Dallas is located approximately four miles north of the city of Gastonia and about 24 miles (39 km) west of Charlotte. Lincolnton is 13 miles (21 km) north and Hickory is 34 miles (55 km) north of Dallas along US 321.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.9 square miles (7.5 km2), all of it land.[5]
Dallas lies within the Long Creek watershed. Long Creek is a right tributary of the South Fork Catawba River. Dallas is drained by Long Creek tributaries Dallas Branch and Little Long Creek.[6]
History
Dallas was officially incorporated in 1863 and is the oldest incorporated town in Gaston County. It served as the original county seat for Gaston County from 1846 until 1911. The old Gaston County courthouse, renovated in 1868 after a fire, still stands in the main square of the town and formerly served as the headquarters of the Dallas Police Department.[7][8] The town government has renovated the courthouse.[9]
Dallas began to decline in importance when the town commissioners refused to appropriate money for construction of bridges over several creeks for the Atlanta and Richmond Air-Line Railway in the 1872.[10] The commissioners said the reason was because residents thought that trains would wake them during the night and frighten their livestock.[11] In 1890, White Caps attacked the town "'Kuklux' style", destroying entire portions of the town.[12] After this the county seat was relocated to Gastonia in 1911.
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 5,927 people, 1,833 households, and 1,158 families residing in the town.
2010 census
As of the census[4] of 2010, there were 4,488 people, 1,792 households, and 1,195 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,543 inhabitants per square mile (596/km2). There were 2,003 housing units at an average density of 690.7 per square mile (266.7/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 76.4% White, 15.9% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 4.9% some other race, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.0% of the population.[16]
There were 1,792 households, out of which 37.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.7% were married couples living together, 19.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.5 and the average family size was 3.04.[16]
In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.0% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.9 years. The male population was 47.7% and the female population was 52.3%.[16]
For the period 2007–11, the estimated median annual income for a household in the town was $35,625, and the median income for a family was $48,239. Male full-time workers had a median income of $32,203 versus $27,154 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,570. About 11.1% of families and 14.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.8% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.[17]
Education
Dallas is the site of the main campus of Gaston College, a community college offering associate degree, Certificate, and Diploma programs. It is located on U.S. Highway 321 west of the city's business district.
Dallas is home to Costner Elementary, Carr Elementary, W.C. Friday Middle School, and North Gaston High School. There is a private Christian school, Community Christian Academy.
The Dallas Branch of the Gaston County Public Library serves this community.[18]
The Dallas Historic District, bounded by Holland, Main, Gaston and Trade streets, is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The district consists of eight buildings, including the former Gaston County Courthouse (built in 1848), former Gaston County Jail (1848), the Smyre-Pasour House (1850), Rhyne Store (1850), and the Hoffman Hotel (1852). The Hoffman Hotel is now home to the Gaston County Museum.[19][20]
Biggerstaff Park in Dallas is the venue of the "Shelby Hamfest", a gathering of amateur radio operators. This is one of the oldest and largest such festivals in the country.
^Brief History, Town of Dallas official government website. Retrieved on July 10, 2008.
^Link, William A. William Friday: Power, Purpose, and American Higher Education. Chapel Hill, N.C. University of North Carolina Press, 1995. ISBN978-0-8078-2167-1
