Newgulf, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Newgulf, Texas
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 Newgulf, Texas
Location in Texas
Newgulf, Texas
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Wharton |
| Elevation | 69 ft (21 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 979 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1363843 |
Newgulf (also called New Gulf) is a small, unincorporated community in Wharton County, Texas, United States. This means it's a place where people live, but it doesn't have its own local government like a city does. In 2009, only about ten people lived there. It's located near the big city area of Greater Houston.
Contents
History
A Town Built for Sulfur
Newgulf was started in 1928 by the Texas Gulf Sulfur Company. It was a "company town," which means the company built the whole town for its workers and their families. Newgulf was built because it had what was believed to be the largest sulfur deposit in the world. Sulfur is a yellow element used in many products, like fertilizers and chemicals.
The company held a contest to name the new community, and a woman named Marie Ertz won. About 400 homes were built for employees and their families. The downtown area had 15 businesses, including a cafe, two grocery stores, pharmacies, a barbershop, a tailor shop, a movie theater, and a hospital.
Newgulf also had a library, a post office, and a clubhouse with a nine-hole golf course. There were four churches for different faiths. The Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts each had their own clubhouses. There was even a guest lodge with two guest houses.
Peak and Decline
Newgulf was a very close-knit community. At its busiest in 1940, 1,586 people lived there. When the town was first built, there were no paved roads. Residents had to travel to nearby Wharton for some things.
In the late 1950s, Newgulf began to decline. The sulfur company was producing more sulfur, but it wasn't selling well. Sulfur prices went down, and new plants were built in other places. A recession in 1957 also caused people to lose their jobs.
By 1961, abandoned houses were being sold. New mining techniques and machinery meant fewer workers were needed. The population dropped to 963 between 1980 and 1990. By 1990, there were only 100 houses left, and no businesses. Residents had to travel to Boling and Wharton for shopping.
The first clubhouse and golf course were sold to the Newgulf Athletic Club. They are still open today. The post office closed in 1993, and mail now comes from Boling. A small team of workers still operates the sulfur mine. In 2009, only 10 people lived in Newgulf.
Community and Landmarks
In the 1930s, a group called the Congregation of St. Basil started helping the Spanish-speaking community in Newgulf. Today, two tall smokestacks are the main landmarks you can see in the community.
Geography
Newgulf is located on Farm to Market Road 1301. It is about 12 miles (19 km) east of Wharton and 3 miles (5 km) east of Boling. It sits in the very eastern part of Wharton County, between the San Bernard River and Caney Creek.
Education
The Texas Gulf Sulfur Company built the first school in Newgulf. The Newgulf Independent School District was created in 1928, and two more schools were built. Newgulf and Iago had separate elementary schools, while the high school was in Boling.
By 1959, students were bused to different campuses. Elementary students went to Newgulf, middle schoolers to Iago, and high schoolers to Boling. As of 1995, Newgulf's elementary school is part of the Boling Independent School District.
Infrastructure
Newgulf is home to New Gulf Airport, which is a private airport.
Notable person
- Wayne Moses, a football coach who worked as a running back coach for the Idaho Vandals.
Images for kids
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Newgulf Elementary School
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New homes in Newgulf
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Mostly empty tree-lined streets
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Row of old company houses
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Closed Texas Gulf Sulphur Company plant
