Italy, Texas
| Italy, Texas | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
City Hall in Italy
|
|
| Motto: "The biggest little town in Texas" | |
 Location of Italy, Texas |
|
| Coordinates: 32°10′58″N 96°53′6″W / 32.18278°N 96.88500°WCoordinates: 32°10′58″N 96°53′6″W / 32.18278°N 96.88500°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Ellis |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.8 sq mi (4.7 km2) |
| • Land | 1.8 sq mi (4.7 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 571 ft (174 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 1,863 |
| • Density | 1,032/sq mi (398.5/km2) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 76651 |
| Area code(s) | 972 |
| FIPS code | 48-37072 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1338518 |
| Website | www |
Italy (/ˈɪtli/ IT-lee, unlike the country Italy) is a town in Ellis County, Texas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 1,863, down from 1,993 at the 2000 census.
The community was named after Italy by a settler who had visited this European country.
Italy was founded in 1879 by settlers who found the surrounding land suitable for growing cotton, corn, sweet potatoes, and wheat. The Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad reached Italy in 1890, with the railroad stop making the town an important market center. The population grew steadily, from 1,061 in 1900 to 1,500 in 1925, until the Great Depression sparked a decline lasting over three decades. The town began to see economic and population growth again in the 1970s, with the population rising to nearly 2,000 residents by the year 2000.
Italy is located in southwestern Ellis County at 32°10′58″N 96°53′06″W / 32.182705°N 96.884967°W (32.182705, -96.884967).Interstate 35E crosses the northwest corner of the town at Exit 386; it leads north 15 miles (24 km) to Waxahachie, the county seat, north 44 miles (71 km) to downtown Dallas, and southwest 15 miles (24 km) to its junction with I-35W near Hillsboro. U.S. Route 77 passes through the center of Italy and parallels I-35E. Texas State Highway 34 leads northeast from the center of Italy 20 miles (32 km) to Ennis.
...
Wikipedia