Vernon is a city in Wilbarger County, Texas, United States. It is the county seat, and as of the 2010 Census had a population of 11,002.
History</span>
The original town was called Eagle Springs by the Tonkawa Indians as early as 1858. After the American Civil War, more settlers began moving in the area, and in 1880 they applied for a post office as Eagle Flat. However, the U.S. Post Office rejected the name, saying too many Texas towns were already called Eagle something. The town then chose the name Vernon, after George Washington's home, Mount Vernon.
An estimated seven million head of cattle passed through Vernon on the Great Western Cattle Trail between 1873 and the 1890s. The historic trail was located ninety miles west of and parallel to the better-known Chisholm Trail.
Geography
Vernon is located at 34°09′04″N 99°17′26″W (34.151116, âˆ'99.290473).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 8.1 square miles (21.0 km2), of which 8.1 square miles (21.0 km2) is land and 0.12% is water.
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Vernon has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 11,660 people, 4,506 households, and 2,946 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,439.2 people per square mile (555.8/km2). There were 5,166 housing units at an average density of 637.6 per square mile (246.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 76.33% White, 9.65% African American, 0.69% Native American, 0.71% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 10.72% from other races, and 1.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.39% of the population.
There were 4,506 households out of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.7% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.6% were non-families. 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the city, the population was spread out with 26.6% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,194, and the median income for a family was $36,913. Males had a median income of $25,167 versus $18,971 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,747. About 10.2% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.2% of those under age 18 and 14.6% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
In 1905, the Wichita Mill and Elevator Company, owned and managed by the entrepreneur Frank Kell of Wichita Falls, established a mill in Vernon. Kell's business partner was W. O. Anderson.
Major businesses and industries in Vernon include a Tyson Foods (formerly Wright Brand Foods) bacon processing plant, a Rhodia, Inc. guar processing plant, North Texas State Hospital, which is operated by the Texas Department of State Health Services (an agency of the Texas Health and Human Services System), Victory Field Correctional Academy (a juvenile detention facility operated by the Texas Youth Commission), and the Texas AgriLife (Texas A&M System) Research and Extension Center.
The nearby Waggoner Ranch holds the distinction of being the largest spread in Texas under one fence. The ranch remains operational, with business in petroleum, farming, horses, and cattle. The Waggoner produces some of the best ranch horses in Texas, many from the breeding of the quarter horse Poco Bueno. According to the wishes of E. Paul Waggoner, Poco Bueno is buried in a standing position on the corner at the main entrance to the ranch.
Arts and culture
Santa Rosa Roundup Rodeo
Vernon is host to various events annually including the four-day Santa Rosa Roundup rodeo in May, which is sponsored by the local Santa Rosa Palomino Club. VSMCA is host to Summer's Last Blast, a car show that shows a variety of the 50s - late 2000s cars, which is held the second weekend of August every year.
Doan's May Picnic
Since 1884, Doan's May Picnic has been held on the first Saturday of May at the ghost town of Doans located fifteen miles north of Vernon. A barbecue lunch and T-shirts are available for sale, and a king and queen are crowned at the annual event. One of the shirts for 2017 features a design by Harold Dow Bugbee, the late curator of the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in Canyon, Texas, which depicts longhorns and a cowboy crossing the Red River at Doan's Crossing, where the postmaster Corwin F. Doan (1848-1929) also operated a store to supply the cowboys. Bugbee's sculpture is part of the 1931 Trail Drivers Monument located at Doans. Riders cross the river from Oklahoma and usually arrive just before noon. The 1881 adobe house, the oldest in Wilbarger County, is open for tours during the picnic.
Education
Public education
The Vernon Independent School District serves students in grades pre-kindergarten through 12. The district's school campuses include three elementary schools (grades pre-kindergarten through 5), a middle school (grades 6â€"8) and Vernon High School, grades 9â€"12. The district also operates an alternative education program as well as an education program for juveniles of the Adolescent Forensic Program at North Texas State Hospital
Vernon High School's football team, the Vernon Lions, were one of the strongest programs in the 3A division until recently. The Lions won the 3A state championship in 1990 and were ranked number 1 all year. They finished in second place the previous year. Recently the Lions have finished as semi-finalists in 2003 and 2006, and were ranked in top 10 for the 2007 season when they lost in a close game in the state quarter-finals to Snyder. The overall record of Vernon High School football is 595-363-38 (a winning percentage of 62.27%)
Vernon High School's first team state championship came in the 1984â€"1985 season as the Lady Lions won the 3A girls basketball state title. The Lady Lions returned to Austin the next season and were defeated in the semi-finals.
