Gordon

History

Gordon's history begins in 1864 with the founding of the community of Hampton, Texas. The town of Gordon was planned by the Texas and Pacific Railway one mile south of Hampton in 1874. The new town was named Gordon after the civil engineer responsible for surveying the townsite land. The railroad was built through the area in 1880, and the following year Hampton was moved to meet the railroad. The first classes at the Gordon School were held in 1882, and the post office opened on October 17, 1883 with local businessman Robert Rogan serving as the community's first postmaster. Gordon High School was built in 1887, and by 1889 Gordon possessed five general stores, three drug stores, three hotels, three cotton gins, and a reported population of 300 residents. By 1901, Gordon had telephone service and the city got its own power plant in 1912. In the U.S. Census of 1920, the burgeoning community reported 1,000 residents; but the effects of the Great Depression brought prosperity to a halt, and by 1960 fewer than 500 people were living in Gordon. The city has managed to survive as a point of commerce and shipping for local ranching and petroleum production. As of the 2000 Census, Gordon claimed 451 residents.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  403
• Turkey Vulture

  Cathartes aura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  396
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  286
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  268
• Black Vulture

  Coragyps atratus (Bechstein, 1793) · Aves
  264
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  231
• Carolina Wren

  Thryothorus ludovicianus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  226
• Black-crested Titmouse

  Baeolophus atricristatus (Cassin, 1850) · Aves
  205

Most recent

• M 2.7 — 2024-03-06
  13 km ESE of Olney, Texas
• M 2.7 — 2018-12-21
  7 km W of Chico, Texas
• M 2.8 — 2017-06-21
  2 km NW of Sanctuary, Texas
• M 2.5 — 2014-01-28
  3 km NNW of Pelican Bay, Texas
• M 3.1 — 2014-01-13
  2 km ESE of Reno, Texas
• M 3.3 — 2013-12-23
  1 km S of Reno, Texas