Editing Gordon, Texas (section)

==History==
Gordon's history begins in 1864 with the founding of the community of [[Hampton, Texas]]. The town of Gordon was planned by the [[Texas and Pacific Railway]] one mile south of Hampton in 1874. The new town was named Gordon after the civil engineer responsible for surveying the townsite land. The railroad was built through the area in 1880, and the following year Hampton was moved to meet the railroad. The first classes at the Gordon School were held in 1882, and the post office opened on October 17, 1883 with local businessman Robert Rogan serving as the community's first postmaster. Gordon High School was built in 1887, and by 1889 Gordon possessed five [[general store]]s, three drug stores, three hotels, three [[cotton gin]]s, and a reported population of 300 residents.

By 1901, Gordon had telephone service and the city got its own power plant in 1912. In the [[U.S. Census]] of 1920, the burgeoning community reported 1,000 residents; but the effects of the [[Great Depression]] brought prosperity to a halt, and by 1960 there were fewer than 500 people living in Gordon. The city has managed to survive as a point of commerce and shipping for local ranching and petroleum production. As of the 2000 Census, Gordon claimed 451 residents.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gordontexas.com/history.asp |title=Gordon Texas |website=www.gordontexas.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070630171430/http://www.gordontexas.com/history.asp |archive-date=2007-06-30}} </ref>