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Wichita Falls, Texas

Located in Wichita County, Texas, Wichita Falls was established in 1876. The waterfall Wichita Falls was named for was destroyed by a flood in the 1880s. A man-made replacement waterfall was built in 1987.
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Founded 1876 | Population 102,000 | Peak 102,000 (2024) | County Wichita County

Top 10 Most Important Events for Wichita Falls, Texas

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1876Settlement Founded: Named for small waterfall on Wichita River (later destroyed).
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1911Oil Boom: Electra oil field makes Wichita Falls boomtown.
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1941Sheppard AFB: Major Air Force training base.
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1979Terrible Tuesday Tornado: F4 tornado kills 42; worst in city history.
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2010Modern Era: Wichita Falls continued to develop as part of the region, with new infrastructure and community amenities.
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Complete Historical Timeline

1876 Culture
Settlement Founded
1911 Industry
Oil Boom
1941 Government
Sheppard AFB
1979 Disaster
Terrible Tuesday Tornado
2010 Culture
Modern Era

Did You Know?

1
The waterfall Wichita Falls was named for was destroyed by a flood in the 1880s.
2
A man-made replacement waterfall was built in 1987.
3
Sheppard AFB is one of the largest technical training bases in the Air Force.
4
Wichita Falls is located in Wichita County, Texas.
5
Wichita Falls was founded in 1876.

Famous People from Wichita Falls, Texas

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Rex Tillerson
Businessperson, Engineer · Born Mar 23, 1952 · Age 73
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Greg Abbott
Judge, Lawyer · Born Nov 13, 1957 · Age 68
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Greyson Chance
Composer, Singer · Born Aug 16, 1997 · Age 28
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Mike Mullane
Astronaut, Military Officer · Born Sep 10, 1945 · Age 80
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Keith Lee
Professional Wrestler · Born Nov 8, 1984 · Age 41
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