Italy, Texas

Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement

Italy (Template:IPAc-en Template:Respell, unlike the country) is a town in Ellis County, Texas, United States. Its population was 1,926 in 2020.<ref name=":0" /> The community was named after Italy by a settler who had visited the European country.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

History

Italy was founded in 1879 by settlers who found the surrounding land suitable for growing cotton, corn, sweet potatoes, and wheat. The Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad reached Italy in 1890, with the railroad stop making the town an important market center. The population grew steadily, from 1,061 in 1900 to 1,500 in 1925, until the Great Depression sparked a decline lasting over three decades. The town began to see economic and population growth again in the 1970s, with the population rising to nearly 2,000 residents by 2000.<ref>Template:Handbook of Texas</ref>

Geography

Italy is located in southwestern Ellis County. Interstate 35E crosses the northwestern corner of the town at exit 386; it leads north Template:Convert to Waxahachie, the county seat, north Template:Convert to downtown Dallas, and southwestward Template:Convert to its junction with I-35W near Hillsboro. U.S. Route 77 passes through the center of Italy and parallels I-35E. Texas State Highway 34 leads northeast from the center of Italy Template:Convert to Ennis.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Italy has a total area of Template:Convert, all land.<ref name="Census 2010">Template:Cite web</ref>

Demographics

Template:US Census population

**Italy racial composition as of 2020**<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref>
(NH = Non-Hispanic)Template:Efn
Race	Number	Percentage
White (NH)	1,133	58.83%
Black or African American (NH)	234	12.15%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)	8	0.42%
Asian (NH)	7	0.36%
Mixed/multiracial (NH)	56	2.91%
Hispanic or Latino	488	25.34%
Total	1,926

As of the 2020 United States census, 1,926 people, 765 households, and 561 families resided in the town.

Notable people

Keith Davis, former safety for the Dallas Cowboys
Dale Evans, actress; wife of Roy Rogers
Jack Hyles, pastor of First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana, founder of Hyles-Anderson College
Kortnei Johnson, athlete
J. B. Milam, principal chief of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma
Art Shires, former first baseman for the Chicago White Sox, Washington Senators and Boston Braves

Education

The town is served by the Italy Independent School District, which includes Italy High School (grades 7–12) and Stafford Elementary (prekindergarten - grade 6), and the S.M. Dunlap Memorial Library.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2009, the school district was rated "academically acceptable" by the Texas Education Agency.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen climate classification, Italy has a humid subtropical climate, Cfa on climate maps.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>