Mansfield, Texas
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Mansfield is a suburban city in the
U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...
of
Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
, and is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The city is located mostly in Tarrant County, with small parts in Ellis and
Johnson Johnson may refer to: People and fictional characters *Johnson (surname), a common surname in English * Johnson (given name), a list of people * List of people with surname Johnson, including fictional characters *Johnson (composer) (1953–2011) ...
counties. Its location is approximately 30 miles from Dallas and 20 miles from Fort Worth, and is adjacent to Arlington. As of the 2020 census, the population was 72,602, up from 56,368 in 2010.


History

The first wave of European settlers arrived in the rolling
Cross Timbers The term Cross Timbers, also known as Ecoregion 29, Central Oklahoma/Texas Plains, is used to describe a strip of land in the United States that runs from southeastern Kansas across Central Oklahoma to Central Texas. Made up of a mix of prairi ...
country of north central Texas in the 1840s. Primarily of Scotch-Irish origins, these pioneer farmers came for the most part from southern states, following the frontier as it shifted west of the
Mississippi Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...
. They entered an area where Native Americans had been living for thousands of years. The
Comanche The Comanche (), or Nʉmʉnʉʉ (, 'the people'), are a Tribe (Native American), Native American tribe from the Great Plains, Southern Plains of the present-day United States. Comanche people today belong to the List of federally recognized tri ...
posed a serious threat to the settlers, and in 1849, the U.S. Army established
Fort Worth Fort Worth is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Tarrant County, Texas, Tarrant County, covering nearly into Denton County, Texas, Denton, Johnson County, Texas, Johnson, Parker County, Texas, Parker, and Wise County, Te ...
to protect the farms along the sparsely populated frontier. The area southeast of the fort (and of the Trinity River) was well protected and presumably fairly well settled by the early 1850s. In one well-documented case, eight related families migrated to the area in 1853 from
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...
. Three of the four Gibson brothers in this group established homesteads about northwest of present-day Mansfield. This settlement, which became known as the Gibson Community, included a school and a church building by 1860. When Ralph Sandiford Man and Julian Feild arrived around 1856 and built a
grist mill A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and Wheat middlings, middlings. The term can refer to either the grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist is grain that h ...
at the crossroads that was to become the center of Mansfield, the beginnings of the community probably existed in the oak groves bordering Walnut Creek (originally called Cedar Bluff Creek). The Walnut Creek Congregation of the
Cumberland Presbyterian Church The Cumberland Presbyterian Church is a Presbyterian denomination spawned by the Second Great Awakening. Matthew H. Gore, The History of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Kentucky to 1988, (Memphis, Tennessee: Joint Heritage Committee, 2000 ...
had organized itself in 1854. Members met in each other's homes, so it is suspected that there was a cluster of houses in the area. In 1856, Julian Feild purchased in the Mansfield area. Man and Feild completed their three-story brick grist mill sometime between 1856 and 1859. The mill, which produced flour and meal, was the first built in North Texas to utilize steam power and enjoyed patronage as far south as
San Antonio San Antonio ( ; Spanish for " Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the third-largest metropolitan area in Texas and the 24th-largest metropolitan area in the ...
and as far north as
Oklahoma Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...
. The location of the mill in southeastern Tarrant County perhaps reflects the advanced state of wheat cultivation in the area and the ready availability of wood to feed the mill's steam boilers. Feild opened a general merchandise store at the same time as the mill, located across Broad Street. He built a log house for his family, which also served as an inn for travelers and customers. By 1860, the nucleus of the future city existed. The first post office was established that year, with Julian Feild as postmaster. During the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
, the Man and Feild Mill supplied meal and flour to the
Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the Military forces of the Confederate States, military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) duri ...
, hauling it to
Shreveport, Louisiana Shreveport ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is the List of municipalities in Louisiana, third-most populous city in Louisiana after New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Baton Rouge. The bulk of Shreveport is in Caddo Parish, Lo ...
, and
Jefferson City, Missouri Jefferson City, informally Jeff City, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital of the U.S. state of Missouri. It had a population of 43,228 at the 2020 United States census, ranking as the List of cities in Missouri, 16th most popu ...
. As was common practice, the owners
tithe A tithe (; from Old English: ''teogoþa'' "tenth") is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Modern tithes are normally voluntary and paid in money, cash, cheques or v ...
d ten percent of the mill's production to the Confederacy. The small community around the mill was unique in Tarrant County in that it prospered throughout the Civil War. "Feild's Freighters", assembled in ox-drawn wagon trains, went as far as
Fort Sill Fort Sill is a United States Army post north of Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles (137 km) southwest of Oklahoma City. It covers almost . The fort was first built during the Indian Wars. It is designated as a National Historic Landmark a ...
, Oklahoma, where a part of the
Indian Wars The American Indian Wars, also known as the American Frontier Wars, and the Indian Wars, was a conflict initially fought by European colonial empires, the United States, and briefly the Confederate States of America and Republic of Texas agains ...
raged in the
southern plains The Great Plains is a broad expanse of flatland in North America. The region stretches east of the Rocky Mountains, much of it covered in prairie, steppe, and grassland. They are the western part of the Interior Plains, which include the mix ...
in the late 1860s and 1870s. The prospering community which had grown up around the Man and Feild mill took on the name of "Mansfeild", a combination of the names of the founders. Repeated misspellings over the years resulted in the acceptance of the conventional spelling of "Mansfield." The town incorporated in 1890, continuing to be a hub for the surrounding farmland. In 1956, a federal court ordered the Mansfield Independent School District to desegregate; the first such order in Texas. Protests by 300 whites in front of Mansfield High School, to prevent three black students from enrolling, touched off one of the longest-running desegregation battles of the Civil Rights Movement. Mansfield's school quietly desegregated in 1965 as it faced a lack of federal funds.


