Friona, Texas

Friona, Texas
City
Location of Friona, Texas
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Parmer
Area
• Total	1.4 sq mi (3.6 km2)
• Land	1.4 sq mi (3.6 km2)
• Water	0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation	4,019 ft (1,225 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	4,123
• Density	2,794.8/sq mi (1,079.1/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	79035
Area code	806
FIPS code	48-27660Template:GR
GNIS feature ID	1357767Template:GR

Friona is a city in Parmer County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,123 at the 2010 census. Friona was established in 1906, originally called Frio, from the Spanish word for cold.

In 2007, the Texas State Legislature declared Friona the "Cheeseburger Capital of Texas". The city began holding the "Cheeseburger Cook-Off and Festival" in 2006. Aside from this annual event, there are only 3 fast food locations at which you can actually order a cheeseburger in Friona. These locations consist of the “Tasty Cream”, "Dairy Queen, and “Fast Stop”.

The city motto is "The Biggest Small Town in Texas."

Geography

Friona is located at 34°38′20″N 102°43′18″W (34.638987, -102.721571)Template:GR.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 3,854 people, 1,271 households, and 983 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,794.8 people per square mile (1,078.3/km²). There were 1,399 housing units at an average density of 1,014.5 per square mile (391.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 61.47% White, 1.30% African American, 0.75% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 33.81% from other races, and 2.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 57.86% of the population.

There were 1,271 households out of which 44.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.4% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.6% were non-families. 20.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.97 and the average family size was 3.48.

In the city the population was spread out with 33.2% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,964, and the median income for a family was $36,863. Males had a median income of $29,375 versus $19,299 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,635. About 14.1% of families and 15.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.5% of those under age 18 and 14.3% of those age 65 or over.

Education

In 1954 after Brown vs. The Board Of Education, Friona was the first school in Texas to integrate black students.

The city of Friona's education is served by Friona Independent School District.

The local high school mascot is a chieftain. The school colors are red and white. The girl's team mascot is a squaw.

The junior high boy's team mascot is a brave. The junior high girl's team mascot is a maiden.

Notable residents

• Baker Eldon "Red Dog" Duggins (February 28, 1925 - February 26, 2007) was an educator, coach, junior high school principal, and high school counselor for the Friona Independent School District from 1955 until his retirement in 1985. A native of Cordell, Oklahoma, Duggins was a United States Marine during World War II, having won the Purple Heart. He was named Friona's "Man of the Year" in 1964, when his high school girls basketball team won the state championship with a 35-0 record.

• Watson Whaley (December 3, 1909 - May 17, 2008) had until his death been the oldest living graduate of Friona High School, Class of 1929. A native of Hollene in Curry County, New Mexico, Whaley was a farmer and owned a construction company which did concrete work on grain elevators. He and his late wife, the former Alice Louise Wiley (1920–1982), were involved with the Girl Scouts of the USA and built the Girl Scout hut in Friona. He was survived by two daughters and is interred at Friona Cemetery.