Terrell, Texas

History

Terrell developed as a railroad town, beginning in 1873 with the construction of the Texas and Pacific Railroad line. The town was named for Robert A. Terrell, a pioneer European-American settler whose farm lay on its western edge. He built an octagonal house on his property, called "Round House", to provide better defense against attacks by Native Americans. His house was later fitted with the first glass windows in the county. The community was incorporated in 1875. The first automobile appeared in 1899.

In 1892, Terrell was a sundown town that largely prohibited African Americans from living there.

The Terrell Military College was established in Terrell, operating until after World War II. Its campus was sited on part of the former Terrell farm and incorporated his historic Round House. In 1949, the Southern Bible Institute, based in Dallas and affiliated with the Churches of Christ, bought the military college property and transferred their operations here, renaming their institution Southwestern Christian College. It is a private, historically black college. The Round House has been preserved on campus, and is one of 20 such structures in the nation.

The headquarters of the 3rd Battalion, 144th Infantry Regiment of the Texas Army National Guard was also located in Terrell.

Geography

Terrell is located in northern Kaufman County. U.S. Route 80 passes through the city center, leading west to Dallas and east 15 mi to Wills Point. Interstate 20 passes through the south side of the city, leading west 19 mi to Interstate 635 in the southeastern suburbs of Dallas (Balch Springs) and east 27 mi to Canton. Texas State Highway 34 passes through the east side of Terrell, leading northeast 32 mi to Greenville and south 12 mi to Kaufman, the county seat.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Terrell has a total area of 51.8 km2, of which 0.9 km2, or 1.74%, is covered by 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, Terrell has a humid subtropical climate, Cfa on climate maps.

Demographics

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As of the 2020 United States census, 17,465 people, 6,023 households, and 4,111 families resided in the city.

Arts and culture

British Flying Training School

During World War II, the No. 1 British Flying Training School was located in Terrell. It was the first of six civilian flight schools in the United States dedicated to instructing British Royal Air Force (RAF) pilots during that war. This followed an international training concept similar to that previously implemented during World War I near Fort Worth at Camp Taliaferro.

Terrell Municipal Airport hosts the No. 1 British Flying Training School Museum, which has an extensive record of the school. In 2000, the museum was instrumental in honoring four RAF airmen who died in a crash during World War II. The four, flying from Terrell, encountered difficulties over the Kiamichi Mountains of Oklahoma. The AT6 Monument, whose dedication made international headlines with many from Terrell and the United Kingdom present, marks the spot of one of the crashes. City, state, and even international dignitaries gathered in Terrell on Friday, September 16, 2011, to mark the opening of the new Major William F. Long Terminal Building.

World War II veterans reunion

The City of Terrell, in partnership with the No. 1 British Flying Training School Museum, hosts an annual World War II veterans' reunion and air event on the first Saturday of October. This event draws attendees from all over the world. It presents numerous attractions such as vintage aircraft and military vehicles, skydiving, flight simulators, lectures, films, demonstrations, and activities for every member of the family. The reunion dinner and hangar dance are on Friday night, and the fly-in kicks off with a pancake breakfast on Saturday morning, followed by a ceremony and entertainment until the afternoon.

Terrell Jubilee

Terrell Jubilee, held the third weekend in April at Ben Gill Park, is a family celebration with a BBQ cook-off, museum tours, arts and crafts exhibition, carnival, live music, a quilt show, an auto show, and other attractions.

Education

Public school

The city is zoned to schools in Terrell Independent School District.

• Terrell High School (Grades 9–12)
• Herman Furlough, Jr. Middle School (Grades 6–8)
• Dr. Bruce Wood Intermediate School (Grades K–5) Serving the West Side of Terrell
• J.W. Long Elementary School (Grades K–5) Serving the East Side of Terrell
• Gilbert Willie Sr. Elementary School (Grades K–5)
• W.H. Burnett Early Childhood Center (Serving three- and four-year olds) In 2010, Terrell Independent School District voted to rezone the district into East and West for grades 3–6. The city is divided along Rockwall St. and then further down along a line with no specific boundary.

Colleges

Trinity Valley Community College operates the Kaufman County Campus in Terrell.

Southwestern Christian College is a private, historically black college affiliated with the Churches of Christ. It offers a four-year degree for ministerial studies, and two-year associate degrees in liberal arts and technical specialties.

Infrastructure

Health care

Terrell is the location of the Terrell State Hospital, a psychiatric inpatient hospital with 316 beds operated under the direction of the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Notable people

• Harry Ables, baseball player
• Betty Brown, politician
• Louis Conradt, attorney
• Robert H. Dennard, electrical engineer who invented DRAM and identified MOSFET scaling law (known as Dennard scaling)
• Jamie Foxx, two-time Grammy Award-winning musician and singer, and Academy Award-winning actor
• Lance Gooden, U.S. congressman since 2019
• Jimmy Harris, football defensive back and quarterback
• Kenoy Kennedy, football safety
• Willie B. Kennedy, second African-American member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors
• Brice McCain, football cornerback
• Laci Mosley, actress
• Cynthea Rhodes, a member of the US track & field team in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta
• Ricky Donnell "Freeway Ricky" Ross, former drug kingpin
• Randy Snow, tennis player
• C. J. Wilson, American football cornerback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears, and NC State
• Darrius Johnson, football cornerback, 2x Super Bowl champion, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs

Notes

References

References

1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
2. (April 2020}}{{cbignore). "2010 Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171) Summary File". [[United States Census Bureau]].
3. {{GNIS. 2412050
4. "Terrell city, Texas - Census Bureau Profile". U.S. Census Bureau.
5. "Terrell Texas". Terrell Chamber Of Commerce Convention & Visitors Bureau.
6. "Terrell, TX". Texas State Historical Association.
7. Long, John Sherman. (Summer 1975). "Texas in the Gilded Age". Southwest Review.
8. (July 22, 1892}} Reprinted in {{cite news). "Color Line at Elmo". San Saba County News.
9. [http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=98837&cityname=Terrell%2C+Texas%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Terrell, Texas]
10. "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2023". United States Census Bureau.
11. "Explore Census Data".
12. https://www.census.gov/ {{nonspecific. (August 2022)
13. "About the Hispanic Population and its Origin".
14. [http://web3.unt.edu/untpress/catalog/detail.cfm?ID=198 Killebrew, Tom: The Royal Air Force in Texas: Training British Pilots in Terrell during World War II ]
15. [http://www.bftsmuseum.org No. 1 British Flying Training School Museum website]
16. "City of Terrell Heritage Jubilee website".
17. "Terrell State Hospital website".
18. "TerrellHallOfFameInduction".