Gause is an unincorporated community in Milam County, Texas, United States. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had an estimated population of 400 in 2000.[2] For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau first defined Gause as a census-designated place (CDP) in the 2020 census with a population of 275.[3]
Gause, Texas | |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Milam |
| Elevation | 371 ft (113 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 275 |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1357931[1] |
Geography
editGause is situated along U.S. Highway 79/190, sixteen miles southeast of Cameron and twenty-nine miles west of Bryan/College Station.[4]
Sugarloaf Mountain, the highest point in Milam County, is nearby Gause. Sugarloaf, a 60-acre property (24 ha), was purchased by the Tonkawa Tribe of Oklahoma from private owners, in commemoration of its status as a site sacred to the Tonkawa.[5] Sugarloaf will become part of a historical park.[6]
History
editThe community is named for William J. Gause, a settler who moved to the area in 1872 and built a home out of lumber hauled from Montgomery.[2] In 1873, he gave right-of-way and 100 acres (0.40 km2) of land to the International-Great Northern Railroad (I&GN). This caused the area to grow and a post office opened in 1874.[7] A schoolhouse that doubled as a church was built in 1876. Gause had approximately 300 residents in 1884 as well as two steam-powered cotton gins and two churches. Gause was a shipping point for Milam County farmers who shipped corn, cotton, and cottonseed oil.[4] The Gause Independent School District was established in 1905.
The population reached its peak around 1915, when 1,000 people lived in the community. Gause slowly declined over the next few decades.[2] Its bank was discontinued in 1927 after 17 years in operation.[7] The combination of a decline in the number of businesses in Gause and the introduction of the automobile precipitated further downturns in the local economy. By the 1960s, the community had 278 residents, down from 750 in the 1940s. The population began to rebound in the late 1980s as more people chose to live in Gause and commute to jobs in nearby industrial plants. In 1990, Gause had 400 residents and eight businesses. The population remained unchanged as of 2000.[2] Despite its unincorporated status, Gause continues to have a functioning post office (zip code:77857).[8]
Education
editPublic education in the community of Gause is provided by the Gause Independent School District. The district operates a single campus that serves an estimated 150 students in grades pre-kindergarten through eight.
Demographics
edit| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 275 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[9] 1850–1900[10] 1910[11] 1920[12] 1930[13] 1940[14] 1950[15] 1960[16] 1970[17] 1980[18] 1990[19] 2000[20] 2010[21] 2020[22] | |||
Gause first appeared as a census designated place in the 2020 U.S. Census.[23][21][22]
2020 census
edit| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2020[22] | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 215 | 78.18% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 14 | 5.09% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 2 | 0.73% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 0 | 0.00% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 0 | 0.00% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 0 | 0.00% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 16 | 5.82% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 28 | 10.18% |
| Total | 275 | 100.00% |
Notable people
edit- Lance Archer, (b 1977) is a professional wrestler, currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW)
- Ruthie Foster, (b 1964) is a singer-songwriter of blues and folk music.
- Ox Miller, (1915–2007) was a professional baseball pitcher, chiefly for the St. Louis Browns
- Jo-Jo Moore, (1908–2001) was a Major League Baseball outfielder who played for the New York Giants and Cincinnati Reds
- Bob Wills, (1905–1975) was a Western swing musician, songwriter, and bandleader, Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys.
References
edit- ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Gause, Texas
- ^ a b c d "Gause, Texas". The Handbook of Texas online. Retrieved June 3, 2009.
- ^ "Gause CDP, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
- ^ a b "Gause, Texas". Texas Escapes Online Magazine. Retrieved June 3, 2009.
- ^ Miller, Alex (December 23, 2023). "How the Tonkawa Tribe bought back sacred Sugarloaf Mountain in Central Texas". Waco Tribune-Herald. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
- ^ Barnes, Michael (January 17, 2024). "'We're home': 140 years after forced exile, the Tonkawa reclaim a sacred part of Texas". USA TODAY. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
- ^ a b "Gause, Texas Webpage". Leonard Kubiak's Online Texas History Webpages. Leonard Kubiak. Retrieved June 2, 2009.
- ^ Zip Code Lookup
- ^ "Decennial Census by Decade". US Census Bureau.
- ^ "1900 Census of Population - Population of Texas By Counties And Minor Civil Divisions" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "1910 Census of Population - Supplement for Texas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "1920 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "1930 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "1940 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "1950 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "1960 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "1970 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "1990 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Texas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Texas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
- ^ a b "2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Texas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
- ^ a b c "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Gause CDP, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "2020 Geography Changes". United States Census Bureau.