Granbury is a city in and the county seat of
Hood County, Texas
Hood County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 61,598. Its county seat is Granbury. The county is named for John Bell Hood, a Confederate lieutenant general and the c ...
, United States.
As of the
2020 census, the city's population was 10,958, and it is the principal city of the
Granbury micropolitan statistical area. Granbury is named after Confederate General Hiram B. Granbury.
Granbury started as a square and log cabin courthouse. Many buildings on the square are now registered historic landmarks, including the Granbury Opera House, which still hosts "Broadway" productions. The city's name originated from
Confederate
Confederacy or confederate may refer to:
States or communities
* Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities
* Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...
General
Hiram B. Granberry. To explain why the city name is spelled differently, some scholars believe the name Granberry was misread on a document. Recent findings conclude that Granberry chose to spell his name Granbury.
A recent expansion of the city was made possible by building a
Brazos River
The Brazos River ( , ), called the ''Río de los Brazos de Dios'' (translated as "The River of the Arms of God") by early Spanish explorers, is the 11th-longest river in the United States at from its headwater source at the head of Blackwater Dr ...
dam in 1969, which formed
Lake Granbury
Lake Granbury is a North Texas reservoir near Granbury, Texas. It was created in 1969 and is one of three lakes damming the Brazos River.
Lake Granbury is contained by the De Cordova Bend Dam and is a long, narrow lake, encompassed by 103 mile ...
, a long, narrow lake that flows through the city.
History
The
Fort Worth and Rio Grande Railway
The Fort Worth and Rio Grande Railway, chartered under the laws of Texas on June 1, 1885, was part of a plan conceived by Buckley Burton Paddock and other Fort Worth civic leaders to create a transcontinental route linking New York, Fort Worth, ...
, building towards
Brownwood from Fort Worth, reached Granbury in 1887. In the 20th century, the line was owned successively by the
Frisco Railway
Frisco may refer to:
Places in the United States
*Frisco, Alabama, an unincorporated community
*San Francisco, California, as a nickname
*Frisco, Colorado, a home rule municipality
**Frisco Historic Park – see Frisco Schoolhouse
* Frisco, Idaho ...
, the
Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often referred to as the Santa Fe or AT&SF, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The railroad was chartered in February 1859 to serve the cities of Atchison and Topeka, Kansas, and S ...
, and the
South Orient Railroad before being acquired by the
Fort Worth and Western Railroad
The Fort Worth and Western Railroad is a Class III short-line railroad headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. Operating only within the state of Texas, its main freight service route is between Carrollton, Fort Worth and Brownwood.
History
Much ...
in 1999.
On May 15, 2013, a
tornado
A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. It is often referred to as a twister, whirlwind or cyclone, altho ...
with a preliminary rating of
EF4
The Enhanced Fujita scale (abbreviated as EF-Scale) rates tornado intensity based on the severity of the damage they cause. It is used in some countries, including the United States, Canada, China, and Mongolia.
The Enhanced Fujita scale repla ...
struck Granbury, leaving six confirmed deaths and at least 100 homes damaged. Approximately 48 injured people were treated at Lake Granbury Medical Center. The tornado was a part of the
Tornado outbreak of May 15–17, 2013
The tornado outbreak of May 15–17, 2013 was a small but intense and deadly tornado outbreak that produced several damaging tornadoes in northern Texas, south-central Oklahoma, northern Louisiana, and northern Alabama. In mid-May 2013, an up ...
in Texas and Oklahoma.
Geography
Granbury is located along
US Route 377
U.S. Route 377 (US 377) is a north–south United States highway. Originally formed as a short spur to connect Denton, Texas with Fort Worth, Texas, it has since been extended to Oklahoma and Mexico.
Route description
Texas
The sout ...
approximately 30 miles southwest of
Fort Worth
Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, covering nearly into four other counties: Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise. According ...
. The
Brazos River
The Brazos River ( , ), called the ''Río de los Brazos de Dios'' (translated as "The River of the Arms of God") by early Spanish explorers, is the 11th-longest river in the United States at from its headwater source at the head of Blackwater Dr ...
flows past the east side of the city within Lake Granbury. According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has a total area of , of which 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
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
, Granbury has a
humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
, ''Cfa'' on climate maps.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the
2020 United States census
The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
, there were 10,958 people, 4,602 households, and 2,813 families residing in the city.
