desks, appliances and home accessories. The company is the world's largest furniture retailer...
and a Premium Outlet Mall, and the mixed use La Frontera
La Frontera (Round Rock, Texas)
La Frontera is Round Rock's largest master-planned, multi-use commercial business-retail-housing center and is located at the northeast corner of SH 45 Toll Road and Interstate 35 in Round Rock, Texas within Williamson County, Texas. La Frontera is also located immediately across Interstate 35...
center, have changed Round Rock from a sleepy bedroom community into its own self-contained "super suburb."
Prehistoric Round Rock
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
(Ice Age), and are linked to the Clovis culture
Clovis culture
The Clovis culture is a prehistoric Paleo-Indian culture that first appears 11,500 RCYBP , at the end of the last glacial period, characterized by the manufacture of "Clovis points" and distinctive bone and ivory tools...
around 9,200 BC (11,200 years old) based on evidence found at the much-studied Gault Site, midway between Georgetown and Fort Hood. One of the most important discoveries in recent times is that of the ancient skeletal remains dubbed "The Leanderthal Lady" because of its age and proximity to Leander, Texas
Leander, Texas
Leander is a city in Williamson and Travis counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 7,596 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau 2008 estimates the population is now 25,424...
. The site is 4 miles (6 km) west of Round Rock and was discovered by accident by Texas Department of Transportation
Texas Department of Transportation
The Texas Department of Transportation is a governmental agency in the U.S. state of Texas. Its stated mission is to "work cooperatively to provide safe, effective and efficient movement of people and goods" throughout the state...
workers while drilling core samples for a new highway. The site has been extensively studied for many years and samples carbon date to this particular Pleistocene
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
period at approximately 10,500 years ago (8,500 BC). Prehistoric and Archaic Period "open occupation" campsites are also found throughout the county along streams and other water sources including Brushy Creek in Round Rock and the San Gabriel River in Georgetown, ten miles (16 km) north. These archeology dig sites show a much greater volume of evidence of Archaic Period inhabitants based on relics and flint tools recovered from burned rock midden
Midden
A midden, is an old dump for domestic waste which may consist of animal bone, human excrement, botanical material, vermin, shells, sherds, lithics , and other artifacts and ecofacts associated with past human occupation...
s.
The earliest known "historical" Native American occupants, the Tonkawa
Tonkawa
The Tickanwa•tic Tribe , better known as the Tonkawa , are a Native American people indigenous to present-day Oklahoma and Texas. They once spoke the now-extinct Tonkawa language believed to have been a language isolate not related to any other indigenous tongues...
, were a flint-working, hunting people who followed the buffalo on foot and periodically set fire to the prairie to aid them in their hunts. During the 18th century they made the transition to a horse culture and used firearms to a limited extent. There also appear to have been small numbers of Kiowa
Kiowa
The Kiowa are a nation of American Indians and indigenous people of the Great Plains. They migrated from the northern plains to the southern plains in the late 17th century. In 1867, the Kiowa moved to a reservation in southwestern Oklahoma...
, Yojuane, Tawakoni, and Mayeye Indians living in the county at the time of the earliest Anglo settlements. After they were crowded out by white settlement, the Comanches continued to raid settlements in the county until the 1860s. In the late 19th century, Native Americans were being push out of Central Texas.
As the area developed into a rural Anglo community, some of the new paved roads actually followed the original Indian pathways. One famous immigration route passed through Round Rock and is called the "Double File Trail" because the path was wide enough for two horsemen to ride side-by-side. It is part of a longer trail from north Texas that crossed the San Gabriel River in Georgetown, Brushy Creek in Round Rock, and the Colorado River in Austin. An elementary school in the Round Rock school district is named for the trail, Double File Trail Elementary School.
19th century history
Brushy Creek, Texas
Brushy Creek is a census-designated place in Williamson County, Texas, United States. The population was 15,371 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Brushy Creek is located at , just west of Round Rock along the shore of Brushy Creek....
. But in 1854, at the suggestion of the postmaster, the small settlement was renamed Round Rock in honor of this now famous rock. After the Civil War, Jesse Chisholm
Jesse Chisholm
Jesse Chisholm was an Indian trader, guide, and interpreter, born in the Hiwassee region of Tennessee, probably in 1805 or 1806. He is chiefly famous for being the namesake to the Chisholm Trail, which ranchers used to drive their cattle to eastern markets. Chisholm had built a number of trading...
began moving cattle from South Texas through Round Rock on the way to Abilene, Kansas
Abilene, Kansas
Abilene is a city in and the county seat of Dickinson County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 6,844.-History:...
. The route he established, which crossed Brushy Creek at the round rock, became known as the Chisholm Trail
Chisholm Trail
The Chisholm Trail was a trail used in the late 19th century to drive cattle overland from ranches in Texas to Kansas railheads. The portion of the trail marked by Jesse Chisholm went from his southern trading post near the Red River, to his northern trading post near Kansas City, Kansas...
. Most of the old buildings, including the old Saint Charles Hotel, have been preserved. This historic area is now called "Old Town."
The era of Sam Bass - 1870s
Downtown Round Rock was the site of an historic gunfight and subsequent capture (and death) of the 19th-century American train robber Sam BassSam Bass
Sam Bass was a nineteenth-century American train robber and outlaw.-Early life:Bass was orphaned at the age of 10. For the next five years, he and his siblings lived with an abusive uncle. In 1869, he set out on his own and spent the next year in Mississippi...
, by the Texas Ranger Division on July 19, 1878. The Rangers followed Bass and his gang after they robbed the Fort Worth-to-Cleburn train. Bass was tracked to Round Rock and as he attempted to flee, Bass was shot and killed in a gun battle by Ranger George Herold and Ranger sergeant Richard Ware. Near Ware was Soapy Smith
Soapy Smith
Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith II was an American con artist and gangster who had a major hand in the organized criminal operations of Denver, Colorado; Creede, Colorado; and Skagway, Alaska, from 1879 to 1898. He was killed in the famed Shootout on Juneau Wharf...
, a noted con man, and his cousin Edwin, who witnessed Ware's shot. Soapy exclaimed, "I think you got him." The event is known locally as the "Sam Bass Shootout." This shootout is re-created each year at the July 4 'Frontier Days' Celebration in Old Settlers Park. Bass is buried in Round Rock Cemetery, located northwest of "Old Town" on Sam Bass Road. His original headstone can be found on display at the Round Rock Public Library.
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....
, row-crops, grapes, and truck farming were the predominat subsistence east of Interstate 35
Interstate 35
Interstate 35 is a north–south Interstate Highway in the central United States. I-35 stretches from Laredo, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border to Duluth, Minnesota, at Minnesota Highway 61 and 26th Avenue East. Many interstates used to have splits or spurs indicated with suffixed letters , but I-35...
. West of the Balcones divide ranchers raised cattle, sheep and to a lesser extent goats. Due to Round Rock's favorable geographic location over the rich, fertile "blackland prairie
Texas blackland prairies
The Texas Blackland Prairies are a temperate grassland ecoregion located in Texas that runs roughly from the Red River in North Texas to San Antonio in the south.-Setting:...
" soils also known locally as the "black waxy" (due to the soil's high clay content), cotton was the largest economic driver at that time. Because of the soil and climate, this eco-region is ideally suited to crop agriculture. Nearby Taylor, Texas
Taylor, Texas
Taylor is a city in Williamson County, Texas, United States. The population was 13,575 at the 2000 census; it was 15,191 in the 2010 census estimate. Taylors largest employers include the Electric Reliability Council of Texas , Durcon Inc, and the T. Don Hutto Residential Center, an immigration...
, east of Round Rock, was the primary cotton center where the crop was hauled for ginning
Cotton gin
A cotton gin is a machine that quickly and easily separates cotton fibers from their seeds, a job formerly performed painstakingly by hand...
(its seeds mechanically removed) at the cotton gin
Cotton gin
A cotton gin is a machine that quickly and easily separates cotton fibers from their seeds, a job formerly performed painstakingly by hand...
, compressed into bales, and shipped by train. Austin was also a cotton center for a time once the railroad arrived there in the 1870s. Cotton production and cattle raising, on a much smaller scale, continues today although primarily east of Round Rock.
