Giddings, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Giddings, Texas
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The Giddings Municipal Building is located across from the renovated Lee County Courthouse.
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Location in Lee County in the state of Texas
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Lee |
| Area | |
| • Total | 5.31 sq mi (13.75 km2) |
| • Land | 5.28 sq mi (13.67 km2) |
| • Water | 0.03 sq mi (0.08 km2) |
| Elevation | 502 ft (153 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 4,969 |
| • Density | 966.27/sq mi (373.10/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
78942
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| Area code(s) | 979 |
| FIPS code | 48-29432 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2410587 |
Giddings is a city in Texas, United States. It is the main city, or county seat, of Lee County, Texas. You can find Giddings where two major roads, U.S. Highway 77 and U.S. Route 290, meet. In 2020, about 4,969 people lived there.
Contents
History of Giddings
The land where Giddings is today was first given to Stephen F. Austin in 1821. This was for a new settlement, or colony, when Texas was part of Spanish Texas. Later, it became part of the Robertson Colony.
The city of Giddings started in 1871. This happened when the Houston and Texas Central Railway built train tracks through the area. The city was likely named after Jabez Deming Giddings. He was an important person who helped bring the railway to this area. He came to Texas in 1838 from Pennsylvania. He wanted to claim land that belonged to his brother, Giles A. Giddings. Giles had died in the Battle of San Jacinto. Some people think the city was named after Jabez's other brother, Dewitt Clinton Giddings.
Early people who settled in Giddings came from nearby towns. These included places like Old Evergreen and Shady Grove. Most of these settlers were from the British Isles. However, many Wendish families also moved there from the Serbin area. The Wends later started a German-language newspaper called Deutsches Volksblatt.
A group led by William Marsh Rice owned all the land in the new town. They sold pieces of land to the settlers. Later, Rice Institute, which is now Rice University in Houston, took over. They continued to sell the land lots.
Giddings was known for its wide streets. The two main streets, Main and Austin, were 100 feet (30 m) wide. Other streets were 80 feet (24 m) wide. The first church in town was Methodist, started in 1871. A Masonic Lodge, which is a community group, moved to Giddings. Early churches and a public school met in its building. After the Civil War, many freed slaves settled in Giddings. Classes for over 50 Black students were held in a church in 1883. The first public school for Black students was built in 1887.
Giddings became the county seat of Lee County in 1874. This meant it was the main city for the county government. Early businesses included a general store, a blacksmith shop, and an oil mill. Brick buildings started appearing in 1875. The first courthouse built in 1878 burned down. A new one was built in 1899. A building called Fletcher House was sold to a church group in 1894. It became Concordia Lutheran College. By 1890, Giddings was in a rich cotton-growing area. It had access to the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway. The town also had several cotton gins, an opera house, and newspapers. About 1,000 people lived there. The First National Bank opened in 1890. The town officially became a city in 1913. By 1914, its population was 2,000.
In the early 1980s, oil was found under the town. This led to an "oil boom." About 300 oil-related businesses came to Giddings. Many oil rigs were working in the areas around the city. However, by the late 1980s, oil activities slowed down a lot. In 1988, Giddings had 5,178 people. By 1990, the city had a hospital, clinics, nursing homes, a library, and motels. It also had restaurants, two newspapers, a peanut mill, and factories. There were 19 churches in the city.
Geography of Giddings
Giddings covers about 5.2 square miles (13.75 square kilometers). A very small part of this area, about 0.04 square miles (0.08 square kilometers), is covered by water.
Climate in Giddings
The weather in Giddings is known for being warm. It gets rain fairly evenly throughout the year. Scientists describe the climate here as "humid subtropical." This means it has hot, humid summers and mild winters.