2010 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2010, 7,978 people, 3,559 households, and 1,927 families were residing in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 619.1 people/sq mi (239.0/km
2). The 4,419 housing units averaged 342.9/sq mi (132.4/km
2). The city's
racial makeup
A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...
was 93.75% White, 0.71% African American, 0.71% Native American, 1.14% Asian or Pacific Islander, 2.11% from other races, and 1.58% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 8.57% of the population.
Of the 3,559 households, 27.0% had children under 18 living with them, 48.4% were married couples, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.0% were not families. About 34.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.7% had someone who was 65 or older living alone. The average household size was 2.20, and the average family size was 2.83.
In the city, the age distribution was 21.0% under 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 23.4% 65 or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and over, there were 77.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,952, and for a family was $45,451. Males had a median income of $34,625 versus $25,721 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $19,801. About 5.0% of families and 9.6% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 4.6% of those under age 18 and 14.9% of those ages 65 or over.
Education
The
Granbury Independent School District consists of 21 campuses. They include
Granbury High School
Granbury High School is a public high school located in the city of Granbury, Texas, United States and classified as a 5A school by the University Interscholastic League (UIL). It is part of the Granbury Independent School District which serves s ...
, STARS Academy, Behavior Transition Center, Granbury Middle School, Acton Middle School, Mambrino STEAM Academy, Brawner Intermediate, Oak Woods Elementary, Acton Elementary, Nettie Baccus Elementary, and Emma Roberson Elementary. Granbury has been a 5A district since 2008. Also, a
Happy Hill Farm Academy
North Central Texas Academy (NCTA) is a boarding, day, and international Christian school, located on a 500-acre campus known as Happy Hill Farm. It is fully accredited ( K-12) by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and is a ...
home is in the district. In 1999, boys' soccer won the 4A state championship in Texas.
Media
Granbury and Hood County are part of the
Dallas
Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...
/Fort Worth television media market in North Central Texas. Local news media outlets are
KDFW-TV
KDFW (channel 4) is a television station licensed to Dallas, Texas, United States, broadcasting the Fox network to the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It is owned and operated by the network's Fox Television Stations division alongside MyNe ...
,
KXAS-TV
KXAS-TV (channel 5) is a television station licensed to Fort Worth, Texas, United States, broadcasting NBC programming to the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It is owned-and-operated station, owned and operated by the network's NBC Owned Televis ...
,
WFAA-TV
WFAA (channel 8) is a television station licensed to Dallas, Texas, United States, serving the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex as an affiliate of ABC. It is owned by Tegna Inc. alongside Decatur-licensed Estrella TV affiliate KMPX (channel 29) ...
,
KTVT-TV,
KERA-TV
KERA-TV (channel 13) is a PBS member television station licensed to Dallas, Texas, United States, serving the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex. Owned by North Texas Public Broadcasting, Inc., it is sister to National Public Radio (NPR) member statio ...
,
KTXA-TV
KTXA (channel 21) is an independent television station in Fort Worth, Texas, United States, serving the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It is owned by the CBS News and Stations group alongside Fort Worth–based CBS station KTVT (channel 11). ...
,
KDFI-TV
KDFI (channel 27), branded on-air as Fox 4 More or More 27, is a television station licensed to Dallas, Dallas, Texas, United States, broadcasting MyNetworkTV to the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It is owned-and-operated station, owned and opera ...
,
KDAF-TV
KDAF (channel 33) is a television station licensed to Dallas, Texas, United States, serving the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex with programming from The CW. It is owned and operated by network majority owner Nexstar Media Group (based in near ...
,
KFWD-TV, and
KDTX-TV
KDTX-TV, virtual channel 58 (UHF digital channel 21), is a Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) owned-and-operated television station licensed to Dallas, Texas, United States, and serving the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The station's studios ar ...
. Granbury is also served by a local Public Education and Government Access Channel Granbury TV. Two news media sources serve Hood County, ''Hood County Free Press'',
''Hood County Free Press''
/ref> an online daily news publication, and the biweekly newspaper ''Hood County News''. Granbury is also served by Tarleton State University
Tarleton State University is a public university with its main campus in Stephenville, Texas. It is a founding member of the Texas A&M University System and enrolled over 14,000 students in the fall of 2020.
