Pflugerville, Texas
Pflugerville is a city in Travis County, Texas, United States, with a small portion in Williamson County. The population was 65,191 at the 2020 census. Pflugerville is a suburb of Austin and part of the Austin-Round Rock- Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was named after the original German settlers who farmed the area starting in 1849. The city was first incorporated in July 1965. The vast majority of the city lies within Travis County, but small parts of it extend into Williamson County.
History
Pfluger homestead
The area was initially settled by German immigrant Henry Pfluger Sr. and members of his family from late 1849 into early 1850. Pfluger had been a wealthy farmer in Germany, but lost all of his property during the revolutions of 1848. He arrived in the country with $1,600 and purchased of land east of Austin from John Liese, a brother-in-law who had immigrated before him. In 1853, Pfluger paid Liese $960 for a tract of land in an area known as Brushy Knob. There, the family lived in a five-room log cabin and raised corn, wheat, rye, beans, sweet potatoes, and sugar cane. The Pfluger family also owned several slaves, some of whom were fluent in German.Community development
The beginnings of the community did not develop until after the Civil War.During the 1870s, a school and Lutheran church were established at the settlement. The first commercial business in the community was a general store built by Louis Bohls in 1890. Two local organizations, the German-American Mutual Assistance Foundation, to insure residents against natural disasters; and "Pflugerville Schützen und Kegel Verein," a shooting and bowling club, were started. Pflugerville's post office opened in 1893, with Louis Bohls serving as its first postmaster.
The population reached approximately 250 during the mid-1890s, and a small downtown developed, although most residents did their banking and shipping in Round Rock, to the northwest.
Wooden buildings were erected on Main Street and Pecan Street, many by Conrad Pfluger, one of Henry Pfluger Sr.'s eight sons.
In 1904, the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad completed its track between Georgetown and Austin, passing just outside Pflugerville. Its close proximity to the line caused the community to grow rapidly.
On February 19, 1904, the town site of Pflugerville was platted by George Pfluger and his son, Albert, dedicating streets and alleys for the town from the Alexander Walter and C. S. Parrish Surveys in Travis County. The plat consisted of sixteen blocks, rights-of-way, and the depot grounds to the MKT. The first addition to the town was the six-block Wuthrich Addition, platted on November 22, 1904. The first cotton gin was built by Otto Pfluger in 1904. It was destroyed by fire in 1931 and a new one was built at the same location.
On June 8, 1906, the Farmers State Bank of Pflugerville opened with William Pfluger as its president and A.W. Pfluger as cashier.
The first issues of the Pflugerville Press, a weekly newspaper, began publishing on August 7, 1907, and operated through October 29, 1942.
In 1910, black workers who worked in the Pflugerville cotton industry were not allowed to move into the town. Farmer La Rue Norton, who owned of land west of Pflugerville, set aside an acre and sold lots to the workers at $50 each. County records listed the settlement as Pflugerville's Colored Addition in April 1910.
The first German Day celebration in Pflugerville took place on May 29, 1910.
In 1913, H.S. Pfluger built the Sky Dome Theater, which showed motion pictures to the accompaniment of a player piano on Friday and Saturday nights. It closed in 1928.
In the early 1920s, Pflugerville was home to an estimated 500 residents.
During that period, several area school districts consolidated with Pflugerville High School.
1930 to 1964
Around 580 people lived in the community in 1930. The arrival of the Great Depression halted what had been a lengthy period of growth in Pflugerville. The population fell slightly to 500 in 1940. In the years immediately after World War II, the community lost around a quarter of its population as citizens moved to Austin and other larger cities with greater employment opportunities. Despite the challenges of population loss and limited economic development, Pflugerville managed to survive.The community gained national attention when the Pflugerville Panthers won 55 consecutive football games from 1958 to 1962.