Chisholm Trail Crossing Park
To preserve the heritage of the famous crossing, a Chisholm Trail Crossing Park was developed to provide visitors with a simulated scene of Round Rock's historical role in the Chisholm cattle drive. Commemorative plaques in the park tell of the history of Round Rock. The bronze sculptures of four steers and pioneer woman Hattie Cluck and her son, Emmitt, were commissioned by the City through donations from Round Rock residents. The sculptures depict Round Rock's history as a crossing location along the Chisholm Trail. The project plans include 18 to 20 additional bronze statues over time.Old Settlers Association
Following the end of the American Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
a group of Confederate veterans held a reunion in Georgetown
Georgetown, Texas
Georgetown is a city and also the county seat of Williamson County, Texas, United States with a population of 47,400 at the 2010 census. Southwestern University, founded in 1840, is the oldest university in Texas and is located in Georgetown, about 1/2 mile east of the historic square...
on August 27, 1904, for the old settlers of Williamson County
Williamson County, Texas
Williamson County is a county located on both the Edwards Plateau to the west, consisting of rocky terrain and hills, and Blackland Prairies in the east consising of rich, fertile farming land, The two areas are roughly bisected by Interstate 35...
and their descendants. The invitation promised "good music, plenty to eat, and above all a warm welcome." The event was well-attended, and reunions — now called Old Settlers Association (OSA) reunions — have been held annually ever since. After the initial one, the event was moved to Round Rock and eventually a structure was built (along with three restored log cabins) in the Palm Valley area of Round Rock, in front of Old Settlers Park, just off Highway 79 in east Round Rock. All members of the organization are descendants of Williamson County residents prior to 1904. OSA has approximately 50 active members and 300 members total. The Old Settlers Association today is a social and educational group, with the purpose of facilitating social activities, as well as collecting and preserving important historical information and facts. The facilities are rented for meetings, arts and craft and collectable shows, events, parties, weddings and rehearsal dinners.
The economic impact of Interstate 35
In the 1950s, TaylorTaylor, Texas
Taylor is a city in Williamson County, Texas, United States. The population was 13,575 at the 2000 census; it was 15,191 in the 2010 census estimate. Taylors largest employers include the Electric Reliability Council of Texas , Durcon Inc, and the T. Don Hutto Residential Center, an immigration...
was the economic powerhouse in the county due to it being the center of cotton production and shipping and had a large population. So it was expected, then, that the proposed Interstate 35
Interstate 35
Interstate 35 is a north–south Interstate Highway in the central United States. I-35 stretches from Laredo, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border to Duluth, Minnesota, at Minnesota Highway 61 and 26th Avenue East. Many interstates used to have splits or spurs indicated with suffixed letters , but I-35...
, part of the new Interstate Highway System
Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, , is a network of limited-access roads including freeways, highways, and expressways forming part of the National Highway System of the United States of America...
would pass through Taylor on its way from 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...
to 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...
. In fact, the original routing plans drawn by Highway Commioner DeWitt Greer
Dewitt C. Greer State Highway Building
The Dewitt C. Greer State Highway Building is an eight-story structure in downtown Austin, Texas housing offices of the Texas Department of Transportation since its completion. Located at the southwest corner of 11th Street and Brazos Street, the building was designed by San Antonio architect...
called for the "interregional" highway to go through Taylor. Some of the citizens and leadership of Taylor lobbied against the Taylor route citing multiple concerns ranging from the loss of farmland, to unwanted right of way (ROW) acquisition — it was proposed to be an astounding 300 feet (91.4 m) wide, unheard of before this time—the possibility of cutting farmers off from their fields or having their fields be located on opposite sides of the road, traffic noise, and loss of country life. No one even knew what an "Interregional Highway" would look like. Instead they wanted improvements to the farm-to-market roads and a straight route to Austin.
Meanwhile, Round Rock leaders wanted the highway to come their way as they were focused on the potential economic development opportunities it would bring. At that time no one had ever seen such a road as an "Interstate" (unless they had traveled to Germany to see the Autobahn or Connecticut), but then-Mayor Louis Henna lobbied hard at the Highway Commission for the Round Rock route. In June 1956, the fifteen-year debate over the form, funding and route of the Interstate was resolved. Due to the heavy lobbying effort, and not wanting to antagonize Taylor, the route was eventually changed and the highway was built along the edge of the Balcones Fault line
Balcones Fault
The Balcones Fault Zone is a tensional structural system in Texas that runs approximately from the southwest part of the state near Del Rio to the north central region near Waco along Interstate 35. The Balcones Fault zone is made up of many smaller features, including normal faults, grabens, and...
running through Round Rock. The precise route was not without opposition, however, as the final route cut off "Old Town" to the west from what had become the more recent "downtown" area east of Interstate 35
Interstate 35
Interstate 35 is a north–south Interstate Highway in the central United States. I-35 stretches from Laredo, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border to Duluth, Minnesota, at Minnesota Highway 61 and 26th Avenue East. Many interstates used to have splits or spurs indicated with suffixed letters , but I-35...
. The Interstate eventually made Round Rock into a viable and vibrant commercial center. Due to the Interstate and the reduction in the importance of cotton as a primary crop, Taylor is today a minor, modest town with a smaller population, while Round Rock has thrived and rapidly grown into the largest city in the county, attracting companies like Dell Computer
Dell
Dell, Inc. is an American multinational information technology corporation based in 1 Dell Way, Round Rock, Texas, United States, that develops, sells and supports computers and related products and services. Bearing the name of its founder, Michael Dell, the company is one of the largest...
and major retail centers. The transformation of Round Rock is detailed in a book by Linda Scarborough (publisher of the Williamson County Sun newspaper) titled Road, River and Ol' Boy Politics: A Texas County's Path from Farm to Supersuburb published by Texas State Historical Press.
Life as a bedroom community
By the 1990s, Round Rock was primarily a bedroom community with the majority of its employed residents working in Austin and then returning home after work to places like Round Rock and Georgetown where housing and land was less expensive: This is partly still true today. However in the 1990s, Round Rock had few major employers and jobs other than local retail and other services, or ranching and farming. But in the late 1990s, that began to change as economic developmentEconomic development
Economic development generally refers to the sustained, concerted actions of policymakers and communities that promote the standard of living and economic health of a specific area...
became a major focus of the City and the Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A 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...
. Dell Corp (later re-named Dell
Dell
Dell, Inc. is an American multinational information technology corporation based in 1 Dell Way, Round Rock, Texas, United States, that develops, sells and supports computers and related products and services. Bearing the name of its founder, Michael Dell, the company is one of the largest...
) moved its headquarters to Round Rock and provided significant jobs with 16,000 employees, at its Round Rock headquarters, as well as other major employers allowing many residents to work in the community where they live. (See also the Business and economic development section in this article.)
Geography
Round Rock is located 17 miles (27 km) north of AustinAustin, 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 10 miles (16 km) south of Georgetown
Georgetown, Texas
Georgetown is a city and also the county seat of Williamson County, Texas, United States with a population of 47,400 at the 2010 census. Southwestern University, founded in 1840, is the oldest university in Texas and is located in Georgetown, about 1/2 mile east of the historic square...
. Its elevation is 709 ft (216.1 m).
According to the US 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 26.3 square miles (68.0 km2), of which 26.1 square miles (67.7 km2) are land and 0.1 square mile (0.3 km2) (0.50%) is water.
Demographics
As of the 2009 U.S Census Bureau, there were 94,777 people and 94,272 households, residing in the city. There were 33,089 housing units with 20,364 owner-occupied homes costing at a median value of $163,400. The racial makeup of the city was 76.4% White, 9.4% African American, 0.4% Native American, 4.1% Asian, 0% Pacific Islander, 5.7% from other racesRace (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 3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race made up 25% of its population. According to a 2009 estimate by the U.S Census Bureau, the median income for a household was $69,892, and the median income for a family was $79,417.
There were 21,076 households out of which 47.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.5% 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, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.4% were non-families. 18.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 3.29.
In the city the age distribution of the population shows 31.9% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 38.8% from 25 to 44, 16.3% from 45 to 64, and 4.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 99.1 males. For every 100 women age 18 and over, there were 96.3 men.
