What was the original name of Grand Prairie?
The city of Grand Prairie was first established as Dechman by Alexander McRae Dechman in 1863. He based the name of the town on Big Prairie, Ohio. Prior to then, he resided in Young County near Fort Belknap. The 1860 U.S. Federal Census - Slave Schedules shows an A McR Dechman as having 4 slaves, ages 50, 25, 37 and 10.
Is Grand Prairie Texas a big city?
It is part of the Mid-Cities region in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It has a population of 175,396 according to the 2010 census, making it the fifteenth most populous city in the state. The city of Grand Prairie was first established as Dechman by Alexander McRae Dechman in 1863.
What is the history of the Grand Prairie interurban?
The North Texas Traction Company, better known as the Interurban, began service to Grand Prairie. Grand Prairie incorporated in 1902 with S. R. Lively as mayor.
How did the Grande Prairie get settled?
In the late 19th century, the prairie was settled by Cree and Iroquois from around Jasper and Lac Ste. Anne. When 17 townships were surveyed for homesteading in 1909, a land rush soon followed, with many settlers arriving over the Edson Trail. In 1910, the Grande Prairie Townsite was sub-divided.
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Who owns Grand Prairie?
Kurt and Val LoudenbackAt Grand Prairie Foods, family is at the heart of what we do! Kurt and Val Loudenback have owned and operated Grand Prairie Foods since 2003. From the very beginning, serving our customers the best quality food has been priority #1 using innovation and maintaining our world-class standards.
When was Grand Prairie TX founded?
Jan. 2, 1863The surveyed and accurate representation of the original townsite founded by Alexander Dechman on Jan. 2, 1863. Dechman filed title on his prairie land with the county on Jan. 2, 1863, establishing what would become Grand Prairie.
Why is Grand Prairie called Grand Prairie?
This name was based on maps drawn from around 1850 through 1858 that labeled the area between Dallas and Fort Worth "the grand prairie of Texas". In order to alleviate the confusion, the Postal Service named the post office "Grand Prairie". The town of Grand Prairie was eventually incorporated as a city in 1909.
Is Grand Prairie considered Dallas County?
Zip Code 75050 is located in the state of Texas in the Dallas - Fort Worth metro area. Zip code 75050 is primarily located in Dallas County. Portions of 75050 are also located in Tarrant County. The official US Postal Service name for 75050 is GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas.
How did Camp Wisdom Road get its name?
Camp Wisdom Road is one of southern Dallas County's major arteries, stretching nearly 17 miles from southeast Oak Cliff to Grand Prairie. During the 1920s, the road was dubbed Camp Wisdom because it led into a Boy Scout camp of the same name, said Robert "Bob" Reitz, curator of the camp's Harbin Scout Museum.
Is Grand Prairie TX A good place to live?
Grand Prairie is in Dallas County and is one of the best places to live in Texas. Living in Grand Prairie offers residents a dense suburban feel and most residents own their homes. In Grand Prairie there are a lot of parks. Many families and young professionals live in Grand Prairie and residents tend to be liberal.
What is Grand Prairie famous for?
For that reason, Grande Prairie is sometimes nicknamed the "Swan City". The dinosaur has also emerged as an unofficial symbol of the city due to paleontology discoveries in the areas north and west of Grande Prairie....Grande PrairieWaterwaysWapiti River Bear River (Bear Creek)WebsiteOfficial website38 more rows
Is Grande Prairie bigger than Edmonton?
Albert is legally separate from Edmonton, but they are part of the same population centre. The term was first introduced in the Canada 2011 Census; prior to that, Statistics Canada used the term urban area....List.Rank8Population centreGrande PrairieSize groupMediumPopulation (2021)63,172Population (2016)62,38257 more columns
Is Grande Prairie booming?
The Alberta government recorded Grande Prairie's population at 69,355 in 2020, up from 64,891 in 2017. At an annual growth rate of 1.6 per cent, the Swan City would reach 100,000 residents by the year 2046.
Is Grand Prairie small?
Grand Prairie Is A Small Town That's Not So Small With over 175,000 residents, Grand Prairie is only small on a Texas scale - and in comparison to its larger neighbors, Dallas and Fort Worth.
Is Grand Prairie a good place to retire?
Grand Prairie is considered the second best place to retire in the country.
Which part of Dallas is the best?
The 8 Best Neighborhoods in Dallas, TexasPreston Hollow. Home of Dallas Stars Goalie Kari Lehtonen in Preston Hollow. ... Lake Highlands. The many parks and trails are one of several benefits of living in Lake Highlands. ... Lakewood. Home in Lakewood. ... White Rock. ... University Park. ... Uptown. ... Bishop Arts District. ... Deep Ellum.