Vernon High School is also known for its prestigious Tennis Team. The Tennis team has completed 23 straight years of going to the Texas Tennis Coaches Association State Team Tennis Tournament. VHS Tennis has 6 TTCA State Team Tennis Titles and has finished no lower than 3rd place in 22 of the 23 years. In 2008 the Team finished 2nd in the state losing to Abilene Wylie in the championship game. In 2009 the Team finished 3rd in the State Tourney and in 2010 the Team finished 2nd, again losing to Abilene Wylie in the finals. In UIL individual competition, VHS tennis players have won several awards. Most recently, in 2009 Josh Marshall & Steven Stanley won the Class 3A State Boys Doubles Title. In 2008 Nick Lehman won the Class 3A State Boys Single title and in 2006 Brad Fenter & Kelly Clifton won the Class 3A State Mixed Doubles title. The VHS Tennis Team is guided by Head Coach Ruben Vargas.
Vernon College
Vernon College, a 2-year community college, is located here and maintains a branch campus in Wichita Falls. Academic offerings include cosmetology, nursing, and vocational-technical programs. Athletically, Vernon College fields a women's softball team, women's volleyball team, men's baseball team and a rodeo team. The rodeo team is consistently ranked high in the JUCO level of competition.
Infrastructure
Transportation
Vernon is located fifty miles northwest of Wichita Falls, Texas and approximately 160 to 180 miles from surrounding metropolitan areas including Amarillo, Abilene, Oklahoma City and the DFW metroplex. The city is served by four U.S. Routes: 70, 183, 283, and 287.
Bus transportation is available to Amarillo and Dallas-Fort Worth. Wilbarger County Airport is located 5 miles north of Vernon and the nearest airport with scheduled flights is Wichita Falls Municipal Airport 50 miles to the east which predominantly offers flights of commuter airlines to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.
The nearest international airports from Vernon with major airline connections include Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City, and Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport in Amarillo.
The area is also served by a BNSF line bypassing downtown from Ft. Worth to Amarillo.
Notable people
- Kay Adams (born April 9, 1941) â€" country singer
- James Dixon â€" former professional football player for the Dallas Cowboys
- Robert L. Duncan (born August 5, 1953) â€" Republican former member of Texas House of Representatives and Texas State Senate, born in Vernon, resided in Lubbock, where in 2014, he was named chancellor of Texas Tech University System
- Roy C. Farrell (1912â€"1996) â€" co-founder of Cathay Pacific
- Lawrence Gaines â€" former professional football player for Detroit Lions
- Clyde Gates (born June 13, 1986) â€" NFL wide receiver and return specialist for Miami Dolphins
- Robert Gauldin (born 1931) â€" classical music composer
- Rick Hardcastle (born 1956) â€" Republican former member of Texas House of Representatives from Vernon
- Bill Herchman â€" former professional football player for San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys and Houston Oilers
- Jack English Hightower (born 1926) â€" politician, former 46th Judicial District Attorney
- Dan Kubiak (1938â€"1998) â€" politician; taught and coached in Vernon in 1962â€"1963 academic year
- John C. Morgan (1914â€"1991) â€" World War II United States Army Air Forces B-17 pilot and Medal of Honor recipient
- Roy Orbison (April 23, 1936 â€" December 6, 1988) â€" nicknamed "The Big O," Orbison was a Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, guitarist and a pioneer of rock and roll whose recording career spanned more than four decades
- Mac Percival â€" former professional football player for Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys
- Daryl Richardson (born April 12, 1990) â€" NFL running back for Cleveland Browns
- Eck Robertson (November 20, 1887 â€" February 15, 1975) â€" fiddle player, noted as first country musician to be commercially recorded (1922)
- Bernard Scott (born February 10, 1984) - former NFL running back for Cincinnati Bengals
- Kenneth Starr - lead prosecutor in Clinton impeachment and later president of Baylor University
- Jack Teagarden (August 20, 1905 â€" January 15, 1964) â€" influential jazz trombonist and vocalist
- Larson Hanks (born January 20, 1999) broke the record holding streak by being first Wrestling State Champion in 19 years and is the first UIL Wrestling State Champion.
1979 tornado
On April 10, 1979, Vernon and surrounding Wilbarger County were struck by an F4 tornado, a part of a large storm in the Red River Valley. Much of Vernon was damaged or destroyed, and eleven people were killed as the tornado passed through Foard and Wilbarger counties before it dissipated in a rural portion of Tillman County, Oklahoma. That same day, tornadoes also devastated the larger nearby cities of Wichita Falls, Texas, and Lawton, Oklahoma.
References
External links
- The Vernon Daily Record â€" Newspaper
- Vernon, Texas from the Handbook of Texas Online
- Vernon Chamber of Commerce
- Vernon College
- Vernon Independent School District
- Historic Vernon materials, hosted by the Portal to Texas History.