North Central Plains

A Cliff-Bound Region

Where in Texas are the North Central Plains?

Travelers moving southeast from the Panhandle through Texas notice how the landscape changes. The plains change from flat to rolling. Elevations drop. Bound between the Caprock and Balcones Escarpments is the interior region of the North Central Plains.

As the name implies, the North Central Plains, is a plain located in the central part of Texas of north Texas.

The hills and valleys of the North Central Plains are covered with grasses, brush, and weathered trees. Summer temperatures average in the mid-90s° Fahrenheit , and winter temperatures average in the 50s°F.

Slightly more rain falls here than on the Great Plains. More precipitation means a variety of crops can be grown in this region. Still, cattle ranching dominates the economy of the North Central Plains.

The area tends to be rural, with low populations. Populations are highest within the region’s few cities, including the largest, Fort Worth. Geographic sections of the region are the Rolling Plains, Cross Timbers, and the Grand Prairie.

Identifying What is the region’s major industry?

The Rolling Plains

How does the landscape of the Rolling Plains compare to that of the Great Plains?

The Rolling Plains, sometimes called the Lower Plains, is the largest geographic section of the North Central Plains. Elevations are lower than those of the Great Plains region. The Rolling Plains occupy a land area about 200 miles from east to west and about 300 miles from north to south.

Climate, Terrain, and Economy

As with much of Texas, winter is the dry season in the Rolling Plains. Only a little rain and perhaps a few inches of snow may fall in the region. Thunderstorms are widespread through most of Texas, and they can occur year-round. Tornadoes occur frequently, although they are most common in the spring months.

The rolling landscape includes distinct hills, small plateaus called mesas, and smaller flat-topped hills called buttes. The grass and scrub terrain are suitable for livestock grazing. Typically, cattle graze the best grasslands. Sheep and goats can thrive in dry areas with less vegetation. Moving east, more rain falls within the area. Here, crops such as cotton, grain sorghum for cattle feed, and wheat are grown. The peaches and pecans grown here help to make Texas a leading producer of these popular foods.

Communities

The city of Wichita Falls is found in the northeastern part of the Rolling Plains. Its location on the Oklahoma border encourages business and trade between the states. The U.S. Air Force is important to the area’s economy. Area residents also work in manufacturing and service jobs.

In the south-central town of Abilene, oil services and marketing are important. Large-scale commercial farming, or agribusiness, is strong in San Angelo, a city in the region’s southwest. San Angelo is the largest sheep market in the United States and a market leader in wool and mohair.

Describing Describe the weather conditions found in the Rolling Hills region.

Cross Timbers and the Grand Prairie

What are some features of interest in the Cross Timbers and Grand Prairie areas?

Other areas of the North Central Plains lay to the east of the Rolling Plains. On either side of a large prairie stand two strips of land that were once more forested than they are today. The middle section is known as the Grand Prairie—not to be confused with the city of that name—and the two wooded areas are the Western and Eastern Cross Timbers.

Timberland and Economy

Blackjack oak and post oak trees, as well as hickories, pecans, and elms, grow in the Cross Timbers areas. Historically, the woods have provided lumber for firewood and railroad ties. The woodlands also gave Native Americans a refuge from enemies. The woodlands and their soils are important for draining rainfall to preserve as groundwater.

Farming of cotton, corn, vegetables, and the drought-resistant Spanish peanut is popular in the area. Livestock and dairy farming also exist there.

Cities of the Cross Timbers include the manufacturing and tourist town of Arlington in the Eastern Cross Timbers. The Western Cross Timbers city of Brownwood conducts regional trade and distribution.

Prairieland Features

Once a land of tall grasses, the grazing land of today’s Grand Prairie area includes mainly short and bunched grasses. Rain quickly drains through the limestone and clay soil. It is difficult for trees to grow anywhere but near streams. Livestock ranching and crop farming are important activities in the Grand Prairie. Crops include cotton, grain sorghum, wheat, peanuts, and corn.

The Grand Prairie city of Fort Worth is the largest in the North Central Plains. Fort Worth and Dallas, which lies outside the area of the North Central Plains, are part of a 20-county area called the Metroplex. As a major manufacturing and trade center, the Metroplex is an important economic force in the region. Sometimes referred to as “the place where the West begins,” Fort Worth is an agricultural business center. Area farmers and ranchers are served by the city’s grain elevators, feed mills, and related businesses. Other industries important to Fort Worth include aircraft, clothing and computer manufacturing, and finance.

Fort Hood is located in the Grand Prairie area. This military installation is one of the country’s largest. Businesses and residents in nearby communities, such as Killeen and Copperas Cove, benefit from Fort Hood’s economic activity.

Describing What is the Metroplex?

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