Geography

According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.12%, is water.


Demographics

According to the 2020 United States census, there were 72,602 people, 22,760 households, and 18,066 families residing in the city. The racial and ethnic makeup as of 2020 was 49.04% non-Hispanic white, 21.4% African American, 0.35% Native American, 5.48% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.46% some other race, 4.72% multiracial, and 18.49% Hispanic or Latino of any race. The racial and ethnic composition of the population in 2010 was 64.4% non-Hispanic white, 14.2% black or African American, 0.6% Native American, 1.5% Vietnamese, 2.2% other Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.2% non-Hispanic from some other race, 2.8% from two or more races and 15.4% Hispanic or Latino. 5,996 of the city's population are foreign-born.


Economy

According to information released by the city government, the largest employers of Mansfield as of 2021 were:


Arts and culture

Established in 1917, Farr Best Theater is the city's historical venue for concerts, musical revue and live performances. Even though ownership of the theater has changed hands many times since its inception, the Farr family still resides in Mansfield. The Mansfield Historical Museum chronicles the city's history from a prairie outpost in the past to a thriving community now. Hawaiian Falls Water Park is a destination during the hot summer months; while Historic Mansfield is being revitalized to be a year-round destination. Downtown hosts annual festivals such as the Hot Beats and Cold Brews Festival, the Hometown Holiday Parade and
St. Patrick's Day Saint Patrick's Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick (), is a religious and cultural holiday held on 17 March, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick (), the foremost patron saint of Ireland. Saint Patrick's Day was made an official Chri ...
Pickle Parade, due to the BestMaid Pickles companies operations in the city.. Mansfield has an extensive park system including 11 parks, of hiking/biking trail, an nature park, an activity center, and four athletics fields. Mansfield also has two renowned golf courses: Mansfield National Golf Course and Walnut Creek Country Club.


Education

The Mansfield Independent School District includes all portions of Mansfield in Tarrant and Johnson counties. The portion in Ellis County is zoned to the Midlothian Independent School District. The high schools in the district are Mansfield High School,
Mansfield Summit High School Mansfield Summit High School is a size 5A secondary school located in Arlington, Texas, and is part of the Mansfield Independent School District. The school serves a portion of Arlington. The school first opened in the Fall of 2002. As of 2024, ...
, Mansfield Timberview High School, Mansfield Legacy High School, Frontier High School , Mansfield Lake Ridge High School, Mansfield Early College High School, and the Alternative Education Center consisting of the ACE program and the BIC program. There are 24 elementary schools, seven intermediate schools, and seven middle school and the Jerry Knight STEM Academy (6-8th Grades). The district's athletic facilities are the Vernon Newsom Stadium and MISD Natatorium which make up the MISD Multi-Purpose Athletics Complex and the RL Anderson Football Stadium. The Center for Performing Arts consists of two venues: the 5,500-seat Claude H. Cunningham Performance Hall and the John Washington Professional Development Center. Tarrant County residents are zoned to Tarrant County College (formerly Tarrant County Junior College). Portions in Ellis County are zoned to Navarro College. Portions in Johnson County are zoned to
Hill College Hill College is a public community college in Hillsboro, Texas. It opened in 1923. History The authorization to establish Hill College was issued in 1921 by the Attorney General of the State of Texas under the name of Hillsboro Junior Colle ...
.


