Is "White Settlement" a racist name? (Fort Worth, Spring: home, to live)

[CzechGrazer]

I've lived in the Fort Worth area for about 10-12 years and when I first moved here I thought calling a town "White Settlement" (a city just west of Fort Worth) was incredibly racist. As I've continued to live here, it's bothered me less and less - although it still bothers me. Id' be interested to know what other think.... and if you have heard of the city before (I suspect people who are from other parts of the country who have never heard of the city are much more likely to be offended than long time DFWers)
thanks

[Grimacus]

I just moved here from Wa. State and White Settlement never popped into my mind as a racist name, to me its just a name but thats my opinion.

[expgc]

Only true racists find it a racist name.

[Delta Planter]

Originally Posted by CzechGrazer

I've lived in the Fort Worth area for about 10-12 years and when I first moved here I thought calling a town "White Settlement" (a city just west of Fort Worth) was incredibly racist. As I've continued to live here, it's bothered me less and less - although it still bothers me. Id' be interested to know what other think.... and if you have heard of the city before (I suspect people who are from other parts of the country who have never heard of the city are much more likely to be offended than long time DFWers)
thanks

It's ratcheer: The City of White Settlement

[wehotex]

Originally Posted by CzechGrazer

I've lived in the Fort Worth area for about 10-12 years and when I first moved here I thought calling a town "White Settlement" (a city just west of Fort Worth) was incredibly racist. As I've continued to live here, it's bothered me less and less - although it still bothers me. Id' be interested to know what other think.... and if you have heard of the city before (I suspect people who are from other parts of the country who have never heard of the city are much more likely to be offended than long time DFWers)
thanks

you ain't seen nothing. up til the mid 60s, the city of greenville had a welcoming sign that read that greenville was home to "the blackest land, the whitest people". governor john connally told them that it had to come down. so they replaced it.

Greenville, Texas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[artcgal]

Originally Posted by CzechGrazer

I've lived in the Fort Worth area for about 10-12 years and when I first moved here I thought calling a town "White Settlement" (a city just west of Fort Worth) was incredibly racist. As I've continued to live here, it's bothered me less and less - although it still bothers me. Id' be interested to know what other think.... and if you have heard of the city before (I suspect people who are from other parts of the country who have never heard of the city are much more likely to be offended than long time DFWers)
thanks

The other day, my dh and I were driving down Loop 820, and saw the exit for "White Settlement Rd." We started to talk about the city of White Settlement. He asked me if I thought it was named after a family named, White. I said, maybe the land was filled with white flowers/soil/etc....and, people gave it that name when they settled there. Now, we see your post. Interesting, and weird!! We were just talking about this!

So...we just went and read the article linked by Delta Planter. Guess we both were wrong!

[texas7]

I don't know the history of the name - if it is named after a family name or something not so nice. It would be so wonderful if we could ever get to a point where names with either black or white in them didn't immediately become suspect. It would be nice to be able to let go of things done by and to ancestors could just heal. .... doubt anything like that will happen in my lifetime, but wish that for my children. I do have friends of all races and sometimes when we are together - I honestly don't think we see different races -- we see each other inside and suddenly we're just people -- just friends.

[loves2read]

apparently the city of White Settlement as considered changing its name several times over the years but basically came to feel (from what I remember) that changing the name to something else would be construed as giving in to the assumptions that it was a "racist" town--so they tabled that idea...
if you check the statistics for the town on this site--in 2000 there were about 15000 people (probably more now because they have started building out that way) and about 14% hispanic--that is about 2000 and about 600 AA -- and there are some other ethnic groups on their pop chart...

[beowulf7]

Moderator cut: orphaned quote Well stated! I don't think White Settlement is a racist name, but it is def. a unique name that you don't hear about in other states, unlike generic town names like "Springfield".

Originally Posted by loves2read

apparently the city of White Settlement as considered changing its name several times over the years but basically came to feel (from what I remember) that changing the name to something else would be construed as giving in to the assumptions that it was a "racist" town--so they tabled that idea...
if you check the statistics for the town on this site--in 2000 there were about 15000 people (probably more now because they have started building out that way) and about 14% hispanic--that is about 2000 and about 600 AA -- and there are some other ethnic groups on their pop chart...

A coworker told me that the last time the potential name change came for a vote, it got defeated by over 90%!

[blueskies49]

When the area was first settled, the townspeople chose the name to help differentiate between themselves and the large number of Native American settlements. That's all it is.