City government
The city of Round Rock is managed through a council-manager form of government. The City Council is composed of six city council members and the mayor. The mayor and all council members are elected at large and serve the entire city, not by geographic precincts. The mayor pro tem is appointed annually by council members. City Council positions are not full-time jobs. The council appoints a full-time city manager who manages the daily affairs of the city, and all council meetings are held at 221 E. Main Street, in downtown Round Rock, on the second and fourth Thursday of each month at 7 p.m., unless indicated otherwise. Council meetings are televised.- The current mayor is Alan McGraw
- Council member Place 1 Craig Morgan
- Council member Place 2 George White
- Council member Place 3 Joe Clifford
- Council member Place 4 Carlos T. Salinas
- Council member Place 5 John Moman
- Council member Place 6 Kris Whitfield
County government
The Commissioners Court is the overall governing and management body of Williamson CountyWilliamson County, Texas
Williamson County is a county located on both the Edwards Plateau to the west, consisting of rocky terrain and hills, and Blackland Prairies in the east consising of rich, fertile farming land, The two areas are roughly bisected by Interstate 35...
, consisting of five members. The county judge presides as chairman over the court, and is elected every four years by all voters in the county. Four commissioners are elected by single-member precincts every four years. While the majority of Round Rock is within Precinct 1, all four precincts include some portions of the City. (See Williamson County, Texas
Williamson County, Texas
Williamson County is a county located on both the Edwards Plateau to the west, consisting of rocky terrain and hills, and Blackland Prairies in the east consising of rich, fertile farming land, The two areas are roughly bisected by Interstate 35...
article for more detail.)
State and national representation
- Texas House of RepresentativesTexas House of RepresentativesThe Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Texas Legislature. The House is composed of 150 members elected from single-member districts across the state. The average district has about 150,000 people. Representatives are elected to two-year terms with no term limits...
: State Representative District 52: Larry Gonzales (R). - Texas SenateTexas SenateThe Texas Senate is the upper house of the Texas Legislature. There are 31 members of the Senate, representing 31 single-member districts across the state with populations of approximately 672,000 per constituency. There are no term limits, and each term is four years long. The Senate meets at the...
District 5: SenatorTexas SenateThe Texas Senate is the upper house of the Texas Legislature. There are 31 members of the Senate, representing 31 single-member districts across the state with populations of approximately 672,000 per constituency. There are no term limits, and each term is four years long. The Senate meets at the...
Steve OgdenSteve OgdenSteve Ogden is a Republican member of the Texas Senate representing the 5th District. Ogden was elected to the Texas Senate in January 1997, and chairs the Texas Senate Finance Committee...
(R). - US Congress - Congressman John R. Carter (R), Congressional District 31.
- US Congress - Congressman Michael McCaulMichael McCaulMichael Thomas McCaul, Sr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district stretches from Austin to Houston.-Early life, education and career:...
(R), Congressional District 10.
Other political subdivisions
Municipal Utility DistrictMunicipal Utility District
A Municipal Utility District is a special-purpose district or other governmental jurisdiction that provides public utilities to the residents of that district...
s, commonly called a "MUD", play a significant role in Round Rock. Easch is a special-purpose district that provides public utilities such as water, wastewater
Wastewater Treatment
Wastewater treatment may refer to:* Sewage treatment* Industrial wastewater treatment...
, storm water, and sometimes roads, parks, solid waste and other infrastructure and services to the residents of that district. MUD's are typically formed by a residential developer as a means to install utilities and roads to a project when a city is not ready or able to provide them. The developer gets reimbused over time from the fees levied by the MUD, and at some point the area may be annexed by the City to bring the development into the City's tax base once the basic infrastructure costs are paid off. The MUD is represented by its own board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
who are voted on by the residents of the district, and it has the authority to condemn land, add additional land area, and levy fees in lieu of property taxes to maintain the utilities and other facilities.
There are currently ten MUD's in Round Rock: Brushy Creek, Fern Bluff, Highlands at Mayfield Ranch, Meadows at Chandler Creek, Paloma Lake, Parkside at Mayfield Ranch, Siena, Teravista, Vista Oaks, and Walsh Ranch. Total population living within these MUD's is 47,648 (2010 city estimate).
Round Rock's largest district is Brushy Creek Municipal Utility District. Brushy Creek MUD was formed as Williamson County Municipal Utility District No. 2 in October 1977 with 725 acres (2.9 km²) of land. An annexation in 1983 increased the District to 2210 acres (8.9 km²). The district name was changed to Brushy Creek Municipal Utility District on August 1990. The MUD provides a wide range of city-like services including parks and recreation, full utilities, road maintennance and a Home Owner's Association. Services a MUD can offer, however are also limited by law (for example they cannot offer library services).
Another similar but somewhat smaller MUD in Round Rock's is Fern Bluff Municipal Utility District in the Wyoming Springs area of town. Both MUD's play a significant role in local governance and maintenance of basic utilities.
From time to time there have been very contentious elections to the boards and heated debates regarding other MUD issues. Round Rock does not often annex a MUD in order to avoiding having to take on the aging infrastructure replacement and upkeep costs.
Business and economic development
The City of Round Rock has maintained a high quality of life while becoming a major center for economic growth in Central Texas, with industry clusters in clean energy, advanced manufacturing, life sciences and computer/software development.Round Rock has more than twenty major employers including: Toppan Photomasks, Sears Customer Care, Ikea
IKEA
IKEA is a privately held, international home products company that designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture such as beds and desks, appliances and home accessories. The company is the world's largest furniture retailer...
, Round Rock Premium Outlets, KoMiCo Technology Inc., Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corp (TGSL), Cintas
Cintas
Cintas Corporation , based in Mason, Ohio, is a publicly traded company that operates more than 400 facilities throughout North America. The company provides specialized services to businesses, including the design and manufacturing of corporate identity uniform programs, entrance mats, restroom...
, Dresser
Dresser
- Things :* Dresser , theatrical stagehand involved with costumes* Window dresser, shop display designer* Dresser Industries, multinational corporation based in Dallas, Texas* Grinding dresser, to dress the surface of a grinding wheel...
, Hospira
Hospira
Hospira, Inc. is a U.S.-based global pharmaceutical and medical device company with headquarters in Lake Forest, Illinois. It has approximately 14,000 employees. Hospira is the world's largest producer of generic injectable pharmaceuticals, manufacturing generic acute-care and oncology...
, and TECO-Westinghouse, Cerilliant Corporation
Cerilliant Corporation
Cerilliant Corporation is a privately-held corporation located in Round Rock, Texas. Cerilliant is a manufacturer of certified reference standards and certified reference materials providing products and services to forensic / toxicology, diagnostic/clinical, environmental, natural products, and...
, Emerson Process Management and Dell
Dell
Dell, Inc. is an American multinational information technology corporation based in 1 Dell Way, Round Rock, Texas, United States, that develops, sells and supports computers and related products and services. Bearing the name of its founder, Michael Dell, the company is one of the largest...
.
Dell corporate headquarters
DellDell
Dell, Inc. is an American multinational information technology corporation based in 1 Dell Way, Round Rock, Texas, United States, that develops, sells and supports computers and related products and services. Bearing the name of its founder, Michael Dell, the company is one of the largest...
is a multinational
Multinational corporation
A multi national corporation or enterprise , is a corporation or an enterprise that manages production or delivers services in more than one country. It can also be referred to as an international corporation...
computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
and information technology
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
corporation based in Round Rock, which develops, sells and supports computers and related products and services. The company employees about 16,000 people in the Round Rock facilities and about 96,000 people worldwide. Dell was originally based in Austin after its initial formation in 1984 as PC's Limited by UT college student Michael Dell
Michael Dell
Michael Saul Dell is an American business magnate and the founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Dell Inc. He is the 44th richest person in the world, with a net worth of US$14.6 billion in 2011, based primarily on the 243.35 million shares of Dell stock worth $3.5 billion that he owns,...
