Round top
| Round top | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 House on Henkel Square with a memorial stone |
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| Location of Round Top in Texas | |||
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| Basic data | |||
| Foundation : | circa 1830 | ||
| State : | United States | ||
| State : | Texas | ||
| County : | Fayette County | ||
| Coordinates : | 30 ° 4 ′ N , 96 ° 42 ′ W | ||
| Time zone : | Central ( UTC − 6 / −5 ) | ||
| Residents : | 90 (as of 2014) | ||
| Population density : | 36 inhabitants per km 2 | ||
| Area : | 2.5 km 2 (approx. 1 mi 2 ) | ||
| Height : | 134 m | ||
| Postcodes : | 78954, 78961 | ||
| Area code : | +1 979 | ||
| FIPS : | 48-63524 | ||
| GNIS ID : | 1380945 | ||
 Round Top Festival Hall |
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Round Top is a city in Fayette County in the US state of Texas in the United States .
geography
The city is located in the central southeast of Texas, about 100 km west of Houston , 30 km northeast of La Grange and has a total area of 2.5 km² without any significant water surface.
history
Between 1500 and 1859 there were Indian tribes of the Tonkawa and Karankawa in the area . Between 1820 and 1840 the first English settlers came here from other areas of the USA. When Mexico gained independence in 1821, Spain assigned Texas to Mexico. In 1823 Stephen F. Austin was awarded the contract by the Mexican government to settle an area up to the Brazos River . Another 92 settlement allowances were granted between 1824 and 1828. Stephen Townsend and his family settled here in 1826 . They belonged to the Presbyterian Church and later founded a Masonic Lodge . The first school was opened in 1830 by a Ledbetter family . At that time the place was called Townsend Settlement . In 1831 John Rice Jones Jr. settled. He opened the first Post Settlement and in 1835 became the first Postmaster General of the Texas Provisional Government. Many local settlers took part in the Battle of San Jacinto . Most of the family members sent the Townsends. The battle ultimately led to Texas independence from Mexico in 1836.
In 1840 a house with an octagonal tower was built. This was used by the United States Post from 1847 . The current name of the place is attributed to the shape of this tower.
At this time (until around 1860) the first German settlers settled. Its traditions shaped the image of the place today - such as the Nassau plantation named after Adolph von Nassau-Weilburg , founded in 1843 by German aristocrats, from whom the plant became the property of the Mainz Aristocracy Association .
The increased use of slaves increased economic growth considerably. Round Top had around 150 inhabitants in 1850. There were two shops, two blacksmiths, two taverns and the post office. In 1851 more Czech settlers followed and led by Jozef Silar . The number of slaves rose to 3,700 in 1860, and to 5,900 in 1870. In early 1900, the black population made up a third of Fayette County.
The first Lutheran congregation was founded in 1866 by Reverend Adam Neuthard . The solid stone church built in 1867 is still standing today. The organ was built from cedar wood by Traugott Wantke .
In 1871, Charles Henry Schiege Jr. (1858–1935) founded the Schiege Cigar Factory and began production in Round Top in 1881. His parents immigrated to Texas from Germany ( Neisse , Silesia ) in 1861 . He built the factory, including accommodation for the employees, right next to his parents' house. The cigars were rolled by hand. Until 1932, the Texas Star cigar, which was also appreciated by presidents, was produced. From 1903 to 1908, Schiege Jr. was City Marshal and Mayor of Round Top. The former factory continues today as the Hotel Round Top Inn . The building complex was added to the list of Historical Points of Texas .
Henkel Square
Henkel Square is both a street and an open air museum in Round Top. Many historical buildings from the area around the city were dismantled and rebuilt here.
Demographic data
According to the 2000 census, 77 people lived here in 43 households and 22 families. The population density was 31.0 inhabitants per km². Racially, the population was composed of 98.70% white population, 1.30% from other races. On January 1, 2014, the population increased again to 90 people.
Of the 43 households, 9.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them. 46.5% of them were married couples living together. 4.7% were single mothers and 48.8% were non-families. 44.2% of all households were single households and there were people living in 37.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.79 and the average family size was 2.41 people.
10.4% of the population were under 18 years old, 0.0% 18 to 24, 11.7% 25 to 44, 37.7% 45 to 64, and 40.3% who were 65 years or older . The median age was 58 years. For every 100 females of all age groups, there were 57.1 males. For every 100 women aged 18 and over there were 68.3 men.
The median income for a household in the county is $ 43,125 , and the median income for a family is $ 50,625. Males had a median income of $ 42,500 versus $ 41,875 for females. The per capita income was $ 25,488. 4.8% of the population and 0.0% of families are below the poverty line. Of these, 0.0% were children and adolescents under 18 years of age and 6.1% were 65 or older.
See also
Web links
- Handbook of Texas (English)
- Round Top Historial Society (English)