Mansfield school desegregation incident


Infrastructure


Highways

* SH 360 *
US 287 U.S. Route 287 (US 287) is a north–south (physically northwest–southeast) United States highway. At long, it is the second longest three-digit U.S. Route, behind U.S. Route 281, US 281. The highway is broken into two segments by Ye ...


Healthcare

Mansfield has two acute-care hospitals: Methodist Mansfield Medical Center, a 262-bed hospital of the Methodist Health System in Dallas; and Texas Health Hospital Mansfield, which opened on December 1, 2020, it is a joint venture between Texas Health Resources and
AdventHealth AdventHealth is a Seventh-day Adventist nonprofit organization headquartered in Altamonte Springs, Florida, that operates facilities in 9 states across the United States. It is the largest not-for-profit Protestant health care provider in the ...
. Mansfield also has five nursing homes, several urgent care centers, Kindred Hospital—an acute care rehab hospital, Baylor Surgicare at Mansfield—a day surgery center, three assisted living/senior apartments, two Cook Children's clinics and a Cook Children's Specialty Care Facility under construction.


Twin towns and sister cities

* –
Mansfield Mansfield is a market town and the administrative centre of the Mansfield District in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the largest town in the wider Mansfield Urban Area and the second largest settlement in Nottinghamshire (following the city ...
,
Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire (; abbreviated ''Notts.'') is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. The county is bordered by South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west. Th ...
, England


Notable people

* Paulson Adebo, football player * Chennedy Carter, WNBA player * Brandon Bantz, baseball player * Burley Bearden (1917–1997), football coach * Tex Bradford (1899–1975), football player and medical doctor * Kennedy Brooks, football player * John Anthony Castro, tax consultant * John Chiles, football player * David Cook, Republican member of the
Texas House of Representatives The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Texas Legislature. It consists of 150 members who are elected from single-member districts for two-year terms. There are no Term limits in the United States, term limits. The ...
and former mayor of Mansfield * Marcus Cromartie, football player * Josh Doctson, football player * Troy Dorsey, boxer * John Howard Griffin (1920–1980), civil rights activist, author of the award-winning book '' Black Like Me'' *
Mickey Guyton Candace Mycale "Mickey" Guyton (; born June 17, 1983) is an American country music artist. Raised in Texas, Guyton was exposed to various types of music at a young age, and her material incorporates elements of contemporary country, pop, and R&B ...
, country singer * Chris Harris, politician and attorney * Sam Hilliard, baseball player * Adrianne Jones, murder victim * David Mann, actor and singer * Tamela Mann, actress and singer * Gil Meche, baseball player * Drake Milligan, country singer * Tevin Mitchel, football player *
Ella Mae Morse Ella Mae Morse (September 12, 1924 – October 16, 1999) was an American singer of popular music whose 1940s and 1950s recordings mixing jazz, blues, and country styles influenced the development of rock and roll. Her 1942 recording of " Cow-Co ...
, pop singer * Rees Odhiambo, football player * Lenzy Pipkins, football player * Hassan Ridgeway, football player * Quinn Sharp, football player * John Hall Stephens (1847–1924), U.S. Congressman of Texas * Noah Syndergaard, baseball player * Stepfan Taylor, football player * Jordan Walden, baseball player * Andrew Wamsley, convicted murderer * Keith L. Williams, actor


Notes


References


External links

* * {{authority control Cities in Texas Cities in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex Cities in Ellis County, Texas Cities in Johnson County, Texas Cities in Tarrant County, Texas Populated places established in 1856