Lubbock is the 11th-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in the northwestern part of the state—a region known historically as the Llano Estacado—it is the county seat of Lubbock County. According to an estimate by the U.S. Census in 2005, the city population was 209,737. The Lubbock metropolitan area, however, has a population of 257,663.
Lubbock's nickname is the 'Hub City' which derives from being the economy, education, and health care hub of a multi-county region commonly called the South Plains.[1] The area is the largest contiguous cotton-growing region in the world and is heavily dependent on irrigation water drawn from the Ogallala Aquifer.
Lubbock is pronounced 'LUB uck', with the É™ sound in both syllables. [2]
Geography and climateLubbock is located at (33.564735, -101.877793)GR1. The average elevation is 3,256 feet above sea level.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 297.6 km² (114.9 mi²). 297.4 km² (114.8 mi²) of it is land and 0.3 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (0.09%) is water.
Lubbock has a mild, semi-arid climate. [3] On average, Lubbock receives 18.7 inches (475 mm) of rain per year, with most of the precipitation coming in spring and summer in the form of thunderstorms.
Summers in Lubbock are hot with low relative humidity. Average high temperatures are at or above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) in June, July, and August. Temperatures above 100°F (38°C) are common, and the highest recorded temperature was 114°F in 1994.[4] Winter in Lubbock is relatively mild, but temperatures below freezing are not uncommon, especially at night, and the average annual snowfall is 9.6 inches (244 mm).
Law and governmentLubbock has a council-manager government system, with all governmental powers resting in a legislative body called a commission.
Lubbock County and the City of Lubbock have an unusual legal situation regarding the sale of alcoholic beverages. The county allows package sales but not 'by the drink' sales except at private institutions such as country clubs. Inside the Lubbock city limits, the situation is reversed with restaurants and bars able to serve alcohol but liquor stores forbidden. Lubbock remained legally dry until an election on April 9, 1972, made liquor by the drink, but not package sales, legal, and Lubbock abandoned its distinction as the largest dry city in the country.[5] A privately owned conglomeration of liquor stores (the 'strip') is located just outside of the city limit on U.S. Highway 87.
On November 21, 2006, the Lubbock City Council voted 5-1 to annex 'the strip', making package alcohol sales legal within the city limits. There exist, however, significant barriers to entry for stores outside 'the strip' area to sell packaged alcohol. The new annexation will contribute a sales tax of 1.5%, or 10 cents for every 7 dollars, to the city. Due to state law, liquor sales will be limited to the newly annexed area.
The current mayor of Lubbock, elected May 13, 2006, is David Miller.
EconomyLubbock's area is the largest contiguous cotton-growing region in the world and is heavily dependent on irrigation water drawn from the Ogallala Aquifer. Unfortunately, the water is being depleted at a rate which is not sustainable for the long term. Much progress has been made in the area of water conservation and new technologies such as Low Energy Precision Application (LEPA) irrigation were originally developed in the Lubbock area.
The ten largest employers in terms of the number of employees are: Texas Tech University, Covenant Health Systems, Lubbock Independent School District, University Medical Center, United Supermarkets, City of Lubbock, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Cingular, Convergys, and Lubbock County.
Lubbock has one shopping mall, South Plains Mall, which includes two Dillard's, Mervyn's, JC Penney, Sears, and Beall's.
DemographicsAs of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 199,564 people, 77,527 households, and 48,531 families residing in the city. The population density was 671.1/km² (1,738.2/mi²). There were 84,066 housing units at an average density of 282.7/km² (732.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 72.87% White, 8.66% African American, 0.56% Native American, 1.54% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 14.32% from other races, and 2.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 27.45% of the population.
There are 77,527 households, of which 30.3% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.6% were married couples living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.4% are classified as non-families by the United States Census Bureau. Of 77,527 households, 3,249 are unmarried partner households: 2,802 heterosexual, 196 same-sex male, and 251 same-sex female households. 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.9% under the age of 18, 17.9% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 18.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,844, and the median income for a family was $41,418. Males had a median income of $30,222 versus $21,708 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,511. About 12.0% of families and 18.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.9% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.
