White Settlement, Texas

White Settlement is a city in Tarrant County, Texas, United States, and a northwestern suburb of Fort Worth. The population was estimated to be 18,084 in 2021.<ref name="Google">Template:Cite web</ref> The city is bordered by Lockheed Martin and the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth.

White Settlement Public Library is home to Browser who gained international attention in 2016 when local politicians sought to oust him from the library over the objections of local residents.

History

Even before the beginnings of a nearby military outpost, Fort Worth, white settlers took up refuge along a creek, later named Farmers Branch Creek.<ref name="wstx.us">Template:Cite web</ref> Before the end of 1841, settlers began arriving from Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee. In 1850 the area's first census showed the population consisted of 599 white Americans and 65 Black enslaved people.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> By the mid-1850s, many more settlers arrived bringing with them more slaves.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The oldest street in White Settlement is White Settlement Road. This original trail led from the fort to the "white settlement" about eight miles west into Native American territory. As the Native Americans were forced from the area, and the settlement moved westward, the road followed. This was the only public road in White Settlement's early history.<ref name="STREETS NAMED FOR PIONEER AND DEVELOPERS' FAMILIES">Template:Cite web</ref>

While early life was not easy for the settlers with frequent clashes with indigenous populations, White Settlement became a trading outpost. As the migrating settlers carved out homesteads among the various indigenous tribes, outsiders and Native Americans referred to the area as "the white settlement."<ref name="wstx.us"/><ref name="THE STORY OF WHITE SETTLEMENT">Template:Cite web</ref>

In February 1942, Consolidated Aircraft Company began construction on the B-24 Liberator heavy bomber at Air Force Plant #4. Liberator Village, as it became known, consisted of housing units across the city to house aircraft workers.<ref name="THE STORY OF WHITE SETTLEMENT"/>

In modern times, the city of White Settlement is the gateway to national defense, bordered by Lockheed Martin and the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth. As federal properties, the White Settlement Police Department has concurrent jurisdiction for calls for service and patrols at the military base and aircraft plant.<ref name="ReferenceA">Template:Cite web</ref>

Two members of the city's West Freeway Church of Christ were killed by a gunman on December 29, 2019, during a morning service. The shooter was in turn shot dead by a church security guard.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Most recent White Settlement Mayor Ronald White died in office on January 17, 2023. Mayor White was the 19th Mayor of White Settlement. <ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Mayor Pro Tem Amber Muñoz took over as the 20th Mayor of White Settlement, becoming the first female Mayor in White Settlement. On May 6, 2023, citizens of White Settlement elected Faron Young in a special election to fill the office for the remainder of White's term.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Name

The city got its name as it was a lone settlement of white colonists amid several Native American villages in the Fort Worth area in the Texas Republic territory in the 1840s.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="kxii.com">Template:Cite web</ref>

On October 14, 2005, city leaders, citing hurdles in attracting businesses,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> announced a plan to have local voters decide on a possible name change for the town from White Settlement to West Settlement. In the November 8 election, the name change was overwhelmingly rejected by a vote of 2,388 to 219.<ref name="kxii.com" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Geography

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

Demographics

White Settlement racial composition as of 2020<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
(NH = Non-Hispanic)Template:Efn

Race	Number	Percentage
White (NH)	9,515	52.08%
Black or African American (NH)	1,290	7.06%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)	112	0.61%
Asian (NH)	393	2.15%
Pacific Islander (NH)	68	0.37%
Some Other Race (NH)	65	0.36%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH)	844	4.62%
Hispanic or Latino	5,941	32.52%
Total	18,269

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 6,290 households, and 4,010 families residing in the city.

Culture

File:Castleberry Baptist Church Fort Worth.png

Castleberry Baptist Church, a Baptist church in White Settlement, September 2018

The city boasts amenities including a city-owned water park, Splash Days, that operates during the summer months.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> White Settlement Public Library is home to Browser who gained international attention in 2016 when local politicians sought to oust him from the library over the objections of local residents.

White Settlement is also the winter home of several groups of Irish TravellersTemplate:What.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The Texas Civil War Museum was located in White Settlement.

Religion

The majority of White Settlement residents identify as Protestant Christians; however, there is also a Mormon church as well as a Buddhist temple within the city limits.<ref name="Bloomsbury Academic">Template:Citation</ref>

Government and infrastructure

The city of White Settlement operates as a city manager form of government overseen by a Mayor and City Council.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The suburb of Fort Worth boasts a full-time police and fire department to represent public safety.

The police department is overseen by Chief of Police Christopher Cook, previously the chief spokesperson and deputy police chief for the City of Arlington, Texas.<ref name="ReferenceA"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The police department provides dispatch services to the cities of Westworth Village and Sansom Park. The department also provides detention services for the cities of Westover Hills, Westworth Village, Sansom Park, White Settlement Independent School District, the United States Marshal's Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In 2022, the Fort Worth Police Department and Tarrant County Justice of the Precinct 4 Judge Christopher Gregory entered into an Inter-local Agreement with the White Settlement Police Department to establish and authorize concurrent enforcement jurisdiction.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth and Air Force Plant #4 has territory in White Settlement.<ref>"White Settlement city, Texas Template:Webarchive." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on May 24, 2010.</ref> The United States Postal Service operates the White Settlement Post Office.<ref>"Post Office Location – White Settlement Template:Webarchive." United States Postal Service. Retrieved on May 24, 2010.</ref> The city is under the jurisdiction of Tarrant County and operates as a Council-Manager government type.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Education

The City of White Settlement is served by the White Settlement Independent School District. In 2009, the school district was rated "academically acceptable" by the Texas Education Agency.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The White Settlement Public Library is located in the Municipal Complex.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Less than 16% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher as opposed to 34% of all Texans.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

See also

• List of municipalities in Texas
• Browser, White Settlement Public Library Cat

External links

• Template:Official
• White Settlement Area Chamber of Commerce website
• White Settlement Public Library
• Town to keep White name
• History of White Settlement

Template:Tarrant County, Texas Template:Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex Template:Irish Travellers