Kosse, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kosse, Texas
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![]() Kosse, Texas
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Location of Kosse, Texas
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Country | United States |
State | Texas |
County | Limestone |
Area | |
• Total | 1.30 sq mi (3.37 km2) |
• Land | 1.29 sq mi (3.34 km2) |
• Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2) |
Elevation | 499 ft (152 m) |
Population
(2020)
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• Total | 458 |
• Density | 352.3/sq mi (135.9/km2) |
Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
ZIP code |
76653
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Area code(s) | 254 |
FIPS code | 48-39844 |
GNIS feature ID | 1360753 |
Kosse is a small town located in southern Limestone County, Texas, United States. In 2020, about 458 people lived there.
Kosse is known for calling itself "A Little Town with a Big Heart."
Contents
Where is Kosse?
Kosse is located in southwestern Limestone County. It sits where State Highway 7 and State Highway 14 meet.
The town is about 16 miles east of Marlin. It is also 17 miles south of Groesbeck. Larger cities nearby include Waco, which is 42 miles northwest. Bryan and College Station are 52 miles south.
The town covers a total area of about 1.3 square miles (3.37 square kilometers). All of this area is land.
Kosse's Story: A Look Back in Time
Early Days of Settlement
People first started settling in this area in the mid-1840s. It was known as Eutaw back then. Settlers built their homes near Duck Creek. Eutaw was also a stop for stagecoaches traveling between different towns.
The Railroad Arrives
After the Civil War, a railway called the Houston and Texas Central Railway (H&TC) was planned to pass through the area. This railway aimed to connect Houston to Dallas and other northern cities.
The H&TC set aside one acre of land for a new town. This new town was named Kosse, after the railway's chief engineer, Theodore Kosse. For a few months in 1870 and 1871, Kosse was the end of the railway line. During this time, the town grew very quickly. However, the railway soon extended further north. This caused Kosse's population to shrink quite a bit.
Becoming an Official Town
The town of Kosse officially became a town on May 22, 1871, by a law passed in Texas. The law named several people to help plan the town. The first town leaders were chosen by the Governor. The first election for a mayor and other officers happened in November 1872.
Growth in the Late 1800s
In 1880, the first count of people in Kosse showed 476 residents. Five years later, Kosse had many businesses. These included places that processed cotton and sawmills. By 1890, the population had grown to 647 people.
A public school was built in 1884. Kosse became its own school district in 1893. At that time, 225 students attended the main school. There was also a separate school for the area's Black community, which had 80 students.
In 1895, a large fire destroyed many buildings and businesses in the town. It caused a lot of damage.
The Early 1900s and Beyond
By the early 1900s, Kosse was a stable community. It supported the farms and ranches nearby. In 1914, about 700 people lived in Kosse.
In 1922, oil was discovered near Kosse. This discovery quickly turned Kosse into a busy oil boom town. Thousands of new people moved there. However, most of the oil wells did not produce much oil. So, the oil boom ended very quickly in early 1923.
The Great Depression in the 1930s greatly affected Kosse. Many businesses closed, and people left to find work. In 1968, the Kosse school joined with the Groesbeck school district. By 1989, Kosse had eleven businesses.
Who Lives in Kosse?
The town's population has changed over the years. Here's a look at how many people have lived in Kosse:
Historical population | |||
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Census | Pop. | %± | |
1880 | 476 | — | |
1890 | 647 | 35.9% | |
1900 | 717 | 10.8% | |
1910 | 764 | 6.6% | |
1920 | 872 | 14.1% | |
1930 | 805 | −7.7% | |
1940 | 881 | 9.4% | |
1950 | 566 | −35.8% | |
1960 | 354 | −37.5% | |
1970 | 471 | 33.1% | |
1980 | 484 | 2.8% | |
1990 | 505 | 4.3% | |
2000 | 497 | −1.6% | |
2010 | 464 | −6.6% | |
2020 | 458 | −1.3% | |
U.S. Decennial Census 2020 Census |
In 2000, there were 497 people living in Kosse. About 73% were White, and 18% were African American. About 10% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
The average age in Kosse in 2000 was 36 years old. About 27% of the people were under 18.
Education in Kosse
Students in Kosse attend public schools run by the Groesbeck Independent School District.
Famous People from Kosse
- Sam G. Bratton – A senator and judge.
- John Wesley Hardin – A famous outlaw.
- Kosse Johnson – An All-American football player for Rice University.
- Walter Angus Keeling – A federal judge and former Texas Attorney General.
- Kenneth Sims – A professional football player for the New England Patriots. He was the first player chosen in the 1982 NFL draft.
- Bob Wills – A well-known Western swing musician and songwriter.
Images for kids
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The First Baptist Church of Kosse was built in 1907.
See also
In Spanish: Kosse (Texas) para niños