. With the need for significant space as it expanded, the City of Round Rock in 1996 offered Dell a "Chapter 380" agreement by offering to split sales tax revenue from in-state sales 50/50 between Dell and the City. A "Chapter 380" agreement is named for the chapter in Vernon's Statutes that permits sales tax revenue sharing for economic development
Economic development
Economic development generally refers to the sustained, concerted actions of policymakers and communities that promote the standard of living and economic health of a specific area...
purposes. It was the first time such an agreement had been used in Central Texas
Central Texas
Central Texas , is a region in the U.S. state of Texas. It is roughly bordered by San Marcos to Fredericksburg to Waco, and to Brenham, and includes the Austin–Round Rock, Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, Bryan-College Station, and Waco metropolitan areas...
and among the very first in the state. As of 1999, approximately half of the general fund of the City of Round Rock originates from sales taxes generated from the Dell headquarters. Today the company is one of the largest technology companies in the world, listed as number 38 on the Fortune 500
Fortune 500
The Fortune 500 is an annual list compiled and published by Fortune magazine that ranks the top 500 U.S. closely held and public corporations as ranked by their gross revenue after adjustments made by Fortune to exclude the impact of excise taxes companies collect. The list includes publicly and...
(2010). Fortune
Fortune (magazine)
Fortune is a global business magazine published by Time Inc. Founded by Henry Luce in 1930, the publishing business, consisting of Time, Life, Fortune, and Sports Illustrated, grew to become Time Warner. In turn, AOL grew as it acquired Time Warner in 2000 when Time Warner was the world's largest...
also lists Dell as the #5 most admired company in its industry.
As part of its clean energy program, in 2008 Dell switched the power sources of the Round Rock headquarters to more environmentally friendly ones, with 60% of the total power coming from TXU Energy wind farms and 40% coming from the Austin Community Landfill gas-to-energy plant operated by Waste Management, Inc.
Commercial and retail
Round Rock's largest commercial and office business center is La FronteraLa Frontera (Round Rock, Texas)
La Frontera is Round Rock's largest master-planned, multi-use commercial business-retail-housing center and is located at the northeast corner of SH 45 Toll Road and Interstate 35 in Round Rock, Texas within Williamson County, Texas. La Frontera is also located immediately across Interstate 35...
, located at the intersection of Loop 1, SH 45 and IH-35. La Frontera
La Frontera (Round Rock, Texas)
La Frontera is Round Rock's largest master-planned, multi-use commercial business-retail-housing center and is located at the northeast corner of SH 45 Toll Road and Interstate 35 in Round Rock, Texas within Williamson County, Texas. La Frontera is also located immediately across Interstate 35...
combines multi-tenant offices, company headquarter facilities, 1000000 square feet (92,903 m²) of retail, and several apartment complexes and other smaller retail and housing centers. The project also includes Williamson County's only major hotel, the Austin North Marriot, which provides space for large conferences, meetings and banquets - a first for the county and an important component of Round Rock's economic efforts. The center is also home to the Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation (TGSL). The retail portion is the second largest outdoor commercial project in the Austin - Round Rock Metro area. La Frontera was developed by Bill Smalling and Don Martin, with 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...
financier Ed Bass as financial partner.
In 2006, a retail-only hub opened in Round Rock at the corner of Interstate 35
Interstate 35
Interstate 35 is a north–south Interstate Highway in the central United States. I-35 stretches from Laredo, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border to Duluth, Minnesota, at Minnesota Highway 61 and 26th Avenue East. Many interstates used to have splits or spurs indicated with suffixed letters , but I-35...
and Highway 1431 (now re-named "University Boulevard"): The major retailer center includes the Simon Property Group
Simon Property Group
Simon Property Group, Inc. is an American commercial real estate company, ranked #1 in the United States as the largest real estate investment trust. Simon is a fully integrated real estate company which operates from five retail real estate platforms: regional malls, Premium Outlet Centers, The...
's Premium Outlets Mall, across the street is IKEA
IKEA
IKEA is a privately held, international home products company that designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture such as beds and desks, appliances and home accessories. The company is the world's largest furniture retailer...
as well as numerous other retail stores and restaurants. The project was developed by Simon Property Group
Simon Property Group
Simon Property Group, Inc. is an American commercial real estate company, ranked #1 in the United States as the largest real estate investment trust. Simon is a fully integrated real estate company which operates from five retail real estate platforms: regional malls, Premium Outlet Centers, The...
, with other portions by Barshop & Oles of Austin.
Health care
Round Rock has a wide array of hospitals and extensive health care services. Many of these facilities serve not only Round Rock, but the greater Williamson county area, as well as North Austin.- Saint David's Round Rock Medical Center was the first major hospital in Round Rock, opening its doors as Round Rock Hospital in 1984. It is a for-profit hospitalFor-profit hospitalFor-profit hospitals, or alternatively investor-owned hospitals, are investor-owned chains of hospitals which have been established particularly in the United States during the late twentieth century. In contrast to the traditional and more common non-profit hospitals, they attempt to garner a...
and part of the extensive St. David's system.
- Scott & White Memorial HospitalScott & White Memorial HospitalScott & White Memorial Hospital in Bell County, Texas, was founded in 1897, when Dr. Arthur C. Scott and Dr. Raleigh R. White, Jr., opened the Temple Sanitarium in Temple, Texas. Caring for the heart of Texas between Dallas and Austin, Scott & White, with more than 800 physicians and scientists, is...
in TempleTemple, TexasTemple is a city in Bell County, Texas, United States. Located near the county seat of Belton, Temple lies in the region referred to as Central Texas. Located off Interstate 35, Temple is 65 miles north of Austin and 34 miles south of Waco. In the 2010 Census, Temple's population was 66,102, an...
opened a satellite hospital in Round Rock in 2008. It is located on University Boulevard. The facility has full hospital services, but also transfers some patients to its primary Temple campus. Scott & White is a for-profit companyFor-profit hospitalFor-profit hospitals, or alternatively investor-owned hospitals, are investor-owned chains of hospitals which have been established particularly in the United States during the late twentieth century. In contrast to the traditional and more common non-profit hospitals, they attempt to garner a...
based in Temple. They have numerous clinics through Williamson County and Travis County. Scott & White has been rated one of the top 100 heart hospitals in the nation.
- Seton Williamson is the newest hospital in Round Rock, opening in 2009 on University Boulevard. It is adjacent to the Texas State University campus, the new Austin Community College (ACC) campus opened in fall 2010, as well as the Round Rock campus of the Texas A&M Health Science CenterTexas A&M Health Science CenterThe Texas A&M Health Science Center, a component of the Texas A&M University System, is an assembly of colleges devoted to educating health professionals and researchers of competence and integrity...
. The facility is currently building out its planned expansion space ahead of schedule. Seton Medical Center Williamson is the only certified Level II Trauma center in the county (and one of only 129 such centers in the country). Seton is a "non-profit" corporation and part of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul.
- The latest entrant into the heath-care field in Round Rock was the opening in December 2009 of the Texas A&M Health Science CenterTexas A&M Health Science CenterThe Texas A&M Health Science Center, a component of the Texas A&M University System, is an assembly of colleges devoted to educating health professionals and researchers of competence and integrity...
. The 250000 square feet (23,225.8 m²) building is the first of up to seventeen more additional buildings expected to be built in coming years. The facility also houses administrative offices, classrooms and a 33000 square feet (3,065.8 m²) Lone Star Circle of Care clinic, where health care students will train.
- A separate, dedicated nursing school is scheduled to open within the Texas State University Round Rock campus in late 2010.
- Lone Star Circle of Care (LSCC) is a grant-funded organization dedicated to serving the health needs of the uninsured and underinsured in Williamson CountyWilliamson CountyWilliamson County is the name of three counties in the United States:* Williamson County, Illinois* Williamson County, Tennessee* Williamson County, Texas...
and nearby areas. They have grown from one clinic in Georgetown in January 2001 to today having eighteen community clinics serving Central Texas. They provided 130,000 patient visits for medically underserved adults and children in 2009. Grants come from the Scott & White Foundation, Seton Foundation, the Michael and Susan Dell FoundationMichael and Susan Dell FoundationThe Michael & Susan Dell Foundation was set up in 1999. Susan and Michael Dell have supported the foundation primarily through investing the proceeds of sales of shares of Dell Inc. More than $650 million has been given to children's charities and other worthy causes in the United States, India,...
