Dalhart, Texas

History

Founded in 1901, Dalhart is named for its location on the border of Dallam and Hartley counties; its name is a portmanteau of the names of the two counties. The city was founded at the site of a railroad junction, which heavily contributed to its early growth.

Dalhart was in the center of the Dust Bowl, an area adversely affected by a long period of drought and dust storms during the Great Depression of the 1930s. It was here that Tex Thornton operating on the now debunked concussion theory coaxed today's inflation-adjusted equivalent of $1 million from the locals on claims he could fire rocket-powered explosives into the clouds and cause rain.

At the Dallam County Courthouse, Dalhart honors the memory of James R. Fox, Jr. (March 16, 1919—March 11, 1943), who flew supplies to China for Pan American Airways, then a joint Chinese and American company, during World War II through the treacherous Hump Route. Fox and his two Chinese copilots were killed when their Douglas C-52 cargo plane crashed. In 2002, the Peoples Republic of China made a bronze bust in Fox's honor and presented it to Dalhart.

Geography

Dalhart is located in northwestern Texas at 36°3′39″N 102°31′7″W (36.060856, −102.518656). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.8 square miles (12.4 km²), of which 0.01 square miles (0.03 km²), or 0.21%, is water.

Dalhart sits at the intersection of U.S. Highway 87, 385, and 54. Two miles south of Dalhart is Rita Blanca Canyon, site of Rita Blanca Lake State Park.

Dalhart is located closer to six other state capitals than to Texas' capital of Austin. In surface mileage (over major highways), Dalhart is 570 miles (920 km) from Austin, but is 261 miles (420 km) from Santa Fe, New Mexico, 313 miles (504 km) from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 348 miles (560 km) from Denver, Colorado, 448 miles (721 km) from Cheyenne, Wyoming, 461 miles (742 km) from Topeka, Kansas, and 544 miles (875 km) from Lincoln, Nebraska.

As the "crow flies," Dalhart is 491 miles (790 km) from Austin, but 201 miles (323 km) from Santa Fe, 281 miles (452 km) from Oklahoma City, 289 miles (465 km) from Denver, 375 miles (604 km) from Cheyenne, 434 miles (698 km) from Topeka, and 458 miles (737 km) from Lincoln.

Climate

Dalhart experiences a semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk) with cool, dry winters and hot summers. Depending on the standard consulted, Dalhart's climate is classified as semi-arid or steppe. The average annual rainfall of less than 16 inches strongly influences both Dalhart's ecological climate and agricultural practices, especially center-pivot irrigation.

Demographics

In December 2015, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer voted Dalhart No. 8 of the ten "most conservative" cities in the United States in regard to campaign contributions. Other West Texas communities in the most conservative lineup are Hereford (No. 1), Monahans (No. 5), and Childress (No. 9). In contrast, El Cerrito, California, was named the "most liberal" city in the nation regarding political donations.

2010 Census

As of the 2010 Census, Dalhart had a population of 7,930 living in 2,957 housing locations. 50.3% of the population was male, with 49.7% being female. The census revealed that 28.9% of the population was under the age of 18, while 12.4% of citizens were over the age of 65. With an area of 4.78 square miles, the City of Dalhart has a population density of 1659.0 persons/square mile.

Census data showed that 84.0% of the population identified as white, while 1.2% identified as Black/African American, 0.7% identified as Asian, 0.9% identified as Native American, and 0.1% were Pacific Islander. 10.5% of the remaining population identified themselves as some other race, while 2.5% considered themselves to be of two or more races. 34.0% of the population identified themselves as Hispanic or Latino of any race.

In 2010, 9.9% of the population identified as being foreign-born, with 25.4% of households in Dalhart speaking a primary language other than English at home. Data demonstrated that 79.6% of residents over 25 had earned at least a High School Diploma, while 16.4% had obtained a bachelor's degree or higher.

Over the 4-year period between 2007-2011, the median (middle) household income was $53,210, with a larger mean (average) household income of $69,190. The median per-capita income was found to be $24,979. The census showed that 6.4% of the population lived below the federal poverty line, and 3.4% of the population was unemployed. 71.1% of Dalhart residents owned a home, with the median home value being $91,800. As of 2010, 829 businesses were registered in the city.

Economy

Dalhart's economy is centered around agribusiness, including farming, ranching, feedlot operations, large scale pig farms, and, more recently a cheese processing plant. Dalhart is also home to a state prison.

During the peak operating period of the XIT Ranch, the land was in native grass. Some land was diverted into dry farmland, but there was insufficient rain to make it productive. A few irrigation wells were drilled in areas where the soil was not sandy and was level enough for row irrigation. Later, center pivot irrigation, credited to Colorado farmer Frank Zybach in 1949, was introduced and was found to be ideal for the area's rolling sandy soils. About the same time frame, large feedlots were built due to the low-humidity climate. This created a good market for corn, which is the major crop grown by farmers in the area.

In the mid-2000s, a combination of tax incentives, Texas' relatively unrestricted environmental regulations and Dalhart's existing agricultural infrastructure attracted industrial dairy farms to the city's economic sphere. In 2007, Hilmar Cheese Company of California capitalized on the resulting milk availability, opening a major production plant in Dalhart. Texas Governor Rick Perry visited Dalhart to speak at the company's official welcoming ceremony, reiterating the company's projection that 2000 new jobs would be created in the region by the emerging dairy product production industry. This factory and the surrounding dairies are a significant emerging subsector of Dalhart's established agribusiness culture.

The international agribusiness company Cargill owns a 21,500-acre hog production site near Dalhart.

Annual cultural events

Dalhart is known as the "XIT City" because of its relationship with the historic XIT Ranch. The ranch was a 3,000,000-acre (12,000 km²) plot of land traded in exchange for the construction of the Texas State Capitol in Austin. The ranch was dissolved in 1912, but its history is celebrated with the city's XIT Museum and the XIT Rodeo and Reunion. Held annually on the first full Thursday through Sunday weekend of August, the event includes the world's largest free barbecue, junior rodeo as well as Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association events, and three nights of live music. The Empty Saddle Monument, located at the crossroads of Dalhart, was constructed in 1940 at the request of Bobby Dycke, the wife of a ranch hand, to recognize the contribution of the XIT cowboys to the history of the region.

The Muscle Car Party Weekend is held each year in May, and includes a classic car show, bicycle drag races and dinner and dance. The events are sponsored by the Dalhart Cruzers Car Club, and each year the club raffles a classic car.

Education

The Dalhart Independent School District serves the city of Dalhart. The district has an elementary school, intermediate school, junior high school and high school. Students attend Dalhart High School, which competes athletically and scholastically in District 1 Division 3A of Texas' University Interscholastic League. In 2012, Frank Phillips College opened a branch in Dalhart, offering both credit and community education classes.

Media

The Dalhart Texan was established in 1901, and is published in Dalhart. The newspaper is currently published twice a week and has been owned by the Hogue Family for the past sixty consecutive years. Susan Hogue Clay is the present owner and publisher.

Prison system

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice's Dalhart Unit prison is located in unincorporated Hartley County, near Dalhart.