Editing Cranfills Gap, Texas

{{short description|City in Hamilton County, Texas, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Cranfills Gap, Texas
| settlement_type    = [[City]]
| image_skyline      = St.olaf.kirke.jpg
| imagesize          = 220px
| image_caption      = [[St. Olaf Kirke]] located just outside Cranfills Gap in the unincorporated rural community known as [[Norse, Texas]]
<!-- Maps -->
| image_map          = TXMap-doton-CranfillsGap.PNG
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location of Cranfills Gap, Texas
| image_map1         = Bosque County CranfillsGap.svg
| mapsize1           = 250px
| map_caption1       = 
<!-- Location -->
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = United States
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Texas]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Texas|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Bosque County, Texas|Bosque]]
<!-- Government -->
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = 
| leader_name        = 
| established_title  = 
| established_date   = 
<!-- Area -->
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_48.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=August 7, 2020}}</ref>
| area_total_km2     = 1.88
| area_land_km2      = 1.88
| area_water_km2     = 0.00
| area_total_sq_mi   = 0.73
| area_land_sq_mi    = 0.73
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.00
<!-- Population -->
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 277
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_density_sq_mi = auto
<!-- General information -->
| timezone           = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
| utc_offset         = -6
| timezone_DST       = CDT
| utc_offset_DST     = -5
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft       = 1011
| coordinates        = {{coord|31|46|31|N|97|49|49|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 76637
| area_code          = [[Area code 254|254]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 48-17540<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |accessdate=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 2410259<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2410259}}</ref>
| website            = {{URL|http://www.CranfillsGapTexas.com}}
| footnotes          = 
}}

'''Cranfills Gap''' is a city located in [[Bosque County, Texas|Bosque County]] in central [[Texas]], United States. It was founded by Norwegian Emigrants and to this day most residents can trace their lineage to those  Norwegian Founders. The Bosque county area surrounding Cranfills Gap is listed on the National Register of Historic places as the Norse Historic District.<ref>https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/norse-tx</ref> The population was 277 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].

==History==
The area in which Cranfills Gap is located was originally settled by and named for George Eaton Cranfill in 1851.

[[Norway|Norwegian]] [[Norwegian Americans|settlers]] in and around the community, who were mostly [[Lutheran]], built [[St. Olaf Kirke]] (''kirke'' is Norwegian for "church") in a rural area just outside Cranfills Gap.  St. Olaf Kirke, commonly referred to as The Rock Church, is a small Lutheran church located in the unincorporated rural community of Norse, Texas. Among the pioneers in Norse was [[Cleng Peerson]]. The founder of Norse was Ole Canuteson (Ole Knudsen) from the [[Stavanger]] region of Norway. In 1917, as the congregation of that church began to grow, a new church was built for the congregation inside the town.<ref>[http://www.norway.org/misc/print.aspx?article={c95a6190-1eba-491a-86f5-1be6da87fa9d} ''Early Norwegians in Texas''] (Norwegian Consulate General Houston)</ref>

The town slowly grew to its peak population of 600 in 1940.  During World War II, Cranfills Gap was the first town to sell more than its quota of [[war bond]]s for the Fourth War Loan Drive. While as many as 25 businesses operated within "the gap", as locals commonly refer to it, the population and the business activity slowly dwindled to roughly nine businesses in 1980 and a population of 269 in 1990.

On December 3, 2008, [[KXXV-TV]] in nearby [[Waco, Texas|Waco]] reported on its website that Cranfills Gap had been selected for participation in an advertising campaign for the [[Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority]]. The selection process compared hundreds of rural communities from across the USA seeking "the most unique all-American town in all of the 50 states."<ref name="Vegas">"Entire Town Going to Vegas!" by Eric Gemmell, KXXV-TV Waco, online news article, retrieved 2008-12-04 [http://www.kxxv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9454007&nav=menu509_3] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217014032/http://www.kxxv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9454007&nav=menu509_3|date=2012-02-17}}</ref> Cranfills Gap was first contacted by the LVCVA in October 2008 when the town was placed on the list of ten candidate communities. A film crew and LVCVA representative visited the town for a few days and interviewed residents about the town, their impressions of and experience with Las Vegas, and their opinions about the ongoing selection process. In November 2008, Cranfills Gap Chamber of Commerce members were notified that the LVCVA had shortened the list to two finalists including their town. Another LVCVA delegation was dispatched to Cranfills Gap for a closer look. The visitors stayed for about a week and conducted a fresh set of interviews and observed the community at work and play. Although the LVCVA had initially intended to send 150 residents from the winning locality to Sin City, the Cranfills Gap Chamber of Commerce and elected officials struck a feasible compromise with their visitors: if selected, Cranfills Gap would make every effort to provide one hundred adult men and women for the LVCVA's project. During the first week of December 2008, Cranfills Gap and local media were notified by LVCVA that the town had won the nationwide search and 100 of its residents would be sent on a free trip to Las Vegas during the weekend of December 5–7, 2008.<ref name="Vegas" /> Cranfills Gap City Council member Ron Hubbard told the press that he sincerely hoped Cranfills Gap would reap benefits from the ad campaign beyond just plane tickets and memories. "With that national recognition, maybe people will come visit, see what we're all about," said Hubbard.<ref name="Vegas" />

==Geography==
Cranfills Gap is located in western Bosque County. Its western border is the [[Hamilton County, Texas|Hamilton County]] line. [[Texas State Highway 22]] passes through the town, leading northeast {{convert|14|mi}} to [[Meridian, Texas|Meridian]], the Bosque [[county seat]], and west {{convert|18|mi}} to [[Hamilton, Texas|Hamilton]].

{{convert|1164|ft|adj=on}} Cranfills Mountain is in the western part of the town, rising {{convert|180|ft}} above the town center.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|0.7|sqmi|km2}}, all  land.

==Climate==
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.  According to the [[Köppen Climate Classification]] system, Cranfills Gap has a [[humid subtropical climate]], abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.<ref>[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=680214&cityname=Cranfills+Gap%2C+Texas%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Cranfills Gap, Texas]</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population|align=left
| 1980 = 341
| 1990 = 269
| 2000 = 335
| 2010 = 281
| 2020 = 277
| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}</ref><br>2020 Census<ref name="2020 Census">{{cite web |date=May 2023 |title=Census Bureau profile: Cranfills Gap, Texas |url=https://data.census.gov/all?q=Cranfills%20Gap%20city,%20Texas |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=Jun 3, 2024}}</ref>
}}

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 335 people, 132 households, and 90 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|459.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 156 housing units at an average density of {{convert|214.2|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 91.34% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.30% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.90% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 4.78% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 2.69% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 8.66% of the population.

There were 132 households, out of which 37.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.8% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.1% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 29.3% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 23.0% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $26,484, and the median income for a family was $31,389. Males had a median income of $26,250 versus $15,250 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $15,405. About 14.3% of families and 14.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 19.0% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
Cranfills Gap is served by the [[Cranfills Gap Independent School District]].

==See also==
{{portal|Texas}}
* [[List of municipalities in Texas]]

==References==
{{reflist|22em}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Cranfills Gap, Texas}}
* {{official website|http://www.CranfillsGapTexas.com}}
* [https://archive.today/20130119234848/http://www.cranfillsgaptexas.com/chamber_of_commerce Cranfills Gap Chamber of Commerce]
* [https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hlc57 Handbook of Texas Online – Cranfills Gap article]

{{Bosque County, Texas}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Bosque County, Texas]]
[[Category:Cities in Texas]]