, Georgetown Health Foundation, St. David's Foundation, and many others. In May 2010 the Seton family of hospitals awarded LSCC a $3 million grant for pediatric care. And the new A&M Health Science Center is partnering with the Lone Star Circle of Care for a 32,000 square-foot clinical hub which opened in A&M's existing building in December 2009.
Major highways
Interstate 35
U.S. Highway 79
U.S. Highway 183
State Highway 45State Highway 45 (Texas)State Highway 45 is a highway loop around Austin, Texas that exists in two open segments. The official designation of SH 45 is such to form a complete loop around Austin, a distance of roughly ....
State Highway 45 Toll RdState Highway 45 (Texas)State Highway 45 is a highway loop around Austin, Texas that exists in two open segments. The official designation of SH 45 is such to form a complete loop around Austin, a distance of roughly ....
State Highway 130 Toll RdState Highway 130 (Texas)State Highway 130, also known as SH 130 and Pickle Parkway, is a tollway from Interstate 35 in Georgetown to US 183 and SH 45 at Mustang Ridge in Central Texas. Portions south of Mustang Ridge are now under construction [As of 7/2010]. When completed, SH 130 will run in a corridor east and...- 183A Toll Road183A toll roadThe 183A Toll Road or 183A is a toll road in the Austin metropolitan area of the U.S. state of Texas. The road includes sections in north Austin, Cedar Park, and Leander. It provides a bypass for U.S. Highway 183. The road is owned and operated by the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority. ...
Toll roads
Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority
The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority is a Regional Mobility Authority in the US state of Texas. CTRMA was created in 2003 by Travis and Williamson counties after authorization by the Texas Transportation Commission in October, 2002. It was the first Regional Mobility Authority created...
(CTRMA) opened the first segment of the region's first toll road
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
system. Both State Highway 130 and State Highway 45
State Highway 45 (Texas)
State Highway 45 is a highway loop around Austin, Texas that exists in two open segments. The official designation of SH 45 is such to form a complete loop around Austin, a distance of roughly ....
toll roads run through portions of Round Rock and provide greatly increased mobility to the city, albeit with strong regional opposition to the high-toll charges to motorists. State Highway 130
State Highway 130 (Texas)
State Highway 130, also known as SH 130 and Pickle Parkway, is a tollway from Interstate 35 in Georgetown to US 183 and SH 45 at Mustang Ridge in Central Texas. Portions south of Mustang Ridge are now under construction [As of 7/2010]. When completed, SH 130 will run in a corridor east and...
runs just south of Austin Bergstrom International Airport at US Highway 183 and connecting to Interstate 35
Interstate 35
Interstate 35 is a north–south Interstate Highway in the central United States. I-35 stretches from Laredo, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border to Duluth, Minnesota, at Minnesota Highway 61 and 26th Avenue East. Many interstates used to have splits or spurs indicated with suffixed letters , but I-35...
north of Georgetown
Georgetown, Texas
Georgetown is a city and also the county seat of Williamson County, Texas, United States with a population of 47,400 at the 2010 census. Southwestern University, founded in 1840, is the oldest university in Texas and is located in Georgetown, about 1/2 mile east of the historic square...
, and passes through the easternmost portion of Round Rock. It provides Round Rock residents with quick access to the Austin airport for about $6 each way. The project, when completed, will end at Interstate 10
Interstate 10
Interstate 10 is the fourth-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90, I-80, and I-40. It is the southernmost east–west, coast-to-coast Interstate Highway, although I-4 and I-8 are further south. It stretches from the Pacific Ocean at State Route 1 in Santa Monica,...
just east of Seguin
Seguin, Texas
Seguin is a city in Guadalupe County, Texas, in the United States. It is part of the San Antonio-New Braunfels Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 22,011; the July 1, 2009 Census estimate, however, showed the population had increased to 26,842...
, about 30 miles (48.3 km) east-northeast of San Antonio
San 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,...
essentially creating a parallel roadway to Interstate 35
Interstate 35
Interstate 35 is a north–south Interstate Highway in the central United States. I-35 stretches from Laredo, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border to Duluth, Minnesota, at Minnesota Highway 61 and 26th Avenue East. Many interstates used to have splits or spurs indicated with suffixed letters , but I-35...
.
State Highway 45
State Highway 45 (Texas)
State Highway 45 is a highway loop around Austin, Texas that exists in two open segments. The official designation of SH 45 is such to form a complete loop around Austin, a distance of roughly ....
is part of an eventual loop that runs east from State Highway 183 in Cedar Park
Cedar Park, Texas
Cedar Park is a city in Travis and Williamson counties in the U.S. state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population is 48,937. The city is a major suburb of Austin, the center of which is approximately to the southeast, although Austin directly borders Cedar Park at the latter's...
to 130 at Pflugerville
Pflugerville, Texas
Pflugerville is a city in Travis and Williamson counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 16,335 at the 2000 census. A July 1, 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 39,653...
(east of Round Rock) where it merges with the SH 130 toll road, and then intercects with the southern portion of SH 45 near Buda, south of Austin. SH 45 passes through the entire southern portion of Round Rock. Highway 45 provides much faster access between Round Rock and Austin, alleviating what was previously a major bottleneck at Interstate 35
Interstate 35
Interstate 35 is a north–south Interstate Highway in the central United States. I-35 stretches from Laredo, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border to Duluth, Minnesota, at Minnesota Highway 61 and 26th Avenue East. Many interstates used to have splits or spurs indicated with suffixed letters , but I-35...
. The project includes a tolled extension to Loop 1 (also known locally as the "Mopac Expressway") and allows direct access from to I-35 to Loop 1 by use of flyover connections rather than ground level intersections. The toll roads also provide access to the Dell
Dell
Dell, Inc. is an American multinational information technology corporation based in 1 Dell Way, Round Rock, Texas, United States, that develops, sells and supports computers and related products and services. Bearing the name of its founder, Michael Dell, the company is one of the largest...
headquarters and its considerable number of employees. Together, both toll roads significantly improve mobility in Round Rock in a positive manner.
Round Rock played a major role in the creation of SH 45 through constant pressure on the Texas Department of Transportation
Texas Department of Transportation
The Texas Department of Transportation is a governmental agency in the U.S. state of Texas. Its stated mission is to "work cooperatively to provide safe, effective and efficient movement of people and goods" throughout the state...
to make it a priority project, the purchase of right of way, and other assistance at critical early stages. Robert L. "Bob" Bennett, who was Round Rock City Manager at the time, oversaw the project for the city. Bennett, now retired, served as a founding member of CTRMA board of directors as an appointee of Williamson County in 2003. Former Williamson County commissioner (and former Round Rock city councilman) Mike Heiligenstein is the Executive Director of the CTRMA.
Public education
Round Rock Independent School DistrictRound Rock Independent School District
Round Rock Independent School District is a school district headquartered in the city of Round Rock, Texas, United States. As of 2007, the school district served 39,079 students....
, a Texas Education Agency
Texas Education Agency
The Texas Education Agency is a branch of the state government of Texas in the United States responsible for public education. The agency is headquartered in the William B...
Recognized School District, is located in southern Williamson County
Williamson County, Texas
Williamson County is a county located on both the Edwards Plateau to the west, consisting of rocky terrain and hills, and Blackland Prairies in the east consising of rich, fertile farming land, The two areas are roughly bisected by Interstate 35...
and northwest Travis County
Travis County, Texas
As of 2009, the U.S. census estimates there were 1,026,158 people, 320,766 households, and 183,798 families residing in the county. The population density was 821 people per square mile . There were 335,881 housing units at an average density of 340 per square mile...
and includes all the City of Round Rock and portions of the City 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 the City of Cedar Park
Cedar Park, Texas
Cedar Park is a city in Travis and Williamson counties in the U.S. state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population is 48,937. The city is a major suburb of Austin, the center of which is approximately to the southeast, although Austin directly borders Cedar Park at the latter's...
.
The area covers 110 square miles (284.9 km²) encompassing high-tech manufacturing and urban retail centers, suburban neighborhoods, and farm and ranch land. "Roughly 45,000 students attend the district's five high schools, ten middle schools, 32 elementary schools, and two alternative learning centers. During the past five years, the number of students has increased by nearly 15%, and enrollment continues to grow by more than 1,200 students per year."
