Dish, Texas

DISH is a town in Denton County, Texas, United States.[3] The town had a population of 201 at the 2010 census.[4] This community, established in June 2000, was originally named Clark. In November 2005, the community accepted an offer to rename itself "DISH" (all capital letters) as part of a commercial agreement with satellite television company Dish Network.[3]

DISH, Texas
Town
Location of DISH in Denton County, Texas
Location of DISH in Denton County, Texas
DISH, Texas is located in Texas
DISH, Texas
DISH, Texas
Location within the state of Texas
DISH, Texas is located in the United States
DISH, Texas
DISH, Texas
DISH, Texas (the United States)
Coordinates: 33°07′58″N 97°18′05″W
CountryUnited States
StateTexas
CountyDenton
Area
[1]
 • Total1.66 sq mi (4.29 km2)
 • Land1.65 sq mi (4.28 km2)
 • Water0.01 sq mi (0.01 km2)
Population
 (2020[2])
 • Total437
 • Density260/sq mi (100/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
FIPS code48-20540
GNIS feature ID1926816[3]
Websitewww.townofdish.com

History

The settlement was originally named for its founder, Landis Clark, who incorporated the town in June 2000 and served as its first mayor.[5] In exchange for renaming the town to DISH, all residents received free basic television service for ten years and a free digital video recorder from Dish Network.[5]

Air quality
Air quality monitoring station in DISH

In 2005, energy companies began drilling natural gas wells at DISH. Town residents complained of foul smells, and of health issues they linked to the gas (natural gas, methane, and benzene[6]) emissions from the wells. The town spent $15,000 on an air quality test, which found elevated levels of several chemicals including benzene. Following that, the energy companies made changes.[7]

In response to concerns about the town's air quality, the Texas Department of State Health Services conducted air quality tests, and in May 2010, released its results for DISH, including tests of blood and urine samples from 28 DISH residents that were tested for volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The agency concluded that:

The information obtained from this investigation did not indicate that community-wide exposures from gas wells or compressor stations were occurring in the sample population. This conclusion was based on the pattern of VOC values found in the samples. Other sources of exposure such as cigarette smoking, the presence of disinfectant by-products in drinking water, and consumer or occupational/hobby related products could explain many of the findings.[8]

The state installed an air quality monitoring station at DISH, which showed that, as of 2012, air pollutants were generally within government limits.[7]

An article about the air quality in DISH by NPR in 2012 stated that "better studies are needed" to test for the health effects of drilling emissions, and also that the installation of gas wells in populated places "is way out ahead of public health evaluations of any kind to date".[7]

Natural gas facility in Dish, 2012

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
2010201—
2020437117.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[9][2]

The population in 2010 was 201, and the estimated population for 2015 was 387.[10][11] The population of DISH was 437 at the 2020 United States Census.

Education

DISH is zoned to the Ponder Independent School District.[12] Ponder High School is its comprehensive high school.

In the January 10, 2006, episode of Comedy Central's The Daily Show, correspondent Ed Helms produced a segment about DISH.[13]

Household Name, a podcast by Business Insider, produced an episode on DISH, "A Town Called DISH", that aired on June 12, 2019.[14]

References
  1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  2. DISH town, Texas | Total population in DISH Town, Texas at Census.gov. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
  3. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: DISH
  4. "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): DISH town, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 2, 2012.
  5. Fernandez, Manny (March 21, 2013). "Marketing Deal Gives a Small Town an Identity Crisis". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
  6. "Report: Oil and Gas Production is Making People Sick in Rural Texas". July 18, 2018.
  7. Hamilton, John (May 16, 2012). "Town's Effort To Link Fracking And Illness Falls Short". NPR.
  8. Texas Department of State Health Services, [The Final Report: DISH, Texas Exposure Investigation], 10 May 2010.
  9. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  10. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015". Archived from the original on June 2, 2016. Retrieved July 2, 2016.
  11. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  12. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Denton County, TX" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  13. "Helms - Ready, Willing and Cable - The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Video Clip)". Comedy Central. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
  14. "Household Name Podcast". Stitcher. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
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