Westminster, Texas
Encyclopedia
Westminster is an unincorporated community
in northeastern Collin County
, Texas
, United States
. The population was 390 at the 2000 census, at which time it was a city.
Westminster is located at the intersection of FM 3133 and FM 2862, northeast of McKinney
, east of Anna
, west of Leonard
, north of Blue Ridge
, and southeast of Van Alstyne
.
, establishing Westminster College
. The college, a preparatory school
for prospective ministers, was named after Westminster, Maryland
, a Methodist stronghold in an otherwise predominantly Catholic
state.
Within a year, the residents of Seven Points decided to change the name of their community to Westminster. The town received a post office
branch in 1899, and Westminster was incorporated after a vote of 38 to 19 against, on June 17, 1916. Around the same time, the Greenville and Whitewright Northern Traction Company built a railway line from Anna
to Blue Ridge
that passed through Westminster.
Economic and population growth followed afterward, and from the turn of the 20th century into the 1920s, Westminster served as a cotton
market and trade center for local farmers. The population grew to a high of 600, with several businesses and a high school In 1920, however, the railroad line was abandoned, and other railroads bypassed the town.
During the Great Depression
, the population of Westminster was reduced by over half (to 268), and the town never had the renewed growth of its larger neighbors (such as Van Alstyne
, Anna
or Melissa
); most of the town's businesses had closed by World War II
.
The population continued to decline until the early 1970s, when it slowly began to recover. By 1990, Westminster's population was 388.
During the night of May 9, 2006, at around 10:30 P.M., an F3 tornado swept through the small community of Westminster, leveling many homes, damaging several others, and killing 3. Several others were injured and taken to local hospitals, while the American Red Cross set up shelter at Anna High School in nearby Anna. Sirens sounded in Anna, but due to the small population, sirens are not installed in Westminster, giving no warning to its residents. The storm struck very quickly, allowing little time to prepare.
Westminster High School was one of the last (if not the last) Texas school to field an 8 man football team. During the 1983 season, they beat a Dallas area team 90-0.
. In 1989, voters abolished the district and closed its school. Most of the students in Westminster now attend school in Anna
.
Since that time, the city has dealt with various problems, including unresolved conflicts and lack of adequate city leadership, as well as financial difficulties and a general sense of apathy.
With marginal sales tax revenues, and a weak property tax
base, Westminster was unable to recover from various mismanagement; embezzlement of state grant money and poor record-keeping led to a massive debt that, since 1997, had left the city seeking bankruptcy
. This debt, of unpaid traffic fine revenues and a misappropriated (and unused) sewer grant, totalled over $300,000 USD.
Twice, the city of Westminster sought to declare for bankruptcy; the first effort, in 2001, failed after creditors rejected a payout plan. In early 2004, the state agencies agreed to relinquish their claims, provided that Westminster disincorporate.
Since then, the issue had been a debated topic in Westminster. That summer, the city council started a petition drive to gather enough signatures to place the matter of disincorporation on the ballot for the May 2005 elections. The council then proceeded to fire the city administrator, who opposed disincorporation. Those in favor of the matter, including then-mayor Phil Goplin, stated that disincorporation would keep the city from stagnating; without any cashflow or a sewer system, it is unable to attract the development of its neighboring municipalities.
The residents of Westminster voted to abolish their town charter on May 7, 2005. The disincorporation of the city of Westminster, was only the eleventh such occurrence in Texas since 1975. With the loss of its charter, the city retains its name as a community, but is officially unincorporated
Collin County. Therefore, maintenance and other services of the former city are now the responsibility of Collin County. Through an agreement with the city's creditors, the debts are considered void.
Had Westminster remained incorporated after the election, the city's sales tax receipts would have been withheld until half the debt was repaid. A former city mayor was running for election, in case the vote failed. Opponents of the decision worry now of the loss of Westminster's history, as well as possible annexation from neighboring Anna
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city had a total area of 1.8 square miles (4.7 km²), of which, 1.8 square miles (4.7 km²) of it is land and 0.55% is water.
of 2000, there were 390 people, 140 households, and 112 families residing in the city. The population density
was 214.7 people per square mile (82.7/km2). There were 161 housing units at an average density of 88.6/sq mi (34.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.18% White, 0.26% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 2.05% from other races
. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.90% of the population.