In August 2010 the district opened its fifth high school (Cedar Ridge High School
Cedar Ridge High School (Round Rock, Texas)
Cedar Ridge High School is a public secondary school in Round Rock, USA. For the 2010-2011 school year, the school includes grades nine and ten. Grade eleven will be added in 2011-2012 and grade twelve in 2012-2013. The school is part of the Round Rock Independent School District , with admission...
), a ninth grade center reverted to a middle school and the district's 31st elementary school opened in the Stone Oak subdivision. "The average student-teacher ratio for RRISD is 16. The annual dropout rate for students in grades 7 – 12 is 1.1% and more than 77% of the district's graduating seniors take the SAT and ACT college entrance exams, scoring well above state and national averages." The property tax rates are significantly higher than the national average, and the schools' performance reflects the tax dollars invested.
- Total number of students: 44,781 (as of Fall 2010)
- Number of languages spoken: 77
- Average SAT score: 1628 (the state average is 1462 and the national average is 1509)
- Average ACT score: 24.1 (the state average is 20.8 and the national average is 21.0)
- Source:
In the annual report released July 30, 2010 the Round Rock Independent School District
Round Rock Independent School District
Round Rock Independent School District is a school district headquartered in the city of Round Rock, Texas, United States. As of 2007, the school district served 39,079 students....
received the highest possible rating ("Exemplary") for twenty five of its schools, the highest number so rated in any of the suburban districts in Central Texas. These schools are: Westwood High School. Canyon Vista, Walsh, and Cedar Valley middle schools. Spicewood, Forest North, Caraway, Brushy Creek, Laurel Mountain, Fern Bluff, Canyon Creek, Great Oaks, Teravista, Cactus Ranch, Sommer, Deep Wood, Robertson, Pond Springs, Live Oak, Old Town, Jollyville, Forest Creek, Blackland Prairie, Union Hill and Gattis elementary schools. In 2010 the school district as a whole was rated "academically recognized
Texas Education Agency accountability ratings system
The Texas Education Agency accountability ratings system rates all public schools, charter schools, and school districts in the State of Texas.The criteria are the same for schools and districts, and are discussed below...
" a significant step above 2009 when the school district was rated "academically acceptable
Texas Education Agency accountability ratings system
The Texas Education Agency accountability ratings system rates all public schools, charter schools, and school districts in the State of Texas.The criteria are the same for schools and districts, and are discussed below...
" by the Texas Education Agency
Texas Education Agency
The Texas Education Agency is a branch of the state government of Texas in the United States responsible for public education. The agency is headquartered in the William B...
.
Higher education
Round Rock also has a number of higher education opportunities. In 1990s, the city, under the leadership of then-City Manager Bob Bennett, planning director Joe Vining, and local citizen Mike Swayze envisioned and oversaw creation of the Round Rock Higher Education CenterRound Rock Higher Education Center
The Round Rock Higher Education Center is the official name of Texas State University-San Marcos’ campus in Round Rock, Texas. Located just north of Austin, it is informally referred to as "Texas State's Round Rock Campus." Construction began on the current campus in 2004 and opened its doors for...
(RRHEC). The concept was envisioned as a way to lure colleges and universities to jointly provide education, training and degree opportunities on a part-time and full-time bases. The RRHEC used various empty facilities around town and many of the initial training programs were targeted to help educate students for work at local companies, such as Dell, which had specialized needs. In 2008, an educational campus and the first RRHEC building—the Avery Building—was opened through the combined efforts of Texas State University-San Marcos, Austin Community College
Austin Community College
The Austin Community College District is a regional community college district with eight campuses and 12 centers located in and around the city of Austin, Texas, United States....
, and Temple College
Temple College
Temple College is a community college based in Temple, Texas, with regional branch campuses in other locations.As of 2007, residents within the tax-district of the city of Temple, Texas pay $67 per credit hour, whereas those outside the district pay $103 per credit hour...
in order to provide a broader range of educational opportunities, specialized training, and varying degree programs including post graduate degrees. The campus is in the heart of the emerging Avery Center development which houses Seton Williamson, the A&M Health Science Center and other medical camupuses. By the end of 2009 1,700 students were enrolled in the programs. Texas State University has taken on the lead role in this effort and 100 acres (40.5 ha) of land for the facility and additional buildings was donated by the Avery family of Round Rock, whose family were early settlers on the land surrounding the RRHEC. Construction on the second Texas State cumpus building is underway and construction is nearly complete on this additional classroom building. (See also Round Rock Higher Education Center
Round Rock Higher Education Center
The Round Rock Higher Education Center is the official name of Texas State University-San Marcos’ campus in Round Rock, Texas. Located just north of Austin, it is informally referred to as "Texas State's Round Rock Campus." Construction began on the current campus in 2004 and opened its doors for...
)
The city is also home to the new Texas A&M Health Science Center
Texas A&M Health Science Center
The Texas A&M Health Science Center, a component of the Texas A&M University System, is an assembly of colleges devoted to educating health professionals and researchers of competence and integrity...
Round Rock which opened its doors December 2010. The campus is designed to eventually accommodate as many as 72 additional buildings over time as monies are appropriated each bienniem by the Texas Legislature
Texas Legislature
The Legislature of the state of Texas is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Texas. The legislature is a bicameral body composed of a 31-member Senate and a 150-member House of Representatives. The Legislature meets at the Capitol in Austin...
.
In August 2010 Austin Community College
Austin Community College
The Austin Community College District is a regional community college district with eight campuses and 12 centers located in and around the city of Austin, Texas, United States....
's largest campus in their system, opened adjacent to the Texas State University center. ACC is currently constructing five buildings with a total of 250000 square feet (23,225.8 m²) to accommodate up to 5,000 students in its first phase. All three campuses are adjacent to each other within the burgeoning Avery Farms development.
The next component of higher education will be the opening of the St. David's School of Nursing at Texas State University, for which construction is already underway. It will be housed within the University's College of Health Professions. Other programs that are offered by the college are health information management, health services research, and physical therapy.
Sports
Round Rock is home to the Class AAA Pacific Coast LeaguePacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
team Round Rock Express
Round Rock Express
The Round Rock Express is a class Triple-A Pacific Coast League minor league baseball team in Round Rock, Texas, owned by RSR Sports and founded by Reid Ryan, son of Baseball Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan. The team is affiliated with the Texas Rangers, for whom Nolan Ryan serves as the president and...
, owned by RSR Sports (Nolan Ryan, Don Sanders, Reid Ryan) and was founded by Reid Ryan, son of Baseball Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan
Nolan Ryan
Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. , nicknamed "The Ryan Express", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently principal owner, president and CEO of the Texas Rangers....
. As of August 2010 Nolan Ryan is also the new owner of the major league Texas Rangers ball club. Home games for the Round Rock Express are played at the Dell Diamond
Dell Diamond
The Dell Diamond is the home stadium of the Round Rock Express, the AAA minor league baseball affiliate of the Texas Rangers major league baseball team...
, a facility that is owned by the City of Round Rock and leased long-term to RSR Sports who run and maintain the facility.
Round Rock opened a free public skate park in 2007 behind the Clay Madsen Recreation Center on Gattis School Road.
Round Rock is the self-proclaimed "Sports Capital of Texas." The City's Old Settlers Park offers a professionally designed disc golf course, cricket, twenty-field baseball complex, five-field softball complex, and seven soccer facilities in addition to the Rockin' River Family Aquatic Center.
Notable residents
- BarbetteBarbette (performer)Barbette was an American female impersonator, high wire performer and trapeze artist born in Texas on December 19, 1899...
- A world famous female impersonator (born Vander Clyde December 19, 1899 in Round Rock, later legally changed to Vander Clyde Broadway, and died August 5, 1973, at age 74, in Round Rock). but was known mostly by his/her stage name. Barbette is believed to have been the inspiration for the 1933 German film Viktor und ViktoriaViktor und ViktoriaViktor and Viktoria is a 1933 German musical comedy film directed by Reinhold Schünzel, starring Renate Müller as a woman pretending to be a female impersonator...
