Ore City, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ore City, Texas
|
|
|---|---|
| Nicknames:
"City on the Iron Hill", “Iron City”, OC
|
|
 |
|
 Ore City, Texas
Location in Texas
Ore City, Texas
Location in the United States
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Upshur |
| Incorporated | 1951 |
| Founded by | Lewis Porter Featherstone |
| Named for | the iron discovered |
| Government | |
| • Type | Strong Mayor-council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.18 sq mi (5.65 km2) |
| • Land | 2.16 sq mi (5.59 km2) |
| • Water | 0.02 sq mi (0.06 km2) |
| Elevation | 308 ft (94 m) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 1,108 |
| • Density | 568.52/sq mi (219.56/km2) |
| Demonym(s) | Ore Citian |
| Time zone | Central (CST) |
| ZIP code |
75683
|
| Area code(s) | 903, 430 |
| FIPS code | 48-54216 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2411331 |
| Major highways |  |
Ore City is a small city located in Upshur County, Texas, in the United States. It's found where two main roads, US 259 and FM 450, meet. It's also only about four miles from Lake O’ the Pines. In 2020, about 1,108 people lived here.
Contents
Where is Ore City Located?
Ore City is in East Texas, about 13 miles northeast of Gilmer. It's also around 20 miles north of a larger city called Longview. The city is part of a beautiful area known as the Piney Woods, which has many impressive trees and plants.
Main Roads in Ore City
U.S. Highway 259 is a major road that runs through Ore City.
What is the History of Ore City?
Before European settlers arrived, the Caddo people lived in this region. Their way of life changed significantly when settlers came in the 1700s and 1800s.
The area where Ore City now stands was first settled in the early 1850s. A group of people from Haywood County, Tennessee moved here. They quickly started a church and a school.
The Iron Ore Boom
After the American Civil War, people found a lot of iron ore in the area. Iron ore is a rock from which iron metal can be extracted. Mining for this ore happened off and on from the 1860s to 1900.
Around 1910, a company led by Colonel L.P. Featherstone decided to mine the iron ore more seriously. He convinced the Santa Fe Railway to help build a railroad line. This line would connect Ore City to Port Bolivar, a port city.
Land for a new town was bought and planned out around 1911. The town was named Ore City because of the iron ore. A post office opened soon after. By 1914, 30 miles of the railroad, called the Port Bolivar Iron Ore Railway, were built. This connected Ore City to Longview. The new town had about 400 people.
However, World War I stopped the railroad construction. Colonel Featherstone's company went out of business, and the railroad was closed in 1927. Even so, Ore City survived. By 1936, about 500 people lived there.
During World War II, the government built a steel plant near Ore City. It was meant to mine the same iron ore. But the plant was finished just as the war ended. It was then sold to a Texas group, who operated it as the Lone Star Steel Company.
Ore City officially became a city in 1951. At that time, its population had dropped to 385 people.
Growth and Stability
The city started to grow again in the mid-1960s. By 1976, Ore City had 900 people and 34 businesses. More than 1,000 people lived in the city by the year 2000.
Like many towns that relied on mining, Ore City's population and economy slowed down when the iron ore became harder to find. The town's growth became steady, and it remained a small, rural community.
Who Lives in Ore City?
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1960 | 819 | — | |
| 1970 | 830 | 1.3% | |
| 1980 | 1,050 | 26.5% | |
| 1990 | 898 | −14.5% | |
| 2000 | 1,106 | 23.2% | |
| 2010 | 1,144 | 3.4% | |
| 2020 | 1,108 | −3.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2020, the census counted 1,108 people living in Ore City. There were 350 households and 252 families.
Most people in Ore City identify as White (68.41%). Other groups include Black or African American (6.05%), Native American (1.81%), Asian (0.54%), and people of mixed races (5.96%). About 17.24% of the population is Hispanic or Latino.
In 2000, the average household had about 2.74 people, and the average family had 3.23 people. About 31.8% of the population was under 18 years old. The median age was 32 years.
What is the Economy Like in Ore City?
Ore City is part of the Longview metropolitan area. Its economy has always been linked to its small-town roots. This includes agriculture (farming), timber (wood from trees), and tourism because of nearby Lake O' the Pines.
Ore City is a rural (countryside) area. It relies on local businesses, farming, and jobs in nearby towns. It doesn't have the big industries or technology companies that larger Texas cities do.
During the iron boom, Ore City had a chance to grow its economy in different ways. However, the town focused almost entirely on mining iron. There wasn't much investment in other areas like roads, services, or other types of businesses.
Ore City also lacked good transportation. Without strong rail connections or better roads, it was hard to attract new industries. So, when the iron ore became scarce, the town had few other ways to make money. This reliance on one industry made the town's economy vulnerable, a challenge that still affects it today.
Education in Ore City
Students in Ore City attend schools in the Ore City Independent School District.
Media
Radio Stations
- KAZE (106.9) plays Hip-Hop music.
Who are Some Famous People from Ore City?
- Chubby Grigg, a professional football player and businessman
- Montana Jordan, a TV actor
- Walter McAfee, an astronomer and physicist
- Chad Stanley, a professional football player
Images for kids
-
Historical Texas plaque about the Port Bolivar & Iron Ore railroad.
See also
In Spanish: Ore City (Texas) para niños