How old is Grand Prairie Texas?
Grand Prairie was originally settled by settlers who came for the Republic of Texas land grants offered by investors in the mid-19th century. The city was established first as Dechman by Alexander Dechman in 1863.
What is Grand Prairie TX known for?
Offering fantastic shopping, exciting outdoor activities, and world-class entertainment, Grand Prairie is a one-of-a-kind Texas town that's well worth a visit. The land that makes up Grand Prairie was originally known as “Dechman” for settler Alexander Macrae Dechman.
What is the racial makeup of Grand Prairie Texas?
The 5 largest ethnic groups in Grand Prairie, TX are White (Hispanic) (37.5%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (22.2%), White (Non-Hispanic) (21.3%), Other (Hispanic) (8.23%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (6.62%).
Which military post is located in the Grand Prairie region?
Description. Hensley Field is a military base and former Naval Air Station located in Grand Prairie, Texas that was established in 1928. Originally created as an Army Aviation Center, the base became home to all military service's aviators.
When did Grand Prairie annex?
In 1953, the mayor and city council of Grand Prairie attempted to annex nearly 70 square miles (180 km 2) of then-unincorporated and largely undeveloped land in southern Dallas and Tarrant counties.
What railroad was the Grand Prairie?
Later that same year, after the Postal Service had adopted the "Deckman" name, confusion resulted from the T&P Railroad designation "Grand Prairie". This name was based on maps drawn from around 1850 through 1858 that labeled the area between Dallas and Fort Worth "the grand prairie of Texas".
How much money did Grand Prairie City Hall have in 2007?
According to the city's 2007–2008 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the city's various funds had $275.5 million in revenues, $236.4 million in expenditures, $1,003.2 million in total assets, $424.9 million in total liabilities, and $305.9 million in cash and investments.
When did the Texas Eagle stop in Grand Prairie?
In the era of private operation of passenger trains prior to the onset of the Amtrak era in 1971 , Texas and Pacific Railway trains such as the Texas Eagle and the Louisiana Eagle made stops in Grand Prairie, on trips between Fort Worth and Dallas.
Is Grand Prairie a playhouse?
It is now a playhouse and venue for concerts. The National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) bestowed its highest national award, the Gold Medal Award, to the Grand Prairie, Texas Parks and Recreation Department at the 2008 NRPA's Congress and Exposition in Baltimore.
Is Arlington ISD in Grand Prairie?
The Arlington ISD has the second highest portion of Grand Prairie's K-12 student population. Six Arlington ISD elementary schools are within the city limits of Grand Prairie. Grand Prairie residents in the Arlington ISD are located generally west of the Dallas-Tarrant County boundary and north of the intersection of Camp Wisdom and Lake Ridge in southwest Grand Prairie. One of the Arlington high schools, James Bowie High, has more Grand Prairie residents than Arlington residents that are students at the school.
What is Grande Prairie named for?
Grande Prairie was named for the large prairie which lies to the north, east, and west of it. In the 18th century, the prairie was occupied by bands of the Dane-zaa (Beaver) peoples, who began trading with the North West Company at Dunvegan in the early 19th century. The earliest recorded reference to the prairie was by trader Samuel Black in 1824. In 1880, a Hudson's Bay Company post called La Grande Prairie was established by George Kennedy 13 mi (21 km) north of the present city, at what is now the Town of Sexsmith. In the late 19th century, the prairie was settled by Cree and Iroquois from around Jasper and Lac Ste. Anne. When 17 townships were surveyed for homesteading in 1909, a land rush soon followed, with many settlers arriving over the Edson Trail. In 1910, the Grande Prairie Townsite was sub-divided. By 1912, it included a bank, hotel, post office, and land office, making it a district metropolis. In 1916, it became the terminus of the Edmonton, Dunvegan and British Columbia Railway from Edmonton.
When was Grande Prairie a metropolis?
In 1910, the Grande Prairie Townsite was sub-divided. By 1912, it included a bank, hotel, post office, and land office, making it a district metropolis. In 1916, it became the terminus of the Edmonton, Dunvegan and British Columbia Railway from Edmonton.
How many disc golf courses are there in Grande Prairie?
Grande Prairie has three 18-hole disc golf courses. Thrill Hill in the Swanavon neighbourhood, South Bear Creek, and Coop Community Course at Evergreen Park. Downhill skiing is popular in Grande Prairie, which has a local ski hill called Nitehawk and is located south of the city on the south bank of the Wapiti River.
What are the major cultural venues in Grande Prairie?
