Pittsburg is a
city
A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
in, and the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
of,
Camp County,
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 ...
, United States. Best known as the former home of the giant poultry producer
Pilgrim's and of racing legend
Carroll Shelby
Carroll Hall Shelby (January 11, 1923 – May 10, 2012) was an American automotive designer, racing driver, and entrepreneur.
Shelby was involved with the AC Cobra and Ford Mustang, Mustang for Ford Motor Company. With driver Ken Miles, he dev ...
, as well as the popular local sausage, ''Pittsburg Hotlinks''. In 1902, it was the site of an early flight attempt by the
Ezekiel Air Ship Mfg Co. With a
2020 census-tabulated population of 4,335, it is the most populous city in Camp County.
Etymology
The city is named after the family of William Harrison Pitts. In 1996, the town changed its name to "Cowboys" for a few weeks in support of the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...
, who faced the
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...
that year in
Super Bowl XXX
Super Bowl XXX was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion fo ...
.
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 , all land.
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 divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
, Pittsburg has a
humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...
, ''Cfa'' on climate maps.
Demographics
As of the
census
A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2000, 4,347 people, 1,593 households, and 1,056 families ved inin the city.
The population density was . The 1,779 housing units had an average density of . The
racial makeup of the city was 54.50% White, 27.97% African American, 0.30% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 15.76% from other races, and 1.27% from two or more races. About 23.86% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race. As of the
2020 United States census,
its population was 4,335; according to the American Community Survey in 2020, 34.3% of the population was non-Hispanic White, 30.9% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8% multiracial, and 32.8% Hispanic or Latino of any race. These statistics reflected nationwide demographic trends of diversification.
In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $24,789, and for a family was $28,398. Males had a median income of $28,750 versus $20,042 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year.
In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the city was $14,882. 27.7% of the population and 23.8% of families 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 ...
. Out of the total population, 38.8% of those under the age of 18 and 14.1% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. In 2020, the median household income grew to $48,340.
Education
The city of Pittsburg is served by the
Pittsburg Independent School District and home to the
Pittsburg High School Pirates.
Notable people
*
Barbara Smith Conrad, opera singer (Vienna State Opera and the Metropolitan Opera Company)
*
Howard Garrett, author and
radio talk show
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues and consisting entirely or almost entirely of original spoken word content rather than outside music. They may feature monologues, dialogues between the hosts, interviews wi ...
host, artist, leader in the
organic gardening
Organic horticulture is the science and art of growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, or ornamental plants by following the essential principles of organic agriculture in soil building and conservation, pest management, and heirloom variety pres ...
field
*
Louie Gohmert, politician, Republican U.S. Representative from Texas's 1st congressional district
*
Mildred Fay Jefferson, first Black woman to graduate from
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School (HMS) is the medical school of Harvard University and is located in the Longwood Medical and Academic Area, Longwood Medical Area in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1782, HMS is the third oldest medical school in the Un ...
and national pro-life leader
New York Times Obituary
November 2, 2010
* Homer Jones, former professional American football player
* Frank P. Lockhart served as US Consul General in China.
* Jeremy Loyd, former professional American football player
* Ernie McAnally, professional baseball player, Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos () were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in the National League (baseball), National League ...
1971–1974
* Lonnie "Bo" Pilgrim, founder of Pilgrim's Pride
* Ken Reeves (American football), former professional American football player
* Carroll Shelby
Carroll Hall Shelby (January 11, 1923 – May 10, 2012) was an American automotive designer, racing driver, and entrepreneur.
Shelby was involved with the AC Cobra and Ford Mustang, Mustang for Ford Motor Company. With driver Ken Miles, he dev ...
, racing and automotive designer and former driver
* Koe Wetzel, country/southern rock singer
* Kendall Wright, professional American football player
Notes
References
External links
Official City Web Site
Northeast Texas Rural Heritage Center and Museum
{{authority control
Cities in Camp County, Texas
Cities in Texas
County seats in Texas