Rockwall, Texas

Last updated

Rockwall, Texas
City
City of Rockwall
Rockwall November 2015 08 (Rusk Street).jpg
Rusk Street in Rockwall
Rockwall County Texas Incorporated Areas Rockwall highlighted.svg
Location of Rockwall in Rockwall County, Texas
Coordinates: 32°55′01″N96°26′15″W / 32.91694°N 96.43750°W / 32.91694; -96.43750 [1]
Country United States
State Texas
County Rockwall
Government
 • Type Council-Manager
 •  City Council Mayor: Trace Johannesen
Mayor Pro Tem: Anna Campbell
Tim McCallum
Mark Moeller
Clarence Jorif
Sedric Thomas
Dennis Lewis
 •  City Manager Mary Smith
Area
[2]
 • Total29.97 sq mi (77.62 km2)
 • Land29.47 sq mi (76.33 km2)
 • Water0.50 sq mi (1.29 km2)  1.63%
Elevation
[1]
561 ft (171 m)
Population
 (2020) [3]
 • Total47,251
 • Density1,600/sq mi (610/km2)
Demonym(s) Rockwaller, Rockwallite, Rockwallian
Time zone UTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP codes
  • 75032
  • 75087
Area code(s) 214, 469, 945, 972
FIPS code 48-62828 [4]
GNIS feature ID2410982 [1]
Website www.rockwall.com

Rockwall is a city in Rockwall County, Texas, United States, which is part of the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. It is the county seat of Rockwall County. [5] The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that as of the 2020 census, Rockwall's population is 47,251, up from 45,888 in 2019. [6] The name Rockwall is derived from a naturally jointed geological formation, which has the appearance of an artificial wall. [7] [8]

Contents

History

The association of Paleo-Indian artifacts with extinct Pleistocene mammal remains in various archeological sites within the Texas Prairie-Savannah Region of eastern North Central Texas, including a site in Collin County, and Clovis points recovered from the Brushy Creek Clovis Site in Hunt County demonstrates that the Rockwall region was occupied by prehistoric Native American cultures at least as far back as 13,500 to 13,000 years ago. [9] [10] [11] More recently, the Rockwall region was occupied by Caddo Indians. Creek Indians moved to the area in the early 19th century.

In 1851, the first Anglo-American settlers moved to the area, and wells were dug. During the digging, they found large underground rock walls that were initially believed to be man-made. Later study of the wall-like features by geologists and archaeologists found them to be jointed, natural sandstone dikes that had intruded Cretaceous marl. [7] [8] The wall, when viewed from above, runs in long straight lines with angles that form a near perfect rectangle. The eastern wall has several deviations that run in straight lines with sharp angles, which would be unusual for a natural formation in an already unusual closed loop wall formation.

The town was established April 17, 1854 and named after these natural rock walls. While originally part of Kaufman County, in 1873, Rockwall County was formed with Rockwall being the county seat. [12]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 31.6 square miles (82 km2), of which 22.3 square miles (58 km2) is land and 0.4 square miles (1.0 km2) (1.63%) is water.

Rockwall is on the eastern shore of Lake Ray Hubbard, approximately 20 miles northeast of Dallas. It is on state highways 205 and 66, north of Interstate 30. [13]

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, Rockwall has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. [14]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1880 215—
1890 843292.1%
1900 1,24547.7%
1910 1,136−8.8%
1920 1,38822.2%
1930 1,074−22.6%
1940 1,31822.7%
1950 1,50113.9%
1960 2,16644.3%
1970 3,12144.1%
1980 5,93990.3%
1990 10,48676.6%
2000 17,97671.4%
2010 37,490108.6%
2020 47,25126.0%
U.S. Decennial Census [15]
Rockwall racial composition as of 2020 [16]
(NH = Non-Hispanic) [lower-alpha 1]
RaceNumberPercentage
White (NH)30,78665.15%
Black or African American (NH)3,7067.84%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)2050.43%
Asian (NH)1,7053.61%
Pacific Islander (NH)290.06%
Some Other Race (NH)1280.27%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH)2,0434.32%
Hispanic or Latino 8,64918.3%
Total47,251

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 47,251 people, 16,151 households, and 12,771 families residing in the city.

