Cedar Hill, Texas

Cedar Hill is a city in Dallas and Ellis counties in the U.S. state of Texas. It is located about 16 miles southwest of downtown Dallas and sits along the eastern shore of Joe Pool Lake and Cedar Hill State Park. As of the 2020 United States census, the city had a population of 49,148 people.

Cedar Hill is a suburb of Dallas and is part of an area called the Best Southwest. This area also includes the nearby cities of DeSoto, Duncanville, and Lancaster.

In the past, Cedar Hill was important because it lay along a branch of the Chisholm Trail and was temporarily the center of Dallas County. However, in 1856, a tornado passed through the town. It destroyed most of the buildings and changed the history of the area. After that, the center of the county was moved to Dallas.

History

Cedar Hill was started around 1846 by settlers from Kentucky, Alabama, and nearby areas who moved to the Dallas region. It became the largest settlement in the area at that time, with 197 families and 184 single men.

Cedar Hill has several important historical spots. Five homes are listed on the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places. There are also four special buildings on the Texas Historical Commission’s list of Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks. The city has two graveyards recognized as important historical sites by the Texas Historical Commission.

In 1856, a big storm with strong winds struck Cedar Hill. It damaged many things and made it very hard for the people living there. One of the survivors, a teacher and pastor named Robert Crawford, gave four acres of his land to create a public graveyard. Nine people who were hurt in the storm were buried there. This graveyard was lost for about 100 years but was found again in 2006. It was named the Crawford Tornado Graveyard and officially marked in 2012 to remember what happened.

In 1932, a bank in Cedar Hill was robbed by Raymond Hamilton, who worked with famous outlaws Bonnie and Clyde. After taking the money, he locked the bank workers inside and left. He came back later to rob the bank again because he heard some money was hidden. This caused big problems for the bank, and it eventually closed. Hamilton was later caught, but the building where the robbery happened is still standing today and is now a barbershop. In 2008, the city recognized this building as a historic site.

Geography

Cedar Hill is found in North Texas. The nearby cities are Grand Prairie, Dallas, Duncanville, DeSoto, Glenn Heights, Ovilla, and Midlothian. Most of Cedar Hill is in Dallas County, but a small part is in Ellis County.

The city covers an area of 35.9 square miles (93.0 km²). Out of this, 35.8 square miles (92.8 km²) is land, and a tiny part, 0.08 square miles (0.2 km²), is water. Cedar Hill is known for its many native eastern red cedar trees and sits at about 800 feet (240 m) above sea level. This makes it the highest point in a straight line from the Red River at the Texas-Oklahoma border to the Gulf Coast.

Demographics

Cedar Hill, Texas, has grown a lot over the years. In 1950, only 732 people lived there, but by 2020, the population had grown to 49,148 people.

2020 census

In 2020, Cedar Hill had 49,148 people. The average age was about 37 years. About 26% of the people were younger than 18, and 12% were 65 or older. Most people, about 95%, lived in urban areas.

There were about 16,592 homes in Cedar Hill. About 40% of these homes had children under 18 living in them. Almost half of the homes were lived in by married couples, while about 13% had a man living alone, and about 33% had a woman living alone. About 19% of homes were occupied by just one person, and 7% of these were people 65 or older.

There were about 17,193 places to live, but 3.5% of them were empty. Most of the homes that were lived in were owned by the people living there.

The average amount of money a family made in a year was about $75,715.

2000 census

In 2000, the people living in Cedar Hill looked different in terms of race and ethnicity. Most people, about 57%, were White, and about 34% were African American. Smaller groups included Native American, Asian, Pacific Islander, and people from other races or mixed races. About 12% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.

The average amount of money a family made was about $60,136. Men made about $41,360 a year on average, while women made about $32,207. About 4% of families and 5% of all people lived below the poverty line, including about 8% of children under 18 and 6% of people 65 or older.

Economy

In the early 1990s, Cedar Hill's population was growing fast, and people wanted to plan the city's future carefully. The city council formed a group to ask residents about their ideas, and then created smaller groups to focus on funding, improving local assets, and building a better community image.