There were 140 households out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.9% were married couples
living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.0% were non-families. 17.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.7% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 6.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $42,083, and the median income for a family was $45,000. Males had a median income of $30,938 versus $24,063 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,248. About 5.9% of families and 10.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.8% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in northeastern Collin County
Collin County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 491,675 people, 181,970 households, and 132,292 families residing in the county. The population density was 580 people per square mile . There were 194,892 housing units at an average density of 230 per square mile...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 390 at the 2000 census, at which time it was a city.
Westminster is located at the intersection of FM 3133 and FM 2862, northeast of McKinney
McKinney, Texas
McKinney is a city in and the county seat of Collin County, Texas, United States, and the second in population to Plano. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 131,117 The Census Bureau listed McKinney as the nation's fastest growing city from 2000 to 2003 and again in...
, east of Anna
Anna, Texas
Anna is a city in Collin County, Texas, United States. The population was 8249 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Anna is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 57 square miles , all of it land.-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 8249...
, west of Leonard
Leonard, Texas
Leonard is a city in Fannin County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,846 at the 2000 census. J.B. Stokes, who was a member of Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, was born in Leonard.-Geography:...
, north of Blue Ridge
Blue Ridge, Texas
Blue Ridge is a city in Collin County, Texas, United States. The population was 672 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Blue Ridge is located at ....
, and southeast of Van Alstyne
Van Alstyne, Texas
Van Alstyne is a city in Grayson Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 3,046 at the 2010 census.The Grayson County portion of Van Alstyne is part of the Sherman–Denison Metropolitan Statistical Area,-Geography:...
.
History
The city was first settled in 1860, and named "Seven Points". It grew quickly, and by 1885 had absorbed the neighbouring communities of Prospect and Graybill. In 1888, a private school was established; the building was later sold to the Methodist ChurchUnited Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
, establishing Westminster College
Westminster College, Texas
What became Westminster College began in 1888 in Seven Points, Texas, northeast of McKinney, Texas, where classes were first held in a building that once housed Seven Points College. Founded by J. M. Harder, the school was purchased five years later by I. P. Rosser...
. The college, a preparatory school
University-preparatory school
A university-preparatory school or college-preparatory school is a secondary school, usually private, designed to prepare students for a college or university education...
for prospective ministers, was named after Westminster, Maryland
Westminster, Maryland
Westminster is a city in northern Maryland, United States. It is the seat of Carroll County. The city's population was 18,590 at the 2010 census. Westminster is an outlying community within the Baltimore-Towson, MD MSA, which is part of a greater Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, DC-MD-VA-WV...
, a Methodist stronghold in an otherwise predominantly Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
state.
Within a year, the residents of Seven Points decided to change the name of their community to Westminster. The town received a post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
branch in 1899, and Westminster was incorporated after a vote of 38 to 19 against, on June 17, 1916. Around the same time, the Greenville and Whitewright Northern Traction Company built a railway line from Anna
Anna, Texas
Anna is a city in Collin County, Texas, United States. The population was 8249 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Anna is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 57 square miles , all of it land.-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 8249...
to Blue Ridge
Blue Ridge, Texas
Blue Ridge is a city in Collin County, Texas, United States. The population was 672 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Blue Ridge is located at ....
that passed through Westminster.
Economic and population growth followed afterward, and from the turn of the 20th century into the 1920s, Westminster served as a 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....
market and trade center for local farmers. The population grew to a high of 600, with several businesses and a high school In 1920, however, the railroad line was abandoned, and other railroads bypassed the town.
During the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, the population of Westminster was reduced by over half (to 268), and the town never had the renewed growth of its larger neighbors (such as Van Alstyne
Van Alstyne, Texas
Van Alstyne is a city in Grayson Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 3,046 at the 2010 census.The Grayson County portion of Van Alstyne is part of the Sherman–Denison Metropolitan Statistical Area,-Geography:...
, Anna
Anna, Texas
Anna is a city in Collin County, Texas, United States. The population was 8249 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Anna is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 57 square miles , all of it land.-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 8249...
or Melissa
Melissa, Texas
Melissa is a city in Collin County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,350 at the 2000 census, but has since increased to an estimated population of 3,014 in July 2006, a 123.3% increase...