Population of Giddings
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 624 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,203 | 92.8% | |
| 1920 | 1,650 | — | |
| 1930 | 1,835 | 11.2% | |
| 1940 | 2,166 | 18.0% | |
| 1950 | 2,532 | 16.9% | |
| 1960 | 2,821 | 11.4% | |
| 1970 | 2,783 | −1.3% | |
| 1980 | 3,950 | 41.9% | |
| 1990 | 4,093 | 3.6% | |
| 2000 | 5,105 | 24.7% | |
| 2010 | 4,881 | −4.4% | |
| 2020 | 4,969 | 1.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850–1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 |
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| Race | Number | Percentage |
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| White (NH) | 1,876 | 37.75% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 623 | 12.54% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 10 | 0.2% |
| Asian (NH) | 32 | 0.64% |
| Some other race (NH) | 7 | 0.14% |
| Mixed/multiracial (NH) | 153 | 3.08% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2,268 | 45.64% |
| Total | 4,969 |
As of the 2020 United States census, Giddings had 4,969 people. There were 1,685 households and 1,364 families living in the city.
In 2000, there were 5,105 people living in Giddings. About 38.1% of households had children under 18. The average household had 2.74 people.
Economy in Giddings
Giddings has many jobs in certain areas. It has a lot of jobs in mining, quarrying, and oil and gas. It also has many jobs in other services and in transportation. From 2016 to 2017, the number of jobs in Giddings grew by almost 5%.
Major companies and places that employ many people in Giddings include:
- Altman Plants: This company grows plants in large greenhouses. Their Giddings location has 38 acres of greenhouses. They send plants to garden centers in the region.
- Kaemark: This company makes furniture for hair salons. It is the largest maker of salon furnishings in the country. Their headquarters in Giddings has a big showroom.
- Giddings State School: This is a facility for young people who have been in trouble with the law. It is run by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department.
- Giddings Seed Laboratory: This lab tests seeds. It is a project of the Texas Department of Agriculture.
- United States Postal Service: The Giddings Post Office is located in the city.
The city also has groups that help businesses and people find jobs. The Giddings Economic Development Corporation (GEDC) helps new and existing businesses. In 2014, the GEDC bought 165 acres of land. They plan to build the Giddings 290 Business Park there.
Education in Giddings
The schools in Giddings are part of the Giddings Independent School District. Giddings High School is for students in grades 9-12. About 657 students attend the high school.
The Texas Department of Juvenile Justice runs the Giddings State School. This school is for young people in the juvenile justice system. It is located near Giddings.
Most of Lee County, including Giddings, is part of the Blinn Junior College district. This means students can attend Blinn Junior College.
Media in Giddings
People in Giddings and Lee County can read two local newspapers. These are the Giddings Times and News and the Lexington Leader.
There is also a local radio station, KGID, Inc. FM 96.3. It has been on the air since 2018.
In the past, Giddings had a special newspaper. It was called the Giddings Deutsches Volksblatt. It was printed in three languages: German, English, and Wendish/Sorbian.
Arts and Culture in Giddings
In 2015, the city of Giddings started a project for a Veterans Memorial Wall. This wall honors people who served in the military. The Lee County Veterans Association helps raise money for this project. Construction began in 2020.
Giddings celebrates its Wendish heritage. The Texas Wendish Heritage Society holds an annual festival. It takes place in nearby Serbin every September.
The Giddings Area Chamber of Commerce runs the Lee County Heritage Center/Hubert-Fletcher Home. This is a place where you can learn about the area's history.
The City Meat Market restaurant is famous for its barbecue. Texas Monthly magazine named it one of the 50 best places for barbecue. In 2017, Snow's BBQ was chosen as the Best BBQ in Texas. This made pitmaster Tootsie Tomanetz very well-known. She was also featured in a Netflix show called Chef's Table.
The Historic Freight Station and Depot Complex is in Downtown Giddings. Some of these old buildings are being used for new businesses. One is a distillery where you can taste drinks. Another building is becoming a German restaurant and brewery.
Notable people from Giddings
- Gwendolyn B. Bennett: A famous writer and artist during the Harlem Renaissance.
- Gus Mutscher: A former leader of the Texas House of Representatives.
- David J. Porter (born 1956): A commissioner for the Texas Railroad Commission.
- Hilton Smith: A pitcher in Negro League baseball.
- Larry Wade: A world-class hurdler and NCAA champion.
Images for kids
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The Lee County Courthouse in Giddings (built 1899)
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Giddings Area Pumpjack
See also
In Spanish: Giddings (Texas) para niños
