Richardson, Texas
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Richardson is a city located in Dallas County and Collin County, Texas. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 91,802.
The city of Buckingham, after being completely surrounded by Richardson, was annexed into the city in 1996.
A charitable trust called the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, which was based in Richardson, was shut down in 2001, as it was accused of funding Hamas.
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History
In the 1840s, settlers from Tennessee and Kentucky began arriving in the Richardson area which was inhabited by Comanche and Caddo Native American tribes. Several of the earliest families clustered around an area later named Breckinridge in honor of John C. Breckenridge, Vice President of the United States from 1857-1861. The town was situated near what is now Richland College and consisted of a general store, a blacksmith shop and the Floyd Inn.
After the American Civil War, the new railroad bypassed Breckinridge and an area to the northwest of Breckinridge became the new center of activity. William J. Wheeler donated land for the town site and railroad right-of-way, but declined to have the village named in his honor. Instead the town was named for railroad contractor E. H. Richardson, who built the line from Dallas, Texas to Denison, Texas.
Richardson was chartered in 1873. Originally, there were three businesses: a general store, a post office and a drug store. In 1908 the Interurban, an electric railway, began service north to Denison, Texas, south to Waco, Texas, southeast to Corsicana, Texas and west to Fort Worth, Texas. By 1910, residents had seen their first telephone, electric light and gravel street, and had grown in number to about 600. In 1914, a red brick schoolhouse, presently home to the administrative offices of the Richardson Independent School District (http://www.risd.org/) (RISD), was built.
In 1924, the Red Brick Road (Greenville Avenue) was completed, bringing an increase in traffic, population and property values. The following year the town incorporated and elected its first mayor, Thomas F. McKamy. All taxable property was assessed at a value of $515,292, and a total of 15 businesses were in operation. Bonds were issued and in 1926, waterworks were completed so homes could be furnished with indoor water. A sewage treatment plant was then constructed, the volunteer fire department began operating and, soon after, utility franchises were awarded to Lone Star Gas and Texas Power and Light Company. By 1940, the population stood at about 740 but after World War II, the city experienced a new surge in population. By 1950, the city boasted a population of approximately 1,300. Additional municipal services, such as emergency ambulance, police protection and parks and recreation facilities, became available to residents.
In 1951, Collins Radio opened a Richardson office, ushering the city into the electronic era. U.S. Highway 75 opened in 1954 and the agricultural city of the past became a community of shopping centers and homes. In 1955, Richardson’s first police department was organized; consisting of a chief and two officers. On June 26, 1956, voters adopted a home rule charter and a council-manager form of government that still operates today. Door-to-door mail delivery became available to the 5,000 residents and funds were approved for a park and city hall. Also in 1956, Texas Instruments opened its offices just south of the Richardson border and land values increased dramatically as the city made significant advances in population and economic status. More than 500,000 people moved into the Dallas area in the period between 1940 and 1960.
In 1969, Erik Jonsson and other Texas Instruments executives donated the Southwest Center for Advanced Studies to the state and it became part of the University of Texas System called University of Texas at Dallas. In 1972, the population stood at approximately 56,000, and this same year the Richardson Independent School District (http://www.risd.org/) had an enrollment of approximately 32,000 students in 16 elementary schools, seven junior high schools and four high schools.
Today the city is no longer the bedroom community of the ’50s and ’60s, but is itself at the heart of a significant employment center, the Telecom Corridor, where more than 80,000 people work each day. The Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) started construction on three light rail stations for the city in the late 1990s.
In the spring of 2000, City of Richardson officials broke ground on the Eisemann Center for Performing Arts and Corporate Presentations (http://www.eisemanncenter.com/) at the Galatyn Park Station urban center, named after Richardson philanthropist and businessman Charles W. Eisemann.
== Geography ==--69.152.114.46 20:35, 19 Jun 2005 (UTC)--69.152.114.46 20:35, 19 Jun 2005 (UTC)
TXMap-doton-Richardson.PNG
Richardson is located at 32°57'56" North, 96°42'57" West (32.965628, -96.715707)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 74.0 km² (28.6 mi²). None of the area is covered with water.
Most of the city is located in Dallas County, however the northernmost part of the city is in Collin County.
Education
The city is served by the Richardson Independent School District, except for the portion of the city located in Collin County, which is served by the Plano ISD. High schools include J.J. Pearce High School.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 91,802 people, 35,191 households, and 24,774 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,241.1/km² (3,213.9/mi²). There are 36,530 housing units at an average density of 493.8/km² (1,278.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 75.39% White, 6.18% African American, 0.45% Native American, 11.67% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 3.65% from other races, and 2.60% from two or more races. 10.26% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 35,191 households out of which 33.7% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.1% are married couples living together, 8.9% have a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% are non-families. 22.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 5.5% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.59 and the average family size is 3.07.
In the city the population is spread out with 24.8% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.0% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 36 years. For every 100 females there are 97.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 95.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $62,392, and the median income for a family is $72,876. Males have a median income of $52,381 versus $35,255 for females. The per capita income for the city is $29,551. 6.3% of the population and 3.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 6.4% of those under the age of 18 and 3.4% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
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