Cultural venues include Revolution Place (a concert hall and hockey rink — the local AJHL team, the Grande Prairie Storm, plays there), the Grande Prairie Museum, the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie, 214 place, the tallest commercial building in the city, and Second Street Theatre.
How long is the Grande Prairie rifle range?
In addition, the club is currently developing a long (1,000 m (3 ,300 ft)) rifle range suitable for high power rifles, north of the city. Grande Prairie also has a new and modern 450,000 sq ft (42,000 m 2) health and fitness facility known as the Eastlink Centre.
How many days of sunshine does Grande Prairie have?
Chinooks may occur in and bring winter thaws to the Grande Prairie area. Grande Prairie has 314 days with measureable sunshine per year on average, and just above 2,200 hours of bright sunshine or about 46.1% of possible sunshine, ranging from a low of 31.2% in November to a high of 59.1% in July.
Why is Grande Prairie a trumpeter swan?
The city adopted the trumpeter swan as an official symbol due to its proximity to the migration route and summer nesting grounds of this bird.
How many acres of prairie were there before the Grand Prairie?
Before it was settled, the Grand Prairie contained an estimated 900,000 acres of prairie. Among the grass species common in the area were big bluestem, little bluestem, and Indiangrass.
What aquifer was used to pump water to the Grand Prairie?
Some farmers turned to pumping water from the Sparta Sands Aquifer, which lies below the Alluvial Aquifer. Federal incentives for agriculture during World War II only increased rice cultivation on the Grand Prairie.
What is the last surviving tallgrass prairie in Arkansas?
Less than one percent of the original native prairie remains. Roth Prairie Natural Area and Railroad Prairie Natural Area, protected by the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, preserve some of the last surviving specimens of tallgrass prairie left in the Grand Prairie. Birch, Brent.
What is the name of the rice plantation in Arkansas?
Grand Prairie. The Grand Prairie is a subregion of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain (commonly called the Delta) in eastern Arkansas that is known today as a major site of rice cultivation. Prairie County takes its name from this subregion.
How much water does the Grand Prairie water system draw?
In 1991, Congress authorized the Corps to develop the Grand Prairie Area Demonstration Project, which would consist of a pump and distribution system able to draw 100 billion gallons of water a year from the White River, with the aim of preserving the Alluvial and Sparta aquifers.
Why did the settlers plow the prairies?
Other settlers plowed the prairie land to plant cotton, corn, or wheat. As the land was not ideal for cash crops such as cotton, and with the nineteenth-century Arkansas economy focused largely upon lumber and cotton, the Grand Prairie region lagged behind the rest of the state.
Where did rice grow in Arkansas?
Small quantities of rice were grown sporadically in antebellum Arkansas; however, systematic rice cultivation in the state began on the Grand Prairie, initiated by William H. Fuller in 1897.
Why was Grand Prairie a training school?
Because it was too small for jets, it was bought by the city and turned into an industrial park. The population of Grand Prairie had increased from 1,263 in 1925 to 1,595 by World War II.
How many employees did the Grand Prairie plant have in 1941?
By 1941 the plant had 5,000 employees. This led to a severe housing shortage in Grand Prairie and the formation of the Grand Prairie Housing Authority. The city rushed to provide services and expanded utilities, built new schools, increased fire protection, and implemented city mail service.
Why did Grand Prairie annex Dallas?
In 1948 Grand Prairie began annexing land around it in order to keep Dallas from taking it. To facilitate annexation Grand Prairie voted in a new home-rule city charter with a city manager.
Why was Deckman, Iowa named Grand Prairie?
The community was supposedly so named because a woman stepped off the train and said, "What a grand prairie!".
How many people were employed at the Grand Prairie Air Plant?
At its peak production the airplane plant employed 38,500 workers. Between 1940 and the end of the war the population of Grand Prairie grew from 1,595 to 18,000. On August 14, 1945, there was a complete shutdown of the airplane plant, and the remaining 15,000 employees lost their jobs.
What newspapers were published in Grand Prairie, Texas?
These included the Grand Prairie Enterprise, the Texan, and the Graphic. The North Texas Traction Company, better known as the Interurban, began service to Grand Prairie.
What cities were annexed in Grand Prairie?
Over the years communities near Grand Prairie had been annexed, including Dalworth Park in 1943 and, by the 1980s, Burbank Gardens, Florence Hill, Freetown, Idlewild-Mountain Creek, and Shady Grove.
When was Grand Prairie incorporated?
In 1909, the town was incorporated as Grand Prairie, which grew to its current length through a series of expansions and the gradual annexation of available land to the south, Sprinkles said. A March 2020 aerial view of homes in Grand Prairie. (Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)
What were the factors that led to Arlington overtaking Grand Prairie?