In 1994, voters agreed to a special sales tax to support economic development, and the Cedar Hill Economic Development Corporation was created. It started with a budget of $150,000 and grew to $3.5 million, helping bring new businesses to the city. Since 2000, Cedar Hill has seen many new shopping areas open. The Plaza at Cedar Hill began this growth in 2000, followed by The Cedar Hill Crossing the same year. In 2003, Cedar Village was built, connecting a new city hall and historic Main Street to shops, homes, offices, and entertainment. Also in 2003, Pleasant Run Towne Crossing opened with lots of stores and restaurants. Cedar Hill Pointe opened in 2005, and Hillside Village (formerly Uptown Village at Cedar Hill) opened in 2008. This large shopping area includes three anchor stores, many other shops, and restaurants.

The Uptown Village won an award in 2006 and underwent big changes in 2015, adding new features like a children's play area and a stage for events. The city also worked with residents on a long-range plan called the City Center Vision Plan to make the downtown area more walkable and lively. This plan includes Uptown, Midtown, and Historic Downtown areas. In 2014, a $26 million project began in Midtown, building Midtown Apartments, a 255-unit complex that offers easy access to outdoor activities, shops, and restaurants.

Education

Most of Cedar Hill is served by the Cedar Hill Independent School District. Some parts are served by the Duncanville Independent School District and the Midlothian Independent School District.

The Cedar Hill ISD area has Cedar Hill High School and Cedar Hill Collegiate High School. The Duncanville ISD area is served by Duncanville High School, and the Midlothian ISD area by Midlothian Heritage High School. There is also a public charter school called Life School with a campus in Cedar Hill for grades K–4, and Trinity Christian School – Cedar Hill also serves the area.

Residents in Dallas County go to Dallas College, while those in Ellis County attend Navarro College.

Arts and culture

Nature

Cedar Hill has set aside a lot of its land for parks and green spaces. There are large nature reserves and preserves here, including Dogwood Canyon and Cedar Hill State Park.

Dogwood Canyon

Dogwood Canyon was formed where two different natural areas meet. It is home to many birds and animals, including some that are rare. The canyon is named after the beautiful flowering Dogwood trees that grow there.

Cedar Hill State Park

Cedar Hill State Park opened in 1991. It has lots of land and shoreline, with many plants and animals. The park is a special place where two different kinds of land meet. It is home to many birds and other wildlife, and it is a great spot for fishing.

Joe Pool Lake

Cedar Hill is close to Joe Pool Lake, a large lake that can be reached through Cedar Hill State Park and other nearby parks.

Sports

Cedar Hill is a great place for sports. The city hosts many local, regional, and national tournaments. It has many fields and courts for different sports, including baseball, softball, soccer, basketball, tennis, football, and disc golf.

Points of interest

Towers

In the 1950s, Cedar Hill became an important place for television and radio towers. Because of its height, many stations chose to put their antennas there. These towers help provide TV and radio signals to both Fort Worth and Dallas. Today, Cedar Hill has many communication towers, making it a key spot for radio, TV, and mobile technology.

Penn Farm Agricultural History Center

The Penn Farm Agricultural History Center shows how people lived and worked on the land long ago. It helps us learn about the history of the area and how farming changed over time.

Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center

The Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center opened in 2011. It is a special place for learning about nature and birds. The center works with schools to help students learn more about the environment.

Recreation

Cedar Hill has many places for fun outdoor activities. The city takes care of 32 different park areas, including big parks, smaller neighborhood spots, nature areas, and green spaces.

There are also many trails for walking and biking, with over 45 miles to explore. Some popular trails are the Pleasant Run Trail, Lake Ridge Hike and Bike Trail, and Red Oak Creek Trail. The DORBA Trail at Cedar Hill State Park is the longest and is great for hiking and biking. There is also a trail at the Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center that everyone can use, including those with mobility aids. Several creeks, like Baggett Branch, flow around the state park.