Bowser, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bowser, Texas
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 Bowser, Texas
Location in Texas
Bowser, Texas
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | San Saba |
| Elevation | 1,312 ft (400 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 325 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1379449 |
Bowser is a small, unincorporated community in northwestern San Saba County, located in western Central Texas. An unincorporated community means it's a place with a shared identity but no official local government like a city or town. According to the Handbook of Texas, about 20 people lived there in 2000.
Contents
History of Bowser
How Bowser Started
The community of Bowser began in the 1870s. It was first called Bowser Bend because it was near a curve in the Colorado River. The area grew around Mr. Sim Witted's farm. A nearby river crossing was even called Whitted Crossing.
Early Life in Bowser
In its early days, Bowser had important places for its residents. There was a store for farmers, a schoolhouse, a church, and a post office. It even had a cotton gin, which was a machine used to separate cotton fibers from their seeds.
Moving to Higher Ground
Floods from the river often damaged the buildings in Bowser Bend. Because of this, starting in the late 1880s, people began to move the community. New buildings were built on higher ground, about a mile and a half south of the original spot. This new location was about 1,312 feet above sea level. A new post office opened there in 1892. It stayed open until 1921, after which mail came from the Mercury post office, about eight miles away.
Businesses and Population Changes
A cotton gin called Martin Gin opened in Bowser in 1891 and operated for about 50 years. By 1896, Bowser had a population of 100 people. The community was supported by the cotton gin, a gristmill (which grinds grain), and three churches.
However, the population changed over time. In the early 1930s, Bowser lost three-quarters of its residents. Only two businesses remained. The population then grew back to 50 people in the late 1940s. One local church continued to operate in 1983. By 2000, the population had decreased to 20 people.
Bowser Today
As better roads were built, fewer people stayed in Bowser. By the 1980s, it was mostly a "ghost town." Only two empty houses and the old schoolhouse were still standing. However, the Methodist church was still being used. Other churches, like the Church of Christ, the Baptist church, and the Holiness tabernacle, had been torn down. Starting in the 1990s, people looking for quiet country places began to move into the Bowser area again.
Geography of Bowser
Today, Bowser is located near where Farm Roads 45 and 765 meet. It is about nine miles north of Richland Springs.
Education in Bowser
Bowser had its own school in 1896. Today, children living in the Bowser community attend schools in the Richland Springs Independent School District.
