Levelland, Texas

Levelland is a city in Hockley County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 12,866. It is the county seat of Hockley County^[3]. It is located on the Llano Estacado, west of Lubbock. Major industries include cotton farming and petroleum production. It is the home of South Plains College.

Levelland is the principal city of the Levelland Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Hockley County and part of the larger Lubbock-Levelland Combined Statistical Area.

Levelland is famous as the site of a well-publicized series of UFO sightings in November 1957. Several motorists driving on various highways around Levelland claimed to see a large, egg-shaped object which emitted a blue glow and caused their automobiles to shut off. In most cases the object was sitting either on the highway or close to it. When the object took off, the vehicles would restart and work normally. Among witnesses were Weir Clem, Levelland's sheriff, and Ray Jones, the town's fire chief. The United States Air Force concluded a severe electrical storm was the major cause for the sightings and reported auto failures. However, several prominent UFO researchers, among them Dr. James E. McDonald, a physicist at the University of Arizona, and Dr. J. Allen Hynek, an astronomer at Northwestern University, disputed this explanation. Both men argued that there was no electrical storm in the area when the sightings occurred.

Geography

Coordinates: 33°35′5″N 102°22′20″W / 33.58472°N 102.37222°W According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.9 square miles (25.7 km²), of which, 9.9 square miles (25.7 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.20%) is water.^[4]

Demographics

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 12,866 people, 4,574 households, and 3,361 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,296.5 people per square mile (500.8/km²). There were 5,186 housing units at an average density of 522.6/sq mi (201.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 70.34% White, 5.36% African American, 0.95% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 20.92% from other races, and 2.21% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 39.21% of the population.

There were 4,574 households out of which 36.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.9% were married couples living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.5% were non-families. 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.17.

In the city the population was spread out with 27.6% under the age of 18, 14.0% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $28,820, and the median income for a family was $32,408. Males had a median income of $29,800 versus $20,042 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,296. About 15.7% of families and 20.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.8% of those under age 18 and 13.2% of those age 65 or over.

Education

• The City of Levelland is served by the Levelland Independent School District.
• The Levelland High School mascot is the Lobo.
• Levelland is also home to South Plains College.

Levelland in popular culture

The James McMurtry song "Levelland," recorded in 1995, is a song about life in the city, told from a slightly acerbic point of view. The song has also been recorded by Robert Earl Keen.

Held in the third week of July, Camp Bluegrass is a large social event, with public concerts, held on the South Plains College campus.

Levelland is also home to the 12 year old State Champions in baseball, the Levelland Kekambas. This was the first team to ever win state from Levelland. The team ended up placing fifth at the regional tournament in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

On March 26, 2010 the Levelland Police Department ordered Bob Skelding to take his wagon and horses out of town. Skelding is traveling the United States in a covered wagon pulled by horses. Skelding posted on his website “I have never had the pleasure of so much great southern hospitality.”

Sources For Levelland UFO Case

The UFO Book: Encyclopedia Of The Extraterrestrial; Jerome Clark, author. ppgs. 339-340. Detroit: Visible Ink Press, 1998.

A skeptical analysis of the Levelland UFO Case

An article about the Levelland Sightings from the popular "Texas Monthly" magazine

Levelland Municipal Airport (LLN)

• Airport Elevation - 3514' MSL
• Two Active Runways
  • 17/35 - 6,110'
  • 08/26 - 2,072'

Local aviation businesses

Tumbleweed Aero Services LLC

• Tumbleweed Aero is a full aircraft maintenance facility specializing in avionics.
  • Contact Tumbleweed Aero Services at (806) 897-9740.

Levelland Aviation

• FBO Services (806) 894-7328

Notable residents

Billy Guinn Jones (May 30, 1934—April 26, 2008) was a prominent Levelland banker and businessman. Born to Carl and Ella Mae Jones in Grassland in Lynn County, Jones graduated from Post High School in Post, the seat of Garza County, and procured a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Texas Tech University in Lubbock. He was a second lieutenant in the United States Army. After a brief career in farming, he became a bank examiner. Thereafter, he was an officer of the First National Bank of Levelland and the president and chief operating officer of the Citizens Bank of Slaton, Plains State Bank in Plains and South Plains Bank in Levelland. He was a former president of the Levelland Chamber of Commerce, a director of the Levelland Development Foundation, a Little League Baseball umpire, and a member of the First Baptist Church of Levelland. Survivors include his wife, the former LaRue Stevens, whom he married in 1957; son, Steven Carl Jones (born ca. 1958) of Levelland, and daughter, D'Les C. Jones (born ca. 1963) of Dallas, and three grandchildren. He is interred at Terrace Cemetery at Post.^[5]

Sam Langford (July 14, 1928—October 23, 2008) was one of four elected Hockley County commissioners, having represented Precinct 1 from 1974-1998. The son of Ed and Lula Langford, he was born in Whitarral, a community in Hockley County, where he graduated from high school. He attended South Plains College in Levelland and served thereafter in the United States Army in Germany. He was a Levelland automobile dealer for many years. He died at Covenant Hospital in Levelland. Services were held on October 25, 2008, at the Fifth Street Baptist Church, where Langford was a deacon and the song director. Interment was at the City of Levelland Cemetery. Survivors include his wife, the former Flo Campbell, originally from Borger; son, David Campbell Langford of Levelland; a brother, Gerry Langford of Hart Camp in Lamb County; one sister, Roberta "Bill" Langford Thomman of Levelland; four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a son, Eddie Campbell Langford, in 1989.^[6]

Gene Mayfield (1928-2009), a successful high school and college football coach, concluded his career at Levelland High School.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
2. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
3. ^ . National Association of Counties. . Retrieved 2008-01-31.
4. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2005-05-03. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
5. ^ Obituary of Billy Guinn Jones, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, April 27, 2008:Billy Guinn Jones | Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
6. ^ Obituary of Sam Langford, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, October 24, 2008: http://lubbockonline.com/stories/102408/obi_347737285.shtml

External links

• City of Levelland
• Levelland Chamber of Commerce

Categories: Cities in Texas | Hockley County, Texas | County seats in Texas | Micropolitan areas of Texas