, which features a plot about a woman pretending to be a female impersonator whose gimmick of removing her wig at the end of her act is inspired by Barbette's signature gesture. Viktor und ViktoriaViktor und ViktoriaViktor and Viktoria is a 1933 German musical comedy film directed by Reinhold Schünzel, starring Renate Müller as a woman pretending to be a female impersonator...
was remade in 1935 (First a GirlFirst a GirlFirst a Girl is a 1935 British comedy film directed by Victor Saville and starring Jessie Matthews. First a Girl was adapted from the 1933 German film Viktor und Viktoria written and directed by Reinhold Schünzel...
), 1957 also called Viktor und Viktoria; and which in turn inspired a 1982 film Victor Victoria and a Broadway musical starring Julie Andrews (who was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress) and Blake Edwards, director. Release date: May 6, 1983.
- Michael DellMichael DellMichael Saul Dell is an American business magnate and the founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Dell Inc. He is the 44th richest person in the world, with a net worth of US$14.6 billion in 2011, based primarily on the 243.35 million shares of Dell stock worth $3.5 billion that he owns,...
, an American business magnate and the founder and chief executive officer of DellDellDell, Inc. is an American multinational information technology corporation based in 1 Dell Way, Round Rock, Texas, United States, that develops, sells and supports computers and related products and services. Bearing the name of its founder, Michael Dell, the company is one of the largest...
(formerly Dell, Inc.) While a pre-med student at the University of Texas at AustinUniversity of Texas at AustinThe University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
, Dell started an informal business (originally called PC's Limited) by upgrading computers in room 2713 of the Dobie CenterDobie CenterDobie Center, named after J. Frank Dobie, is a privately owned twenty-seven story residence hall located adjacent to the University of Texas at Austin campus. In addition to being a private residence for students, Dobie also contains a two-story mall, a movie theatre, restaurants, and specialty...
residential building. He then applied for a vendor license to bid on contracts for the State of Texas, winning bids by not having the overhead of a computer store. By 1992, at the age of 27, Dell became the youngest CEO to have his company ranked in Fortune magazine's list of the top 500 corporations. Today he is one of the richest people in the world, with a net worth of an estimated $13.5 billion in 2010. Dell's 1999 book, written in collaboration with Catherine Fredman, Direct from Dell: Strategies That Revolutionized an Industry, is an account of his early life, his company's founding, growth and missteps, as well as lessons learned. While not a resident of Round Rock, his business is based there and has had a tremendous impact on the community through the his workforce and Dell Foundation.
- Noel Grisham (died 1999 in Round Rock, Texas; birth date unknown) helped lay the foundation for Round Rock Independent School DistrictRound Rock Independent School DistrictRound Rock Independent School District is a school district headquartered in the city of Round Rock, Texas, United States. As of 2007, the school district served 39,079 students....
(RRISD) to become the academically successful district it is today. Grisham was superintendent of Round Rock ISD for 22 years. As superintendent from 1957 to 1979, Grisham oversaw the consolidation of RRISD and Pond Springs School District—located in the west side of Round Rock—and the construction of more than ten of the district's schools. Following his exit from public education, Grisham served as representative of Texas House of RepresentativesTexas House of RepresentativesThe Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Texas Legislature. The House is composed of 150 members elected from single-member districts across the state. The average district has about 150,000 people. Representatives are elected to two-year terms with no term limits...
, District 52 during the 1983 state legislative session, serving on the House Committee on Public Education. Noel Grisham Middle SchoolNoel Grisham Middle SchoolNoel Grisham Middle School is a Middle School located in the Anderson Mill community in northwest Austin. It is a IB Middle Years Programme school.It is part of the Round Rock Independent School District...
in Round Rock is named after him.
- Cpl. Robert P. Hernandez is the only Vietnam War casualty from Round Rock. He was awarded the Purple HeartPurple HeartThe Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
, Vietnam Service MedalVietnam Service MedalThe Vietnam Service Medal is a military award which was created in 1965 by order of President Lyndon B. Johnson. The distinctive design was the creation of sculptor Thomas Hudson Jones, a former employee of the Army Institute of Heraldry. The medal is issued to recognize military service during...
, Vietnam Campaign MedalVietnam Campaign MedalThe Vietnam Campaign Medal is a military recognition awarded by the Republic of Vietnam, , to any member of the United States, Australian, New Zealand and allied military forces serving six months or more in support of Republic of Vietnam military operations.Established in 1966, the decoration is...
and the Navy CrossNavy CrossThe Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
. A Round Rock Independent School DistrictRound Rock Independent School DistrictRound Rock Independent School District is a school district headquartered in the city of Round Rock, Texas, United States. As of 2007, the school district served 39,079 students....
Middle School was named after him in June 2010. His father, a high school janitor, was the founder of the El Amistad Club and resident of Round Rock. The first civic project of El Amistad was to help develop Veterans Memorial Park along Brushy Creek in memory of Hernandez.
- Garfield McConico - Garfield McConico (1916-2000) literally helped "build" Round Rock. At the end of World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, a time when the city's population totalled about 1,400, he worked with former Mayor Louis Henna to construct some of the city's first subdivisions from the ground up, building new homes with lumber reused from Army barracks at Fort Hood. McConico also helped create employment opportunities for local soldiers when they came home from serving abroad. McConico's most enduring legacy, however, began in 1969, when he became Round Rock's first African-American city councilman. In 1994 he and his wife Petrenella were honored as a "Living Legend" in Round Rock, and in 1994 the new city administrative building (built on the site of McConico boyhood home) was named in their honor.
- Louis Henna - visionary business leader, and former mayor. Of all the early mayors, the one who perhaps had the greatest impact on Round Rock at the time, and certainly the greatest flair for business, was Louis M. Henna -- a entrepreneur, businessman, civic volunteer, major donor, and politician. He was named one of the first "outstanding citizens" of Round Rock. By 1936, the 21-year old Henna already operated his own independent garage and filling station in Round Rock. He soon founded the Henna Motor Company and became the youngest person in ChevroletChevroletChevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
history to own a car dealership when he negotiated to become a Chevy dealer, a dealership that is still owned and operated by the family today, seven decades later, as Henna Chevrolet. In 1938 he famously erected what was described as "The World's Largest Sign" measuring 47 feet (14 m) by 107 feet (33 m) on the corner of what is now Interstate 35Interstate 35Interstate 35 is a north–south Interstate Highway in the central United States. I-35 stretches from Laredo, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border to Duluth, Minnesota, at Minnesota Highway 61 and 26th Avenue East. Many interstates used to have splits or spurs indicated with suffixed letters , but I-35...
and Louis Henna Boulevard (now Texas State Highway 45): The sign dwarfed a car he placed in front of the sign to give it scale. Henna was also a generous donor and volunteer in numerous organizations. He and his wife deeded 112 acres of land and five newly constructed buildings, three cottages and an administrator's building for the Texas Children's Baptist Home in Round Rock, which still operates at the same location today. He helped build affordable housing and new suburban subdivisions for GI's returning from World War II. He served on the City Council from 1947 to 1952, and as mayor from 1952-1956.
- Colleen LaRoseColleen LaRoseColleen Renee LaRose , also known as JihadJane and Fatima LaRose, is an American citizen charged with terrorism-related crimes, including conspiracy to commit murder and providing material support to terrorists. Most recently, she lived in the Philadelphia suburb of Pennsburg, in Montgomery...
- Rose, nicknamed "JihadJane" was identified in 2010 by federal prosecutors as an alleged terrorist intent on recruiting others to her cause. Prosecution is pending.
- Soapy SmithSoapy SmithJefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith II was an American con artist and gangster who had a major hand in the organized criminal operations of Denver, Colorado; Creede, Colorado; and Skagway, Alaska, from 1879 to 1898. He was killed in the famed Shootout on Juneau Wharf...
- Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith II (November 2, 1860 – July 8, 1898) was an American confidence manConfidence trickA confidence trick is an attempt to defraud a person or group by gaining their confidence. A confidence artist is an individual working alone or in concert with others who exploits characteristics of the human psyche such as dishonesty and honesty, vanity, compassion, credulity, irresponsibility,...
and gangsterGangsterA gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Some gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from mob and the suffix -ster....
who had a major hand in organized crimeOrganized crimeOrganized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
from 1879 to 1898. As a Round Rock youth, he witnessed the shooting of the outlawOutlawIn historical legal systems, an outlaw is declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active prosecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute...
