Omaha, Texas

Geography

Omaha is located at 33°11′N 94°45′W (33.1816, -94.7422).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²), all of it land.

History

This area of Texas had been lightly settled under Spanish and Mexican rule. It was primarily settled after annexation by the United States by migrants from the South, many of whom arrived before the American Civil War. In that period, farmers had established cotton plantations. It was also an area of pine forests.

Omaha was first named as Morristown in 1880 by former Confederate Lieutenant Thompson Morris; it was stop on the new St. Louis Southwestern Railway, which spurred the town's development as a trading center. The US Post Office had changed the name to Gavett. In 1886, a group of seven men from Randolph County, Alabama drew names from a hat to pick a new name; the winner, Hugh Ellis, was allowed to rename the settlement after a town in his home state, and he chose Omaha.

"By 1890 Omaha had three churches, a school, a weekly newspaper, and a population of 450." The town was incorporated in 1914. A new enterprise of raising vegetable-plant seedlings for sale developed in the area. During the twentieth century, Omaha was the site of a shipping operation that sent millions of these seedlings to destinations throughout the United States. "In 1980 it had a population of 960 and twenty-three rated businesses", reaching nearly 1,000 by the end of the 20th century.

Notable residents

Demographics

At the 2000 census, there were 1001 people, 389 households and 264 families residing in the city. The population density was 851.6 per square mile (329.7/km²). There were 438 housing units at an average density of 373.4 per square mile (144.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 76.98% White, 20.02% African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.50% Pacific Islander, 1.40% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.60% of the population.

There were 389 households of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.1% were married couples living together, 15.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.95.

24.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 22.4% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 23.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 75.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 71.5 males.

The median household income was $25,724 and the median family income was $30,865. Males had a median income of $28,750 versus $17,750 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,750. About 18.3% of families and 24.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.0% of those under age 18 and 13.3% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The City of Omaha is served by the Pewitt Consolidated Independent School District.