Background Information

Grapevine, Texas USA

Grapevine is in the north of Texas, approximately 20 miles from both Dallas and Fort Worth and close to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.  The airport, one of the world’s largest, has contributed significantly to Grapevine’s population growth and economic vitality through the local taxation system in the US.

The population of the town increased by 67% between 1990 and 2006 and now stands at 49,000, with 6,000 residing in the historic core.  Grapevine is one of the oldest settlements in Texas and it was Paul McCallum’s interest in heritage that led him to Linlithgow and West Lothian.

Grapevine’s economic success is reflected in its current estimated daytime population of over 130,000 - main industries include tourism, retail and wine production.  Grapevine’s original vineyards have now moved further north, although wine production and promotion continues in the town.

The city is named for wild mustang grapes prevalent in the area and in recent years several wineries have opened in Grapevine.

The city is active in trying to preserve its historic buildings and adopted a Historic Preservation Ordinance in 1991, in an effort to protect the city's rich, unique architectural heritage, which led to the designation of two local Historic Districts and numerous residential Historic Landmarks.

The Grapevine Heritage Foundation looks after several historic sites including the 1940's Art Deco Palace Arts Center, which includes the Lancaster Theatre, the Hertiage Center Historical Museum and Vintage Railroad and the Thomas Jefferson Nash Farmstead.

The Heritage Foundation also runs two annual festivals, Main Street Days and GrapeFest, supporting the historic preservation efforts of the Foundation.

This year will be the 22nd Annual GrapeFest, the largest wine festival in the Southwest USA featuring the largest consumer-judged wine competition in the U.S.   For more details, see http://tourtexas.com/grapevine/grapefest/index.html

No direct connections linking West Lothian to Texas have been found. However, there are plenty of links with Scotland - listed below are 3 websites.

Texas Scottish Heritage Society
A short article on Scottish Texans, in the Texas Almanac.

Apparently 80% of those who died at the Alamo were of Scottish descent!

Cooper Industries, which bought Cameron Iron Works in 1989-90, was a Texan Company.

Emigration from West Lothian was under the national average between 1861 and 1911, because of its expanding economy and industrialisation - plenty of jobs in the county, so no pressing need to go abroad.

1861-1880 - over 15% of population of West Lothian emigrated.
1880-1900 - under 15%
1901-1911 - under 12%

The greatest level of emigration from West Lothian was the 1920s, when emigration significantly exceeded natural population growth.

The most popular emigration destination from Scotland 1861-1901 was the United States. It tended to be the middling rank of population which emigrated from the Lowlands - those looking to better themselves, rather than being driven out by poverty as tended to be the case in emigration from the Highlands.