Government

Local government

The Rockwall County Courthouse in Rockwall Rockwall county tx courthouse 2014.jpg
The Rockwall County Courthouse in Rockwall

According to the city's most recent Comprehensive Annual Financial Report Fund Financial Statements, the city's various funds had $39.0 million in Revenues, $42.2 million in expenditures, $32.3 million in total assets, $3.6 million in total liabilities, and $25.9 million in investments. [19]

The structure of the management and coordination of city services is: [20]

DepartmentDirector
City ManagerMary Smith
Assistant City ManagerJoey Boyd
Director of Public Works/City EngineerAmy Williams, PE
Director of Parks and RecreationTravis Sales, MCPTM
Chief of PoliceEd Fowler
Fire ChiefKenneth Cullins
Director of PlanningRyan Miller, AICP

The city of Rockwall is a voluntary member of the North Central Texas Council of Governments association, the purpose of which is to coordinate individual and collective local governments and facilitate regional solutions, eliminate unnecessary duplication, and enable joint decisions.

State government

Rockwall is represented in the Texas Senate by Republican Bob Hall, District 2, [21] and in the Texas House of Representatives by Republican Justin Holland, House District 33. [22]

Federal government

At the Federal level, the two U.S. Senators from Texas are Republicans John Cornyn and Ted Cruz; Rockwall is part of Texas' 4th Congressional District, which is currently represented by Republican Pat Fallon.

Education

Public schools

The city is served by the Rockwall Independent School District. There are two public high schools in Rockwall: Rockwall High School and Rockwall-Heath High School. There are sixteen elementary schools and three middle schools in Rockwall.

Higher education

The city is home to the Higher Education Center at Rockwall, which is part of the community college district, Collin College. The campus is the District's first campus outside of Collin County itself. Texas A&M University-Commerce holds classes at the center.

Transportation

Rockwall is served by the following highways that run through the city:

Ralph M. Hall/Rockwall Municipal Airport is located two miles east of the city and is used mostly by small general aviation aircraft.

Sports

Rockwall offers many different sports complexes as well as activities. Airport Road boasts baseball fields, as well as the Landing Point complex containing the Texas International Fencing Center, zipline and dance facilities. The Rockwall Indoor Sports Expo is located on South 205. Lake Ray Hubbard has several boating marinas and is used for jet skiing.

Rockwall also offers 2 different Golf Courses within 17 miles of the center of Rockwall.

Notable people

In 2013, forensic geologist, Scott Wolter, on the television show America Unearthed, visited Rockwall to investigate the claims that the wall might have been manmade, and the conclusion of the episode was that the underground structure was natural and not man-made. [24] [ unreliable source? ]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rockwall County, Texas</span> County in Texas, United States

Rockwall County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. At 149 square miles, Rockwall County has the smallest area of any Texas county. Per the 2020 Census, its population was 107,819. Its county seat is Rockwall. The county and city are named for a wall-like subterranean rock formation that runs throughout the county.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kaufman County, Texas</span> County in Texas, United States

Kaufman County is a county in the northeastern area of the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 145,310. Its county seat is Kaufman. Both the county, established in 1848, and the city were named for David S. Kaufman, a U.S. Representative and diplomat from Texas. Kaufman County is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan statistical area.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lavon, Texas</span> City in Texas, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heath, Texas</span> City in Texas, United States

Heath is a city in Rockwall and Kaufman counties, Texas, United States. The population was 6,921 at the 2010 census, up from 4,149 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royse City, Texas</span> City in Texas, United States

