27. 3The Urbanization 27. 3The Urbanization of Texasof Texas

Urban GrowthUrban Growth Buddy Holly’s career Buddy Holly’s career

began in a time of major began in a time of major change.change.

During World War II some During World War II some 450,000 people moved to 450,000 people moved to Texas to take advantage of Texas to take advantage of the state’s economic the state’s economic growth.growth.

Most of these people Most of these people settled in urban areassettled in urban areas

By 1950 some 7.7 millioin By 1950 some 7.7 millioin people lived in Texas…a people lived in Texas…a 20% increase over the 20% increase over the 1940 population.1940 population.

Urban GrowthUrban Growth

As the population As the population grew, Texas grew, Texas experienced experienced urbanization.urbanization.

Houston became Houston became the fastest growing the fastest growing urban area in the urban area in the nation. nation.

TransportationTransportation The continued popularity The continued popularity

of the automobile helped of the automobile helped the process of the process of urbanization.urbanization.

During the years of 1945 During the years of 1945 and 1950, the numbers of and 1950, the numbers of cars in Texas rose from 1.7 cars in Texas rose from 1.7 million to 3 million.million to 3 million.

To handle these cars, the To handle these cars, the state of Texas built state of Texas built thousands of miles of road.thousands of miles of road.

Rural Texans also Rural Texans also benefited from spending benefited from spending on roads as the on roads as the government paved country government paved country roads to make it easier for roads to make it easier for farmers to get their goods farmers to get their goods to marketto market

TransportationTransportation Texas air transport Texas air transport

also expanded. also expanded. As early as 1927, As early as 1927,

airlines had begun airlines had begun offering passenger air offering passenger air service to Texans.service to Texans.

Dallas became a stop Dallas became a stop over for many coast to over for many coast to coast flights because coast flights because of its central location.of its central location.

Love Field became Love Field became one of the nation’s one of the nation’s busiest airportsbusiest airports

1950’s Culture1950’s Culture The rise of urban areas The rise of urban areas

and the popularity of cars and the popularity of cars let to the boom in suburbs.let to the boom in suburbs.

The postwar economic The postwar economic prosperity allowed many prosperity allowed many Texas families to buy their Texas families to buy their own homes.own homes.

By 1960 tens of thousands By 1960 tens of thousands of Texans lived in of Texans lived in suburban neighborhoods.suburban neighborhoods.

Parks, schools, and public Parks, schools, and public service were provided in service were provided in the suburbs.the suburbs.

1950’s Culture1950’s Culture Suburban life depended Suburban life depended

heavily on the car.heavily on the car. Texans living in the Texans living in the

suburbs chose to commute suburbs chose to commute to their jobs, meaning they to their jobs, meaning they lived in one area but drove lived in one area but drove elsewhere to work.elsewhere to work.

Rather than going into Rather than going into town to shop, people in town to shop, people in the suburbs drove to the suburbs drove to roadside shopping centers roadside shopping centers called strip malls.called strip malls.

1950’s Culture1950’s Culture Texans enjoyed a new Texans enjoyed a new

form of form of communication and communication and entertainment that entertainment that arrived in the late arrived in the late 1940 – television.1940 – television.

The first Texas The first Texas television station was television station was WBAP in Fort Worth.WBAP in Fort Worth.

The first public The first public television station television station KUHT, began KUHT, began broadcasting in broadcasting in Houston in 1953.Houston in 1953.

1950’s Culture1950’s Culture

Although few Texans Although few Texans owned TV sets in owned TV sets in 1950, television 1950, television became a common became a common feature in every Texas feature in every Texas home.home.

People began People began receiving much of receiving much of their entertainment their entertainment and news from and news from television.television.

1950’s Culture1950’s Culture Texans entertained Texans entertained

themselves by playing themselves by playing or watching sports.or watching sports.

Towns and cities Towns and cities formed teams for formed teams for children and adults in children and adults in baseball, football and baseball, football and softball.softball.

Fans turned out to Fans turned out to support high school support high school and college teams and college teams across Texasacross Texas