Editing Pecan Gap, Texas

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name            = Pecan Gap, Texas
| settlement_type          = [[City]]
| nickname                 = The Gap
| image_skyline            = Pecan Gap October 2015 2 (3rd Street).jpg
| imagesize                = 
| image_caption            = 3rd Street in Pecan Gap
| image_alt                = 3rd Street
| image_map                = TXMap-doton-PecanGap.PNG
| mapsize                  = 250px
| map_caption              = Location of Pecan Gap, Texas
| image_map1               = Delta County PecanGap.svg
| mapsize1                 = 250px
| map_caption1             = <!-- Location -->
| subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name         = {{flag|United States}}
| subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1        = {{flagicon|Texas}} [[Texas]]
| subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Texas|Counties]]
| subdivision_name2        = [[Delta County, Texas|Delta]], [[Fannin County, Texas|Fannin]]
<!-- Government -->
| government_footnotes     = 
| government_type          = 
| leader_title             = 
| leader_name              = 
| established_title        = Settled
| established_date         = 1884
| named_for                = Nearby pecan grove
<!-- 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|access-date=August 7, 2020}}</ref>
| area_total_km2           = 1.64
| area_land_km2            = 1.62
| area_water_km2           = 0.02
| area_total_sq_mi         = 0.63
| area_land_sq_mi          = 0.63
| area_water_sq_mi         = 0.01
<!-- Population -->
| population_as_of         = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_footnotes     = 
| population_total         = 178
| population_density_km2   = auto
| population_density_sq_mi = 314.19
<!-- 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             = 568
| coordinates              = {{coord|33|26|18|N|95|51|07|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code              = 75469<ref name="ZipCode">{{cite web|url=http://www.city-data.com/zips/75469.html|title=75469 Zip Code Detailed Profile|access-date=March 4, 2013|author=Staff|publisher=City-Data.com}}</ref>
| area_code                = [[Area codes 903 and 430|903, 430]]
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info               = 48-56468<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=September 10, 2014 |title=U.S. Census website |author=Staff |year=2010}}</ref>
| blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info              = 2411394<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2411394}}</ref>
| website                  = 
| footnotes                = 
}}
'''Pecan Gap''' is a city in [[Delta County, Texas|Delta]] and [[Fannin County, Texas|Fannin]] counties within the [[U.S. state]] of [[Texas]]. It is sometimes informally referred to as "The Gap" by area residents. The population was 178 at the time of the 2020 census.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=Pecan%20Gap%20city,%20Texas%20population |access-date=2022-05-13 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref> It is named for the gap between two [[pecan]] trees, but unfortunately one of the two pecan trees was destroyed by a tornado in 1963.

==History==
[[File:Caddoan Mississippian culture map HRoe 2010.jpg|thumb|right|The site of Cooper was near the westernmost edge of [[Caddo]] civilization.|alt=A map of where the Caddo live]]
The first inhabitants of the area that is now Pecan Gap were the [[Caddo]] people, who settled large portions of eastern Texas as early as 800 AD. The Caddo were highly advanced, living in large wooden structures, and were skilled farmers.<ref name="Caddos">{{cite web |last=Perttula |first= Timothy K. |url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/bmcaj |title=Caddo Indians |work=[[Handbook of Texas|Handbook of Texas Online]] |publisher=[[Texas State Historical Association]] |access-date=September 10, 2014}}</ref> The first European to visit the area was French explorer François Hervey, around 1750. A few decades afterwards, European disease and attacks from neighboring tribes as well as attacks from European settlers forced the Caddo out of the area around Pecan Gap. Around 1820, [[Lenape|Delaware]], [[Quapaw]], and [[Seminole]] tribes began settling in the area. In 1836, the [[Republic of Texas]] officially recognized the region around Pecan Gap as part of [[Red River County, Texas|Red River County]]. In 1840, [[Lamar County, Texas|Lamar County]] was formed, which absorbed much of the area just south of Pecan Gap. However, just six years later, the region was designated as part of the newly formed [[Hopkins County, Texas|Hopkins County]]. In 1870 Delta County was created. As Pecan Gap grew it expanded west into Fannin County.<ref name="Delta County">{{cite web |last=McCroskey |first=Vista K. |url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcd05 |title=Delta County |work=Handbook of Texas Online |publisher=Texas State Historical Association  |access-date=September 10, 2014}}</ref>

==Geography==
Pecan Gap is located at the junction of [[Farm to Market Road]]s 64 and 128.

Pecan Gap is one of just two incorporated communities in Delta County. The city is the second largest in the county, population-wise, behind [[Cooper, Texas|Cooper]].<ref name="Find a County">{{cite web |title=Places in Delta County |work=Delta County, TX |author=Staff |publisher=National Association of Counties |year=2005 |url=http://www.naco.org/Template.cfm?Section=Find_a_County&Template=/cffiles/counties/citiescounty.cfm&CountyID=48119 |access-date=May 11, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080927103258/http://www.naco.org/Template.cfm?Section=Find_a_County&Template=%2Fcffiles%2Fcounties%2Fcitiescounty.cfm&CountyID=48119 |archive-date=September 27, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Delta pop">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=September 9, 2014 |year=2000 |title=Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2000 |author=Staff }}</ref> According to statistics from the Census Bureau, the city covers a total area of {{convert|1.64|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|0.02|sqkm|order=flip|2}}, or 1.13%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010">{{Cite web |title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Pecan Gap city, Texas |url=http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US4856468 |access-date=August 23, 2016 |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder}}{{dead link|bot=medic|date=April 2020}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