Sam BassSam BassSam Bass was a nineteenth-century American train robber and outlaw.-Early life:Bass was orphaned at the age of 10. For the next five years, he and his siblings lived with an abusive uncle. In 1869, he set out on his own and spent the next year in Mississippi...
. Smith himself was killed in the famed shootout on Juneau WharfShootout on Juneau WharfThe Shootout on Juneau Wharf was a gunfight that occurred at about 9:15 PM on Friday, July 8, 1898, in Skagway, District of Alaska, in the United States.-Background:...
. He is perhaps the most famous con man of the old west.
- Nyle Maxwell (to be written)
- Chief Rick Stone - Rick Stone, a Round Rock native, is reported to be the most highly decorated policeman in Dallas, Texas history. Stone's awards included the Medal of ValorMedal of ValorThe Medal of Valor is the highest Israeli military decoration.The medal was established in 1970 by the Knesset in an act of law as a replacement for the Hero of Israel military decoration that was awarded during the War of Independence...
, Police Commendation Award, Police Commendation Award with Star, Life Saving Award, Certificate of Merit, Distinguished Service Award and multiple lesser medals, unit awards and commendations. He was also a Parade Magazine/International Association Chiefs of Police "Officer of the Year" nominee and twice nominated as the department's "Officer of the Year". Rising to the rank of Division Commander in Dallas, Stone later served as the Chief of Police in Wichita, Kansas and Hollywood, Florida. In May 2003, Officer Stone's contributions to the history of the Dallas Police Department were chosen to be included in a series of bronze plaques, created by New York artist Greg Lefevre, that were installed at the entrance to the newly constructed police headquarters building in downtown Dallas.
Movies shot in Round Rock
- The Texas Chain Saw MassacreThe Texas Chain Saw MassacreThe Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a 1974 American independent horror film directed and produced by Tobe Hooper, who cowrote it with Kim Henkel. It stars Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow, and Gunnar Hansen, who respectively portray Sally Hardesty, Franklin Hardesty, the...
(the original version, directed by Tobe HooperTobe HooperTobe Hooper is an American film director and screenwriter, best known for his work in the horror film genre. His works include the cult classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre , along with its first sequel, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 ; the three-time Emmy-nominated Stephen King film adaptation...
which had a 1974 theatrical release) was filmed in and around Round Rock with the majority of shooting occurring in a dilapidated two-story farmhouse on Quick Hill Road, and is now the site of the La FronteraLa Frontera (Round Rock, Texas)La Frontera is Round Rock's largest master-planned, multi-use commercial business-retail-housing center and is located at the northeast corner of SH 45 Toll Road and Interstate 35 in Round Rock, Texas within Williamson County, Texas. La Frontera is also located immediately across Interstate 35...
commercial development. Contrary to popular belief the movie is not based on a true story. Even to this day tours are still conducted by TCM film buffs to the sites where the movie was filmed including the Round Rock house site. The 1910 house where the movie was filmed was later cut into seven pieces and trucked to Kingsland, TexasKingsland, TexasKingsland is a census-designated place in Llano County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,584 at the 2000 census. Texas Ranch to Market Road 1431 runs through the community.-Geography:...
where it was reassembled and restored, and is now a restaurant for Antlers HotelAntlers Hotel (Kingsland, Texas)The Antlers Hotel is a hotel and resort built in 1901 by the Austin and Northwestern Railroad on the Colorado River in Kingsland in Llano County in Central Texas. After a brief heyday, The Antlers closed in 1923 and fell into disrepair...
.
- Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, Blood SimpleBlood SimpleBlood Simple is a 1984 neo-noir crime film. It was the directorial debut of Joel Coen and the first major film of cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld, who later became a noted director...
is a 1984 American neo-noirNeo-noirNeo-noir is a style often seen in modern motion pictures and other forms that prominently utilize elements of film noir, but with updated themes, content, style, visual elements or media that were absent in films noir of the 1940s and 1950s.-History:The term Film Noir was coined by...
crime film. It was the directorial debut of the Coen brothersCoen BrothersJoel David Coen and Ethan Jesse Coen known together professionally as the Coen brothers, are American filmmakers...
, and the first major film of cinematographerCinematographerA cinematographer is one photographing with a motion picture camera . The title is generally equivalent to director of photography , used to designate a chief over the camera and lighting crews working on a film, responsible for achieving artistic and technical decisions related to the image...
Barry SonnenfeldBarry SonnenfeldBarry Sonnenfeld is an American filmmaker and television director. He worked as cinematographer for the Coen brothers, then later he directed and produced big budget films such as Men in Black.-Life and career:...
. The film's title derives from the Dashiell HammettDashiell HammettSamuel Dashiell Hammett was an American author of hard-boiled detective novels and short stories, and political activist. Among the enduring characters he created are Sam Spade , Nick and Nora Charles , and the Continental Op .In addition to the significant influence his novels and stories had on...
novel Red HarvestRed HarvestRed Harvest is a novel by Dashiell Hammett. The story is narrated by The Continental Op, a frequent character in Hammett's fiction. Hammett based the story on his own experiences in Butte, Montana as an operative of the Continental Detective Agency, San Francisco.Time included Red Harvest in its...
, in which "blood simple" is a term coined to describe the addled, fearful mindset people are in after a prolonged immersion in violent situations. Blood Simple was re-released theatrically in 2000 and on DVD in 2001 in a "director's cutDirector's cutA director's cut is a specially edited version of a film, and less often TV series, music video, commercials, comic book or video games, that is supposed to represent the director's own approved edit...
".
- A majority of scenes from the 2002 DisneyWalt Disney PicturesWalt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...
film The RookieThe Rookie (2002 film)The Rookie is a 2002 drama sports film directed by John Lee Hancock. It is based on the true story of Jim Morris, who had a brief, but famous Major League Baseball career in 1999. The film stars Dennis Quaid, Rachel Griffiths, Jay Hernandez, and Brian Cox....
, directed by John Lee Hancock, starring Dennis QuaidDennis QuaidDennis William Quaid is an American actor known for his comedic and dramatic roles. First gaining widespread attention in the 1980s, his career rebounded in the 1990s after he overcame an addiction to drugs and an eating disorder...
and Rachel GriffithsRachel GriffithsRachel Anne Griffiths is an Australian film and television actress who came to prominence in the 1994 film Muriel's Wedding and her Academy Award nominated performance in the 1997 film Hilary and Jackie....
were shot around and inside the Dell DiamondDell DiamondThe Dell Diamond is the home stadium of the Round Rock Express, the AAA minor league baseball affiliate of the Texas Rangers major league baseball team...
in Round Rock. It is inspired by the true story of Jim MorrisJim MorrisJames "Jimmy" Samuel Morris, JR is a former American professional baseball player known for his brief Major League Baseball career....
, who had a brief but famous Major League Baseball career.
- The Simple LifeThe Simple LifeThe Simple Life was a reality television series that was broadcast from December 2, 2003 to August 5, 2007. The first three seasons aired on Fox, and the final two on E!...
: (TV Season 2, episode 15). The Simple Life is a reality television series that was broadcast from December 2, 2003 to August 5, 2007. The first three seasons aired on Fox, and the final two on E!. The comedic show depicts two wealthy young socialites (Paris HiltonParis HiltonParis Whitney Hilton is an American businesswoman, heiress, and socialite. She is a great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton . Hilton is known for her controversial participation in a sex tape in 2003, and appearance on the television series The Simple Life alongside fellow socialite and childhood...
and Nicole RichieNicole RichieNicole Camille Richie is an American fashion designer, author, actress, singer and television personality. Her father was Peter Michael Escovedo, a musician who played for a brief time with Lionel Richie, and her mother Karen was the executive assistant for Sheila Escovedo...
) as they struggle to do manual, low-paying jobs such as cleaning rooms, doing farm work, serving meals in fast-food restaurants and working as camp counselors. Season 2, Episode 15 took place during a Round Rock Express baseball game.