People and cultureLubbock is the birthplace of Rock and Roll legend Buddy Holly, and the city hosts both a cultural center and annual music festival named for him.
The city has also been the birthplace or home of several country musicians including Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Butch Hancock, and Joe Ely (collectively known as The Flatlanders), Mac Davis, Terry Allen, Lloyd Maines and his daughter, Natalie Maines (singer for the Dixie Chicks).
Lubbock also hosts the National Cowboy Symposium and Celebration, an annual event celebrating the prototypical Old West cowboy. The event is held in September and features art, music, cowboy poetry, stories, and the presentation of scholarly papers on cowboy culture and the history of the American West. A chuckwagon cookoff and horse parade also take place during the event.
Every year on July 4, Lubbock hosts the 4th on Broadway event, an Independence Day festival. The event is entirely free to the public, and is considered the largest free festival in Texas. The day's activities usually include a morning parade, a street fair along Broadway Avenue with food stalls and live bands, the Early Settlers' Luncheon, and an evening concert/fireworks program. Broadway Festivals Inc., the non-profit corporation which organizes the event, estimates a 2004 attendance of over 175,000 people.
Lubbock's main newspaper is the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, which is owned by Morris Communications. Texas Tech University publishes a student-run daily newspaper called, The Daily Toreador.
AttractionsThe National Ranching Heritage Center, a museum of ranching history, is located in Lubbock. It features a number of authentic early Texas ranch buildings as well as a railroad depot and other historic buildings.
The Southwest Collection, an archive of the history of the region and its surroundings, is located on the campus of Texas Tech University, as are the Moody Planetarium and the Museum of Texas Tech University.
The Depot District, an area of the city dedicated to music and nightlife, is located in the old railroad depot area and boasts a number of theatres, upscale restaurants, and cultural attractions. The Depot District is also home to several shops, pubs and nightclubs, a radio station, a brewery, a magazine, a winery, a salon, and other establishments. Many of the buildings were remodeled from the original Fort Worth & Denver South Plains Railway Depot which originally stood on the site.The Buddy Holly Center, a museum highlighting the life and music of Buddy Holly, is also located in the depot district.
Lubbock is also home to the Silent Wings Museum. Located on North I-27, Silent Wings features photographs and artifacts from the World War II era glider pilots.
The Science Spectrum is an interactive museum and IMAX Dome theatre with a special focus on children and youth.
The American Wind Power Center and Windmill Museum houses over 100 historic windmills on 28 acres. Official Site
Lubbock is also home to Joyland Amusement Park, which is located in Mackenzie Park. Mackenzie Park also boasts one of the largest prairie dog colonies in the United States.
SportsThe Texas Tech University NCAA division I football (which has been a member of the Big 12 Conference since 1996) team and the men's and women's basketball teams are immensely popular. High school athletics (all sports) also feature prominently in the local culture. In addition, Lubbock is the home of the Cotton Kings, a hockey team in the Southwest Division of the Central Hockey League, and the Chaparrals of Lubbock Christian University. In 2007, the Lubbock Renegades will begin play as a member of the af2, a developmental league of the Arena Football League.
Non-college sports such as bicycling (WTCA), disc golf, and in-line skating are popular.
National Register of Historic PlacesThe city is set up on a simple grid plan. In the heart of the city, numbered streets run east-west and lettered avenues run north-south — the grid begins at Avenue A in the east and 1st street in the north. North of 1st street, where the numbers have essentially 'run out,' city planners chose to name streets alphabetically from the south to the north. When the north-south streets 'ran out' at Avenue Z, the city chose the same method. (Note that there actually is no Avenue Z, it has been renamed 'University Avenue' as it runs against Texas Tech University.)
Education Public SchoolsMost of Lubbock is served by the Lubbock Independent School District. Small portions of Lubbock extend into the neighboring districts of Frenship, Lubbock-Cooper, and Roosevelt.
Private Schools
