Wichita Falls is situated roughly one hundred twenty miles northwest of Dallas City within north-central Texas. The Oklahoma borders lies roughly 15 miles north. The city is accessed by lots of thoroughfares, like for example the Texas State Highways 240 and 79, the Interstate I-44 and Routes 287, 82, 277 and 281. It is the county seat of Wichita County and is considered the primary transportation centre of North Texas.
In the mid-1800's, the city was initially founded. The arrival of the first trail in the year 1882, helped to bring in an influx of settlers to the region. Soon after, a general store and a lumberyard were constructed. The arrival of more railroads stimulated the economy and Wichita Falls soon became a transportation and supply center for southern Oklahoma and northwest Texas. It was incorporated in 1889. Oil became more and more prominent and soon became the main economic focus of the city. The North Texas Fields were producing 46% of the states oil supply by the year 1913. The Great Depression slowed the building boom created by the economic prosperity. An Army Air Corps training facility, The Sheppard Field, was established in 1941. It later became the Sheppard Air Force Base.
The city of Wichita Falls was almost destroyed by one of the biggest tornadoes in history in April 10, 1979. Many business establishments and houses were destroyed. Thankfully the city was able to make a fast recovery. In just a few short years most of the damage was repaired.
There is a large assortment of locations and attractions of interest throughout the city of Wichita Falls. The Wichita Falls Museum and Arts Centre, The Wichita Falls Railroad Museum and The Kell House Museum are amongst the famous museums in the area. There are likewise several performing arts facilities, like for instance the Backdoor Theatre, the Wichita Falls Ballet Theatre, and the Wichita Falls Symphony.
The Wichita Falls Wildcats, is among the cities professional sports teams. The play ice hockey in the North American Hockey League. Another sports team from Wichita are the Wichita Falls Drillers, who have recently won a Minor League Football national championship.
The biggest company in the city is the Sheppard Air Force Base. Services for the base are also provided by Boeing and Lear Sigler Services, Inc. Another one of the major companies in the city is the Allred Unit, which is a medium and maximum security prison. The economy is mostly made up of agriculture, healthcare, educational services, together with aerospace and defense businesses.
In the city, there are some major manufacturers, like for example: Alcoa Howmet, Magic Aire, PPG, Inc., WashEX, and St, Gobain Vertrotex. The top fields of employment in Wichita Falls are healthcare, educational services, construction, government, accommodation and food services. Approximately 28 percent of the labor force is involved with management, professional, and related occupations, 20% in service occupations, and 24% in sales and office occupations.