); most of the town's businesses had closed by World War II
World War II
World 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...
.
The population continued to decline until the early 1970s, when it slowly began to recover. By 1990, Westminster's population was 388.
During the night of May 9, 2006, at around 10:30 P.M., an F3 tornado swept through the small community of Westminster, leveling many homes, damaging several others, and killing 3. Several others were injured and taken to local hospitals, while the American Red Cross set up shelter at Anna High School in nearby Anna. Sirens sounded in Anna, but due to the small population, sirens are not installed in Westminster, giving no warning to its residents. The storm struck very quickly, allowing little time to prepare.
Westminster High School was one of the last (if not the last) Texas school to field an 8 man football team. During the 1983 season, they beat a Dallas area team 90-0.
Recent decline and disincorporation
Westminster began a noticeable decline after 1988, when the Texas Board of Education, citing various deficiencies, removed the accreditation from the Westminster Independent School DistrictWestminster Independent School District
Westminster Independent School District is a former school district which served the now-disincorporated community of Westminster, Texas ....
. In 1989, voters abolished the district and closed its school. Most of the students in Westminster now attend school in Anna
Anna Independent School District
Anna Independent School District is a public school district based in Anna, Texas .In addition to Anna, the district serves parts of Weston as well as the community of Westminster....
.
Since that time, the city has dealt with various problems, including unresolved conflicts and lack of adequate city leadership, as well as financial difficulties and a general sense of apathy.
With marginal sales tax revenues, and a weak property tax
Property tax
A property tax is an ad valorem levy on the value of property that the owner is required to pay. The tax is levied by the governing authority of the jurisdiction in which the property is located; it may be paid to a national government, a federated state or a municipality...
base, Westminster was unable to recover from various mismanagement; embezzlement of state grant money and poor record-keeping led to a massive debt that, since 1997, had left the city seeking bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
. This debt, of unpaid traffic fine revenues and a misappropriated (and unused) sewer grant, totalled over $300,000 USD.
Twice, the city of Westminster sought to declare for bankruptcy; the first effort, in 2001, failed after creditors rejected a payout plan. In early 2004, the state agencies agreed to relinquish their claims, provided that Westminster disincorporate.
Since then, the issue had been a debated topic in Westminster. That summer, the city council started a petition drive to gather enough signatures to place the matter of disincorporation on the ballot for the May 2005 elections. The council then proceeded to fire the city administrator, who opposed disincorporation. Those in favor of the matter, including then-mayor Phil Goplin, stated that disincorporation would keep the city from stagnating; without any cashflow or a sewer system, it is unable to attract the development of its neighboring municipalities.
The residents of Westminster voted to abolish their town charter on May 7, 2005. The disincorporation of the city of Westminster, was only the eleventh such occurrence in Texas since 1975. With the loss of its charter, the city retains its name as a community, but is officially unincorporated
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
Collin County. Therefore, maintenance and other services of the former city are now the responsibility of Collin County. Through an agreement with the city's creditors, the debts are considered void.
Had Westminster remained incorporated after the election, the city's sales tax receipts would have been withheld until half the debt was repaid. A former city mayor was running for election, in case the vote failed. Opponents of the decision worry now of the loss of Westminster's history, as well as possible annexation from neighboring Anna
Anna, Texas
Anna is a city in Collin County, Texas, United States. The population was 8249 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Anna is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 57 square miles , all of it land.-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 8249...
.
Geography
Westminster is located at 33.355228°N 96.447358°W.According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city had a total area of 1.8 square miles (4.7 km²), of which, 1.8 square miles (4.7 km²) of it is land and 0.55% is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 390 people, 140 households, and 112 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 214.7 people per square mile (82.7/km2). There were 161 housing units at an average density of 88.6/sq mi (34.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.18% White, 0.26% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 2.05% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.90% of the population.
There were 140 households out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.9% 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, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.0% were non-families. 17.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.7% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 6.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $42,083, and the median income for a family was $45,000. Males had a median income of $30,938 versus $24,063 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $17,248. About 5.9% of families and 10.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.8% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.