Small-town living with room to grow
Approximately 13 miles west of Denton, Ponder is a rural Texas community with strong western roots. "Ponder is a small town that works hard to preserve the western culture of Texas," says Cathy Green, a native Texan and broker-owner of Major League Realty, Inc. "Many small towns around here don't like change, but Ponder is pretty progressive about accepting the fact that change is inevitable." With just under 2,500 residents, Ponder still offers residents a quiet, friendly place to call home, but new subdivisions and family-friendly parks signal a town preparing for growth. "Ponder is doing a good job regarding municipal changes to adapt the old to the new," Green says. "Because it's a small town, new homes stress its infrastructure. So the town is looking to see how it can expand and improve its municipal services and future development without hampering the existing rural lifestyle." Home to the Denton County Cowboy Church and the annual Ponder Frontier Days celebration, this small town offers a close-knit community with Texas pride, wide-open skies, low crime rates and a slower pace of life within 15 miles of Denton's urban amenities.
A mix of new builds and classic country homes
Housing in Ponder blends the old with the new. An eclectic mix of 20th- and 21st-century houses priced from the $200,000s to the $300,000s fan off both sides of FM-156. Spurts of new developments are scattered around town. Some subdivisions feature early-21st-century classic Texas-style brick ramblers priced from the upper-$200,000s to low-$300,000s. Other streets give way to modern developments with new transitional styles. These homes include a mix of one- and two-story floorplans, with prices ranging from $330,000 to $600,000. On the north side of town, custom-built homes on 1-acre-plus lots can fetch prices as high as $800,000. A handful of smaller tracts of land zoned for single-family homes can range from $150,000 to $250,000 in town. Just outside of town, homes on acreage can top $1 million, while large tracts of land catered towards real estate developers can range from $450,000 to over $5 million.
Ponder's location along the Barnett Shale
Ponder's location atop the Barnett Shale has led to fracking operations across town. "The Barnett Shale has been one of the largest gas reservoirs in Texas for years," Green says. Residents have expressed concerns about potential health impacts, and studies have indicated potential risks of water contamination and air pollution. Still, many residents view it as a way of life. "I hear some people grumble about it, and many people new to the area don't know what they are and fear them,” Green says. “But the oil and gas companies have done a good job conserving the relationship between the corporations and the town, and many long-time landowners have become very wealthy because of them."
Town parks, equestrian facilities and lakefront escapes
Eddie Deussen Jr. Park is a community hub in the heart of town with a playground, a half-basketball court and a pavilion with picnic tables. The park also hosts the town's largest event: Ponder Frontier Days. Every spring, empty fields transform into a town-wide celebration with food trucks, live music and street dancing.
About 1 mile down the road, Ponder Baseball Triplex hosts local games and practices for youth leagues. As Ponder grows, real estate developers’ incorporation of green spaces in new subdivisions also benefits the community. Just past Remington Park Estates' entrance, paved walkways encircle a large playground and soccer fields. Pathways lead past fenced-in fracking sites and down the street to another large green space with a basketball court.
Equestrian facilities surrounding the town highlight Ponder's western roots. On the south side of town, Denton County Cowboy Church encapsulates the lifestyle this small town aims to preserve with an indoor horseback riding ring and events centered around the town's western culture. "The church is a great beacon of light in our community," Green says. "It's a great ministry that truly shows people how to serve others and improve our community." Casual attire is the norm, with many patrons donning cowboy hats and belt buckles.
Ponder residents can swap rural landscapes for lakefront views and green escapes outside town. Grapevine Lake and Lewisville Lake sit within 20 miles of Ponder, with scenic parks with hiking trails, boat ramps, fishing piers and roped-off swimming areas along their shorelines. Ray Roberts Lake State Park is another popular retreat 25 miles away, boasting lakefront beaches, hiking and horseback riding trails, and multiple campgrounds.
Education in Ponder
Ponder Independent School District was named the fifth-best school district in Denton County by Niche, which awards it an overall B-plus rating. Pre-kindergarteners through fifth graders may attend Ponder Elementary, which scores a B. Ponder Junior High School and Ponder High School garner B-plus ratings. Ponder High's extensive athletics programs benefit from a state-of-the-art turf football field and two indoor basketball courts.
Small-town shops and Denton's amenities
Martha's Taco Shop is one of two local eateries in town. Housed in an unassuming, former ranch-style house, Martha's short but always popular menu keeps patrons coming back with its Mexican street tacos, gorditas and rotating specials. Down the road, Sprinkles Donuts serves homemade donuts and breakfast sandwiches seven days a week.
Subway is the only chain restaurant in town, while other establishments include an auto repair shop, a hardware store and a feed store. Residents can swing by the local Dollar General, but most major retailers, like Walmart Supercenter, Sam's Club and WinCo, are located about 10 miles east in Denton.
Commutes around Ponder
Situated along the outskirts of Dallas's growing metroplex, Ponder still maintains its rural character. As a result, there is no public transportation in the area, and Ponder is a heavily car-dependent community. FM-156 and FM-2449 converge in the heart of town, while nearby thoroughfares include U.S. Route 380. Denton's Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital is about 10 miles east, while Dallas Fort Worth International Airport is about 30 miles southeast via Interstate 35E. Downtown Dallas is slightly farther, about 50 miles from town, and Forth Worth is 40 miles south via Interstate 35W.