Three critical factors contributed to Arlington overtaking Grand Prairie in size and population: the influence of the late Mayor Tom Vandergriff (top left), development of the Great Southwest Industrial District in 1957 under the late Angus Wynne (top right), and the 1951 arrival of the General Motors plant in town.
What was the boom in North Texas in the 1940s?
The 1940s and ’50s saw North Texas' population boom. Thousands flocked here for the plentiful postwar job opportunities in Grand Prairie and surrounding cities like Arlington and Fort Worth. These “boomburbs,” particularly Grand Prairie and Fort Worth, found themselves squabbling over land to accommodate their growing populations.
What is the ETJ in Grand Prairie?
Having ETJ means the land is technically a part of Grand Prairie, but doesn’t receive official city services like fire, water, or road works.
What land disputes continued into the 1970s?
Disputes continued into the 1970s. A disagreement between Arlington and Grand Prairie over a 3,000-acre plot southeast of Arkansas Lane and State Highway 360 continued for much of the decade until the Texas Supreme Court ceded the land to Grand Prairie. Vestiges of the old land battles remain.
Why did Vandergriff build Lake Arlington?
Vandergriff planned to build Lake Arlington in part to accommodate GM, which projected its water usage would exceed the growing city’s well capacity. “Then [Mayor Vandergriff] discovered that Fort Worth was about to annex that [area],” Carter said.
How many annexations of land have there been in Dallas?
But the city also acquires undeveloped land for residential and commercial use, he said. From 1889 to the 1990s, there have been more than 600 separate annexations of land for the city of Dallas, according to Slate. Curious Texas.
Overview
History
The city of Grand Prairie was first established as Dechman by Alexander McRae Dechman in 1863. He based the name of the town on Big Prairie, Ohio. Prior to then, he resided in Young County near Fort Belknap. The 1860 U.S. Federal Census—Slave Schedules shows an A McR Dechman as having 4 slaves, ages 50, 25, 37 and 10. Dechman learned that he could trade his oxen and wagons for land in Dallas County. In 1863, Dechman bought 239.5 acres (96.9 ha) of land on th…
Geography
Grand Prairie is located along the border between Tarrant and Dallas counties, with a small portion extending south into Ellis County. The city is bordered by Dallas to the east, Cedar Hill and Midlothian to the southeast, Mansfield to the southwest, Arlington to the west, Fort Worth to the northwest, and Irving to the north.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 81.1 square miles (210…
Government
Economy
According to the city's 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city were:
Airbus Helicopters, Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Airbus Helicopters, has its headquarters in Grand Prairie.
In 1978 American Airlines announced that it would move its headquarters from New York City to t…
Attractions
Education
Most of Grand Prairie's K–12 student population attends schools in the Grand Prairie Independent School District, which serves areas of Grand Prairie in Dallas County. The Mansfield Independent School District serves areas of Grand Prairie in Tarrant County and operates six elementary schools within the Grand Prairie city limits. Other portions of Grand Prairie reside within the Arlington, Cedar Hill, Irving, Mansfield, and Midlothian school districts.
Infrastructure
Overview
Sports and recreation
In 1995, the city hosted the Canada Games. The event was televised nationally on CBC Television. Hundreds of athletes competed in the events and the city gained status and recognition as a result. The city played host to the 2010 Arctic Winter Games from March 6–13, 2010.
There are a number of parks in Grande Prairie, including the large Muskoseepi Park in the Bear Creek valley which winds its way throughout the city. Muskoseepi Park has excellent walking an…
History
The Grande Prairie area was historically known as Buffalo Plains, after the buffalo who would traverse the large prairie which lies to the north, east, and west of it. Father Grouard, a Roman Catholic Priest, was the first to refer to the area as La Grande Prairie. In the 18th century, the prairie was occupied by bands of the Dane-zaa (Beaver) peoples, who began, in the early 19th century, trading with the North West Company at Dunvegan. The earliest recorded reference to th…
Geography
Demographics
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the City of Grande Prairie had a population of 64,141 living in 24,816 of its 27,551 total private dwellings, a change of 1.5% from its 2016 population of 63,166. With a land area of 132.71 km (51.24 sq mi), it had a population density of 483.3/km (1,251.8/sq mi) in 2021.
In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the City of Grande Prairie had …
Economy
Government and politics
Since its start in 1930, the Grande Prairie provincial district (and later the Grande Prairie-Wapiti district) has elected a candidate of the government party in every election, except for two exceptions. Alberta politics being what it is, Grande Prairie was able to do this by electing a UFA in 1930, a Social Credit candidate in 1935 then consistently electing a rightist candidate in every election from 1940 to the present.
Arts and culture