History
John Tarleton Agricultural ...
's National Public Radio affiliate, KTRL 90.5 FM.
Infrastructure
Granbury is served by Granbury Regional Airport (GDJ). The neighborhood of Pecan Plantation has a municipal airport that operates only recreational flights.
Notable people
* Leta Andrews
Leta Mae Rains Andrews (born July 7, 1937) is a retired American high school basketball coach who holds the record for the most wins by a high school basketball coach.
Biography
Andrews was born near Granbury and graduated from Granbury High Sc ...
, the high school basketball coach with the most wins in the country
* Brian Birdwell, Texas State Senator
The Texas Senate ( es, Senado de Texas) is the upper house of the Texas Legislature, Texas State Legislature. There are 31 members of the Senate, representing single-member districts across the U.S. state of Texas, with populations of approximate ...
, assumed this office in June 2010
* Cynthia Brants, artist and member of the Fort Worth Circle
* Bill Garrett, former PGA Tour
The PGA Tour (stylized in all capital letters as PGA TOUR by its officials) is the organizer of professional golf tours in the United States and North America. It organizes most of the events on the flagship annual series of tournaments also k ...
golfer
* Peter Mayhew
Peter William Mayhew (19 May 1944 – 30 April 2019) was a British-American actor. He was best known for portraying Chewbacca in the ''Star Wars'' film series. He played the character in all of his live-action appearances from the 1977 origin ...
, British actor who played Chewbacca
Chewbacca ( ), nicknamed "Chewie", is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He is a Wookiee, a tall, hirsute, bipedal, intelligent species originating from the fictional planet of Kashyyyk. Chewbacca is the loyal friend and firs ...
in the ''Star Wars
''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop-culture Cultural impact of S ...
'' films; formerly lived in Granbury
* Andy Parker, drummer for the English rock group UFO
An unidentified flying object (UFO), more recently renamed by US officials as a UAP (unidentified aerial phenomenon), is any perceived aerial phenomenon that cannot be immediately identified or explained. On investigation, most UFOs are id ...
; resides in Granbury
* Jia Perkins
Jia Dorene Perkins (born February 23, 1982) is an American retired professional basketball player. She announced her retirement after the 2017 season when the Lynx won the WNBA championship. She was born in Newburgh, New York. She moved to Granbu ...
, San Antonio Silver Stars
The San Antonio Stars were a professional basketball team based in San Antonio, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team was founded in Salt Lake City, Utah, as the Utah Starzz before the ...
basketball player
* Johnny Perkins
John Eugene Perkins (April 21, 1953 – April 25, 2007) was an American football wide receiver in the National Football League who spent his entire career with the New York Giants. Perkins was born in Franklin, Texas. He played college football ...
, New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
professional football player; attended Granbury High School
* Nellie Gray Robertson, first female county attorney
In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or state attorney is the chief prosecutor and/or chief law enforcement officer representing a U.S. state in a loc ...
in Texas; born in Granbury and elected Hood County attorney in 1918
* Dave Smith, former Oklahoma State Cowboys
The Oklahoma State Cowboys and Cowgirls are the college athletics in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Oklahoma State University–Stillwater, Oklahoma State University, located in Stillwater, Oklahoma, Stillwater. ...
and SMU Mustangs
The SMU Mustangs are the athletic teams that represent Southern Methodist University in University Park, Texas, United States. The Mustangs were founded in 1911 and joined the Southwest Conference, competing against Baylor, Rice, Texas, Texa ...
head coach
* Dana Vollmer
Dana Whitney Vollmer (born November 13, 1987) is a former American competition swimmer, five-time Olympic gold medalist, and former world record-holder. At the 2004 Summer Olympics, she won a gold medal as a member of the winning United States ...
, Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer
* Robert Williamson III, poker player, grew up in Granbury and graduated from Granbury High School
References
External links
*
{{authority control
Cities in Hood County, Texas
Cities in Texas
County seats in Texas
Granbury micropolitan area
Populated places established in 1860
2013 in Texas
1860 establishments in Texas