Royse City is a city in Rockwall County in the U.S. state of Texas. It also extends into Collin and Hunt counties. The population was 2,957 at the 2000 census, rising to 9,349 in 2010. The estimated population in 2018 was 12,998. In 2020, its population grew to 13,508.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sachse, Texas</span> City in Texas, United States

Sachse is a city in Collin and Dallas counties in the U.S. state of Texas and is part of the DFW metroplex. A northeastern suburb of Dallas, the city population was 27,103, as of the 2020 census with an estimated population of 33, 768 people today. Sachse is located off Texas State Highway 78 and President George Bush Turnpike and is approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) north of the Firewheel Town Center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wylie, Texas</span> City in Texas, United States of America

Wylie is a city and northeastern suburb of Dallas, that was once solely located in Collin County, but now extends into neighboring Dallas and Rockwall counties in the U.S. state of Texas. It is located on State Route 78 about 24 miles (39 km) northeast of central Dallas and centrally located between nearby Lavon Lake and Lake Ray Hubbard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rowlett, Texas</span> City in Dallas and Rockwall counties in Texas, United States

Rowlett is a city in Dallas and Rockwall counties in Texas, United States, and an eastern suburb of Dallas. The total population estimate is 73,270 in 2021. It is a growing, upscale community with nearly $1.5 billion in development in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, located on Lake Ray Hubbard.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Texas</span> Geographic region of the U.S. state of Texas

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Rockwall". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. ↑ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  3. ↑ "State and County Quick Facts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  4. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  5. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  6. ↑ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Rockwall city, Texas; Rockwall County, Texas". www.census.gov. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
  7. 1 2 Monroe, J.N., 1950, Origin of the clastic dikes in the Rockwall area, Texas. Field and Laboratory. v. 18, no. 4, pp. 133-143.
  8. 1 2 Ellwood, B.B., J. Payne, and G.J. Long, 1989, The Rockwall, Texas: A study of unusual natural magnetic effects in geoarcheological surveys produced by mineral oxidation. Geoarchaeology. v. 4, no. 2, pp. 103-118.
  9. ↑ Crook, W.W. III, M.D. Hughston and J.L. McCraw, 2009, The Brushy Creek Clovis Site (41HU74): An Early Paleoindian Occupation in Hunt County, Texas. The Record, Dallas Archeological Society 56(1):1-18.
  10. ↑ Crook, W. W., III, 2011, A Possible Association of Worked Flakes with Probosidian Bones near Lake Lavon, Collin County, Texas. Archeological Journal of the Texas Prairie-Savannah 1(1):4-8.
  11. ↑ Ferring, C.R., 2000, The Archeology and Paleoecology of the Aubrey Clovis Site (41DN79) Denton County, Texas. Center for Environmental Archeology, Department of Geography, University of North Texas, Denton.
  12. ↑ Association, Texas State Historical. "Rockwall County". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  13. ↑ Rockwall, Texas, 7.5 Minute Topographic Quadrangle, USGS, 1963 (1973 rev)
  14. ↑ Climate Summary for Rockwall, Texas
  15. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved May 30, 2019.
  16. ↑ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  17. ↑ https://www.census.gov/ [ not specific enough to verify ]
  18. ↑ "About the Hispanic Population and its Origin". www.census.gov. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  19. ↑ City of Rockwall 2009 CAFR Archived 2011-07-15 at the Wayback Machine retrieved 2010-11-17
  20. ↑ "Comprehensive Annual Financial Report" (PDF). September 30, 2012. p. 19. Retrieved June 3, 2013.[ permanent dead link ]
  21. ↑ "Senator Bob Hall: District 2". Archived from the original on March 12, 2015. Retrieved April 24, 2015.
  22. ↑ "Texas House Member" . Retrieved April 24, 2015.
  23. ↑ Cliff Harris Football All-time Great & Author Retrieved 2018-04-16.
  24. ↑ "Great Wall of Texas". America Unearthed. Season 2. Episode 3. December 14, 2013. A&E Television Networks. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
  1. ↑ Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race. [17] [18]
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