Incorporation and growth
Efforts to incorporate Pflugerville culminated in an election on July 24, 1965. A total of 102 votes were cast, with 60 supporting the proposition and 42 opposed. The town was incorporated under a commission form of government. On April 4, 1970, an election was held that changed the form of government from commissioner to aldermanic, providing for an elected mayor and five aldermen.Pflugerville's population began to rebound after its incorporation, and by the 1970 census, it stood at 549. That figure had risen to 745 by 1980.
A weekly newspaper, the Pflugerville Pflag, began publication in 1980.
During most of the 1980s, new development made Pflugerville one of the fastest-growing cities in Texas. Estimates from the late 1980s were as high as 3,900. Although a statewide recession slowed the boom, Pflugerville's population grew to 4,444 in 1990.
1990 to 2000s
Throughout the 1990s, the city of Austin experienced a rapid rise in its population. This was also the case in suburban areas surrounding the city. Pflugerville more than doubled in size by the next census in 2000. Since then, Pflugerville has grown by approximately 20,000, with the total number of residents approaching 40,000 as of 2008. The 2010 Census placed Pflugerville's population at 46,936, but with annexations since the 2010 census, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates it to be 59,245 as of July 1, 2016. According to data from 2000, 2010, and 2017 population estimates compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau, Pflugerville has the largest percentage black population out of all suburban cities in the Austin metro.Pflugerville elected its first Hispanic Mayor, Victor Gonzales, in 2016.
2000 to 2023
As of 2021, the population of Pflugerville continues to grow rapidly, reaching a total of 66,884.Geography
Pflugerville is northeast of downtown Austin along FM 1825 in northern Travis County. It is northeast of the Colorado River.According to the 2010 United States Census Bureau, the city has a total land area of 22.32 square miles. It has 40.39 square miles in the extraterritorial jurisdiction. The city has one body of water, Lake Pflugerville, created in 2005 to serve as a water reservoir and recreation area, and two creeks, Gilleland Creek and Wilbarger Creek. A local school group, Wilbarger Water Watchers, in association with the LCRA, monitors the waters of Wilbarger Creek to ensure it meets the United States Environmental Protection Agency's national standard.
Demographics
| Race | Number | Percentage |
| White | 26,151 | 40.11% |
| Black or African American | 9,624 | 14.76% |
| Native American or Alaska Native | 149 | 0.23% |
| Asian | 5,437 | 8.34% |
| Pacific Islander | 103 | 0.16% |
| Some Other Race | 422 | 0.65% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial | 2,982 | 4.57% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 20,323 | 31.17% |
| Total | 65,191 |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 65,191 people, 22,210 households, and 16,615 families residing in the city.
2010 Census
As of the census of 2010, there were 46,936 people, 15,789 households, and 12,260 families residing in the city. The population density was. There were 16,418 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the city was 64.1% White, 15.5% African American, 0.6% Native American, 7.4% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 8.6% from other races, and 3.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 27.7% of the population.There were 15,789 households, out of which 45.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.4% were married couples living together, 13.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.4% were non-families. Of all households 17.0% were made up of individuals, and 4.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96 and the average family size was 3.35.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 30.6% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 32.4% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 6.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.2 males.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2008-2012 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, the median income for a household in the city was $75,119, and the median income for a family was $84,449. Males had a median income of $53,670 versus $46,451 for females. The per capita income for the city was $29,995. About 6.6% of families and 9.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.5% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over.
2000 Census
By comparison, the census of 2000 reported 16,335 people, 5,146 households, and 4,425 families residing in the city. The population density was. There were 5,239 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the city was 77.18% White, 9.46% African American, 0.24% Native American, 4.31% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 5.99% from other races, and 2.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 16.69% of the population.There were 5,146 households, out of which 56.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.4% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.0% were non-families. Of all households 10.1% were made up of individuals, and 1.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.15 and the average family size was 3.39.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 34.6% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 38.8% from 25 to 44, 16.9% from 45 to 64, and 3.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $71,985, and the median income for a family was $73,629. Males had a median income of $49,989 versus $32,188 for females. The per capita income for the city was $26,226. About 1.7% of families and 1.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.1% of those under age 18 and 1.3% of those age 65 or over.