DISH is primarily gas lease property -- sorry, none of the classical oil derricks that you'll see across North Texas -- with mostly trailer homes and no downtown area of which to speak. There is no town hall per se, and its only businesses operate out of a trailer home at the corner of Eakins Cemetery Rd and Tim Donald Rd. The Town of Dish does have a website (
visit link) and the slightly-edited core of its corresponding Wikipedia Entry says:
DISH is a town in Denton County, Texas, United States. The town had a population of 201 at the 2010 census. 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 a satellite television company.
The municipality was previously named after its founder, Landis Clark, who incorporated it in June 2000 and served as its first mayor. Clark was beaten by one vote in the spring 2005 election by Bill Merritt.
In exchange for renaming the town, all residents of the town have received free basic television service for ten years and a free DVR from Dish Network. There was no formal opposition to renaming Clark; twelve citizens attended the council meeting to support the measure.
In the January 10, 2006, episode of Comedy Central's The Daily Show, correspondent Ed Helms produced a news segment about DISH.
Pollution and contamination
The 2010 documentary film "Gasland" visits DISH to uncover the hidden pollution and contamination caused by the natural gas industry.
Former mayor Calvin Tillman, an outspoken environmental activist, says he was forced to move his family out of DISH when his two sons began experiencing nose bleeds, which he says were caused by fracking.
Mayor Tillman used the small town's budget to fund an air quality study by Wolf Eagle Environmental, formerly known as Wolf Eagle Environmental Engineers & Consultants – but was forced to change its name upon it becoming public that the organization did not employ an actual licensed professional engineer on staff. You can find a copy of the study here. (
visit link)
On May 10, 2010, The Texas Department of State Health Services (TxDSHS) released air quality results for DISH, TX. The Final Report: DISH, Texas Exposure Investigation is the result of blood and urine samples from 28 DISH residents that were tested for volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The TxDSHS’s conclusion states, "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 is 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." The result of this report is great news to the residents of DISH in that they are not being contaminated, as previously stated by Former Mayor Calvin Tillman.
The Tillmans paid $139,000 for their house on 2.86 acres in 2003, according to Denton Central Appraisal District records, and an unknown amount for an adjoining 3.21 acres in 2005. The appraisal district valued the two properties in 2010 at $136,675. The house has been sold.