San Gabriel, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
San Gabriel, Texas
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 San Gabriel, Texas
Location in Texas
San Gabriel, Texas
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Milam |
| Elevation | 417 ft (127 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 512 & 737 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1367498 |
San Gabriel is a small place in Milam County, Texas, in the United States. It's called an "unincorporated community," which means it's not officially a city or town with its own local government. In 2000, about 100 people lived there.
Contents
A Look at San Gabriel's Past
Early Spanish Missions
Long ago, in the 1730s and 1740s, Spanish people built special places called missions near where San Gabriel is today. They hoped to teach the Native American tribes about Christianity.
However, by the mid-1750s, these missions were no longer used. The buildings quickly fell apart, and by the end of the 1800s, not much was left of them.
How San Gabriel Began
The actual settlement of San Gabriel started around 1843 or 1844. That's when Jesse and Peter Mercer built their homes near the San Gabriel River.
In 1850, the community got its own post office, which helped people send and receive mail.
Growth and Changes Over Time
By the mid-1880s, San Gabriel had grown to about 130 people. It also had a church and a special mill that could grind grain into flour (a gristmill) and process cotton (a cotton gin).
Farmers in the area mainly grew cotton, corn, and oats.
The number of people living in San Gabriel changed a lot over the years. In 1890, only 25 people lived there, but by 1929, the population grew to 350.
By the early 1940s, there were 200 residents. Then, in the late 1950s, the population dropped to 75. The San Gabriel post office closed down in the late 1960s.
In the 1980s, maps showed that San Gabriel had two churches, a business, and a community hall. In 1990, 100 people lived there, and the population stayed the same in 2000.
Recent Events
In 2010, an event called Burning Flipside took place near San Gabriel at a spot called Apache Pastures.
A building in the community, the Sharp General Store, is very old and important. It's listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's a special historical site.
On April 6, 2019, a small tornado, called an EF0 tornado, hit San Gabriel. It caused serious damage to one of the businesses there.
Where is San Gabriel Located?
San Gabriel is found in the western part of Milam County, Texas. You can find it on Farm to Market Road 486. It's about 17 miles (27 km) southwest of a town called Cameron and about 6 miles (10 km) north of Thorndale.
Learning in San Gabriel
In the mid-1880s, San Gabriel had two schools for its children. The community had its own school district for many years. However, in 1960, it joined the Thorndale Independent School District. This meant students from San Gabriel would go to schools in Thorndale.
