Golden, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Golden
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 Golden
Location in Texas
Golden
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| Population | |
| • Total | ~200 |
| Area code(s) | 430, 903 |
Golden is a small, unincorporated community located in Wood County, Texas, in the United States. This means it's a group of homes and businesses that isn't officially a city or town with its own local government. In 2000, about 156 people lived in Golden.
Contents
Golden's History: A Timeline
The area where Golden is today was first settled around 1865. The community really began to grow in the late 1870s. This was when C.W. Tucker built a sawmill there.
The Railroad Arrives
A big change happened in 1881. The Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad built its tracks right through Golden. This new railroad connected Greenville to Mineola. The town was actually named after John Golden, who was a construction engineer for the railway.
The railroad helped the community's economy. Cutting trees for railroad ties became a big business. This added to the farming that was already happening.
Growth and Change
By 1885, Golden had its own post office. By 1890, about 100 people lived there. The community had three churches and several businesses. These included a shingle mill, a cotton gin, and two sawmills. There was also a vineyard and a plant nursery.
Six years later, the population grew to 300 people. A bank opened in Golden in 1907. The community reached its largest size in 1914, with 650 residents. At that time, Golden even had telephone service and its own newspaper, called the Golden Rule.
However, the population started to shrink. By 1925, only 400 people lived there. The bank closed in 1931. The number of residents continued to fall through the middle of the 20th century. In 1965, the railroad stopped using its line through Golden.
Even with these changes, the community kept going. Growing watermelons and other crops for sale (called truck farming) became very important. From the 1960s to 2000, the population stayed around 156 people. In 1988, Golden had four businesses and three churches. By 2000, the number of businesses had grown to 21.
Recent Events
On October 24, 2010, a small tornado, called an EF0 tornado, hit Golden. It caused some trees to be uprooted.
A historic building in Golden, the Reneau building, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2013. This means it's recognized as an important historical site.
Sweet Potato Festival: A Fun Tradition
Every year, on the fourth Saturday in October, Golden hosts a special event. It's called the Sweet Potato Festival! This celebration has been happening since 1982. It's even been featured twice on The Oprah Winfrey Show because it's such a unique and fun event.
Where is Golden?
Golden is located in the southwestern part of Wood County. You can find it where FM 1799 and 779 meet, just off U.S. Highway 69.
It's about 4 miles (6.4 km) northwest of Mineola. It's also about 5 miles (8 km) southeast of Alba. If you're coming from bigger cities, Golden is about 33 miles (53 km) northwest of Tyler and 80 miles (129 km) east of Dallas.
Learning in Golden: Education
The Friendship School was started around 1880 in the Golden area. By 1932, the Golden School District had 232 students across 11 grades. This school continued to operate in 1988.
Today, students in Golden get their public education from the Alba-Golden Independent School District.
Famous People from Golden
Golden is home to some notable people!
- Kacey Musgraves (born 1988) is a Grammy-winning country music artist. She is a singer and songwriter. Her song "Dime Store Cowgirl" even mentions Golden in its lyrics! Also, the photos for her album Golden Hour were taken in and around the community.
- Harold Simmons (1931–2013) was a successful businessman. He was the owner of a company called Contran Corporation.