Pecan Gap, as well as most of Delta County, is located in the [[Texas blackland prairies]] region, a flat, [[tallgrass prairie]] ecosystem that covers a large portion of north-central Texas. The region's elevation rarely varies from around {{convert|400|to|500|ft}}. The area's geology consists mainly of deep clay, or clay mixed with a dark-colored loam. However, the county is also known to have high-quality topsoil, ideal for crop growing.<ref name="Delta County"/> A specific layer of the soil in the region is known as [[Pecan Gap Chalk]], named for the city when it was discovered nearby in 1918. The layer is a blue-gray, sandy chalk substance, which is fossil-rich and is located in much of the Pecan Gap vicinity.<ref name="PG chalk">[[#Pessagno|Pessagno, Jr. (1969)]], p.&nbsp;87</ref>

Under the [[Köppen climate classification]], Pecan Gap is located in zone ''Cfa'', which experiences warm, wet summers and a [[humid subtropical climate]].<ref name="Climate">{{cite journal |author=Peel, M. C. and Finlayson, B. L. and McMahon, T. A. |year=2007 |title=Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification |journal=Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. |volume=11 |issue=5 |pages=1633–1644 |doi=10.5194/hess-11-1633-2007 |bibcode=2007HESS...11.1633P |url=http://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/11/1633/2007/hess-11-1633-2007.html |issn=1027-5606 |access-date=September 9, 2014|doi-access=free }} ''(direct: [http://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/11/1633/2007/hess-11-1633-2007.pdf Final Revised Paper])''</ref> Temperatures in Pecan Gap are generally high, with the average  in January being {{convert|42|°F|°C|0|}} and in July being {{convert|82|°F|°C|0|}}. The highest recorded temperature for Pecan Gap was {{convert|115|°F|°C|0|}} in July 1936, while the lowest recorded temperature was {{convert|-5|°F|°C|0|}} in January 1930. On average, the hottest month of the year is August, when temperatures stay around an average of {{convert|82|°F|°C|0|}}. January is generally the coolest month, when the average temperature is around {{convert|42|°F|°C|0|}}. The community receives low precipitation, with the average monthly high being around {{convert|5.5|in|mm}} in May and June. August is the driest month for the city, when it receives an average of just {{convert|2|in|mm}} of rain.<ref name="Weather Channel">{{cite web |title=Monthly Averages for Pecan Gap, TX (75469) |url=http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/75469 |author=Staff |publisher=The Weather Channel |year=2014 |access-date=September 9, 2014}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left
|1940= 409
|1950= 319
|1960= 278
|1970= 291
|1980= 250
|1990= 245
|2000= 214
|2010= 203
|estyear=
|estimate=
|estref=
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<br />1940-2010<ref name="1960 census">{{cite report |author=United States Census Bureau|year=1960|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uYs5AQAAIAAJ&q=pecan+gap+population+1960&pg=SA45-PA29|title=Population of All Incorporated and of Unincorperated Places of 1,000 or More|edition=1960|publisher=[[United States Department of Commerce]]|page=39|access-date=September 10, 2014}}</ref><ref name="1990 census">{{cite report|author=United States Census Bureau|year=1990|url=https://www.census.gov/prod/cen1990/cph2/cph-2-45.pdf|title=1990 Census of Population and Housing{{ndash}}Population and Housing Unit Counts{{ndash}}Texas|edition=1990|publisher=United States Department of Commerce|page=87|access-date=September 10, 2014}}</ref>
|2020=178}}

{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Pecan Gap racial composition as of 2020'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US4856468&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2 |access-date=2022-05-20 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref><br /> (NH = Non-Hispanic){{efn|Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.<ref>https://www.census.gov/ {{nonspecific|date=August 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=About the Hispanic Population and its Origin |url=https://www.census.gov/topics/population/hispanic-origin/about.html |website=www.census.gov |access-date=18 May 2022}}</ref>}}
!Race
!Number
!Percentage
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] (NH)
|149
|83.71%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] (NH)
|6
|3.37%
|-
|Some Other Race (NH)
|1
|0.56%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed/Multi-Racial]] (NH)
|15
|8.43%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]]
|7
|3.93%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''178'''
|
|}
According to the [[2020 United States census]], there were 178 people, 94 households, and 79 families residing in the city. At the 2000 census, 214 people, 103 households, and 57 families resided in the city.<ref name="GR2" /> The population density was {{convert|343.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 123 housing units  averaged 197.5 per square mile (76.6/km{{sup|2}}). The racial makeup of the city was 88.32% White, 7.94% African American, 0.47% Asian, 2.80% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.47% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 6.54% of the population.

Of the 103 households, 20.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.8% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.7% were not families. About 40.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.78.

In the city, the population was distributed as  19.6% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 31.8% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 19.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,389, and  for a family was $43,125. Males had a median income of $38,000 versus $22,000 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $16,704. About 16.7% of families and 19.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 18.4% of those under the age of eighteen and 25.0% of those sixty five or over.

[[File:Mayo portrait, circa 1910.jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|W.L. Mayo helped establish the elementary school in Pecan Gap]]

==Pecan Festival==
Held annually on the second Saturday of October, a local event known as the Pecan Festival (or simply "Pecan Fest") takes place. It is organized by the Pecan Gap Ladies Club and features various attractions such as a parade, pet show, [[Lawnmower#Riding mowers|lawnmower]] races, food and drinks, and a gift shop open only during the event.

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

==References==
{{reflist|2}}
{{notelist}}

{{Delta County, Texas}}
{{Fannin County, Texas}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Delta County, Texas]]
[[Category:Cities in Fannin County, Texas]]
[[Category:Cities in Texas]]
[[Category:Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex]]