West, Texas
City in the United States in McLennan County
About West
West is a city in McLennan County, Texas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 2,531. It is named after Thomas West, the city's first postmaster. The city is in north-central Texas, about 70 miles (110 km) south of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, 20 miles north of Waco, and 120 miles north of Austin.
Despite its name, the city is not in West Texas; area residents sometimes call the community "West comma Texas" to avoid confusion.
As of 2012 it has one of the largest concentrations of Czech Texans of any city in the state.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How West is governed
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Residents of West
Registered voters elect the officials below.
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Mayor
Executive
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The city's chief elected official. Presides over the executive branch, proposes the budget and represents the city.
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City Manager / Administrator
Executive
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The professional administrator who runs day-to-day operations (in some cities appointed by the council instead of the mayor).
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Police Chief
Administration & departments
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Leads the police department.
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Fire Chief
Administration & departments
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Leads the fire and emergency services department.
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Public Works Director
Administration & departments
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Streets, water, sewer, and city buildings.
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Finance Director
Administration & departments
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The budget, taxes, and city accounts.
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Planning & Zoning Director
Administration & departments
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Land use, zoning, building permits.
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Parks & Recreation Director
Administration & departments
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Parks, programs, and public facilities.
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City Council
Legislative
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The elected body that passes ordinances, sets the tax rate and approves the budget.
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City Clerk
Administration & departments
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Keeps the official records, runs meeting agendas and, often, local elections.
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City Attorney
Administration & departments
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The city's lawyer; advises officials and prosecutes ordinance violations.
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Boards & Commissions
Legislative
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Citizen advisory bodies, such as planning, zoning appeals and library boards.
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Municipal Court
Judicial
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Hears traffic, ordinance and other minor cases.
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Municipal Judge
Judicial
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Presides over the municipal court.
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- Website
- cityofwest.com
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Population over time
From 2,807 in 2010 to 2,531 in 2020 (−9.8%).
Show the numbers
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 2,531 |
| 2010 | 2,807 |
History
The first settlers of northern McLennan County arrived in the 1840s. They were farm and ranch families drawn from the east by the rich lands made available by the government sale of land to build schools in Texas. The area farmers cultivated the land and grew cotton, wheat, and grain sorghum, and raised cattle. The farming community centered on a freshwater spring that became known as Bold Springs. In 1860, Bold Springs had a population of about 300 and provided services such as a blacksmith, churches, and a post office.
The Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad was laid between Hillsboro and Waco in 1881. The path of the railroad passed through land owned by Thomas West, who had moved to the area in 1859. He farmed land that he had purchased and served as postmaster of Bold Springs. A train depot and station was built on the land he sold to the railroad company and the land running beside the tracks was divided into small sections and sold to people wanting to start businesses. The new depot and station included a post office, and since West served as postmaster, the settlement became known as West's Station, then West Station, and finally West. Mr. West opened the first general store and became a successful businessman as he later owned a hotel, a furniture store, and a bank.
The railroad brought prosperity to the area during the 1880s. More businesses opened and more surrounding land was purchased. Czech immigrants came to the area, purchasing the rich lands to farm and start a fresh life in the new world. They also opened businesses and shared their culture. By the 1890s, the Czech businesses flourished in West. On June 11, 1892, West was officially organized into a town. It had become the center of commerce for the area. There were cotton gins, grocery stores, churches, schools, and doctors' offices.
The temporary city Crush, three miles (5 km) south of West, was the location of The Crash at Crush, a head-on collision between two locomotives that was staged on September 15, 1896, as a publicity stunt for the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad. Over 30,000 spectators gathered at the crash site, named "crush" for MKT passenger agent William Crush, who conceived the idea. About 4 p.m. the trains were sent speeding toward each other. Contrary to mechanics' predictions, the steam boilers exploded on impact, propelling pieces of metal into the crowd. Two people were killed and many others injured, including Jarvis Deane of Waco, who was photographing the event and lost an eye. Texas Historical Marker 5315, on Interstate 35 northbound frontage road, between Mangrum and Wiggins Road, commemorates the event.
The turn of the century brought electricity, running water, and natural gas. The population of West and surrounding area grew. Many of the original settlers' descendants continue to farm the lands and run the businesses. Czech is still spoken by some of the older residents.
2013 explosion
On April 17, 2013, a fire broke out at West Fertilizer Co., a fertilizer plant on the north side of town that stored ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer that can also be used as an explosive. The fire triggered two explosions milliseconds apart. The massive blasts killed 15 people, including 12 first responders, and injured at least 200. It destroyed nearby schools, an apartment complex, and a nursing home, and damaged hundreds of homes in the surrounding area.
The explosion, which measured as a 2.1 magnitude earthquake, garnered much media attention. President Barack Obama and Texas Governor Rick Perry attended the memorial for first responders.
A month-long investigation could not determine the cause of the explosion, because multiple possible causes could not be ruled out. The possibilities include arson, an electrical glitch, and a golf cart that overheated.
In 2016 the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives concluded that the fire that caused the explosion was set deliberately. But ATF never presented any evidence of arson. A comprehensive investigation by the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) publicized in 2016 found no evidence of foul play. The causes of the explosion and recommendations for prevention can be found on www.CSB.gov under West Fertilizer Company (Completed Investigations).
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.