Irving, Texas

Introduction to Irving, Texas

Irving is a Texas city located twelve miles west of Dallas in west central Dallas County. Located on Texas State Highway 183 and easily accessible to Interstate Highways I-30 and I-35, the city houses a portion of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Irving is home to the national headquarters of the Boy Scouts of America.

Irving began in 1889 as a settlement called Gorbit. In 1894 the name of the settlement was changed to Kit, and its location was shifted to accommodate an anticipated railroad route. When the route did not follow its original plan, Julius Otto Schulze and Otis Brown promoted a third town site in 1903. They named the town Irving, most likely after Washington Irving, who happened to be Mrs. Brown's favorite author. By 1912 the growing town boasted a population of 500, and in 1914, Irving became incorporated. The city continued its growth throughout the 20th century. In 1956 the University of Dallas in Irving was founded, and by the end of the 1970s the city's population was well over 100,000. In 1971, Texas Stadium was built to accommodate the city's prized resident, the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys.

Irving Places of Interest

The Irving Arts Center combines big time entertainment and cultural events in a single complex. Within the complex are two state-of-the art theaters; four galleries; meeting and classroom facilities; and an outdoor sculpture garden located on a ten-acre site. More than 300 performances and 20 rotating exhibits are featured annually. Other cultural and entertainment sites in or around Irving include the following:

• Mustangs of Las Colinas: A breathtaking sculpture of nine larger-than-life bronze mustangs galloping across a granite stream.
• National Scouting Museum: The Official Museum of the Boy Scouts of America.
• Las Colinas Flower Clock: A larger-than-life sized clock where fresh flowers bloom year-round.
• Mandalay Canal Walk at Las Colinas: A tree-lined cobblestone walkway reminiscent of a European village.
• Amon Carter Museum: One of the nation's premiere museums of American and Western art.
• Casa Mañana Theatre (Fort Worth): The nation's first permanent theater-in-the-round.
• Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass Performance Center (Fort Worth): The newest theatre venue in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
• Majestic Theater (Dallas): Originally opened in 1921 and recently renovated and restored.
• Fair Park Music Hall (Dallas): Home to a series of summer musicals and also the State Fair of Texas in October.
• Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center (Dallas): One of the world's most celebrated and acoustically superior concert halls.
• Fort Worth Water Gardens: A beautifully landscaped five-acre park located in downtown Fort Worth.

Located in Irving is Texas Stadium, renowned home park of the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. Current plans are for the Cowboys to relocate to a new stadium in nearby Arlington in 2009. Arlington is currently home to another professional sports team, Major League Baseball's Texas Rangers. Other area sports teams include the Dallas Mavericks (NBA basketball), Dallas Stars (NHL hockey) and FC Dallas of Major League Soccer.

Nearby Cities and Towns

High Points

Irving strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in Texas):

Category	Trophy
Public Transportation Use (vs. State)	Top 2%
Well-Paid Single Men (vs. State)	Top 6%
Well-Paid Single Women (vs. State)	Top 7%
College Educated Adults (vs. State)	Top 13%
Racial Diversity (vs. State)	Top 14%