Post, Texas

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Post, Texas
settlement_type = City
nickname =
motto =

imagesize =
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image_

mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location of Post, Texas

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mapsize1 = 250px
map_caption1 =

subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Texas
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Garza

government_footnotes =
government_type =
leader_title =
leader_name =
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
established_title =
established_date =

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 9.8
area_land_km2 = 9.7
area_water_km2 = 0.0
area_total_sq_mi = 3.8
area_land_sq_mi = 3.8
area_water_sq_mi = 0.0

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 3708
population_density_km2 = 381.8
population_density_sq_mi = 988.8

timezone = Central (CST)
utc_offset = -6
timezone_DST = CDT
utc_offset_DST = -5
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 794
elevation_ft = 2605
latd = 33 |latm = 11 |lats = 30 |latNS = N
longd = 101 |longm = 22 |longs = 50 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 79356
area_code = 806
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 48-59012 GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 1365627 GR|3
website =
footnotes =

Post is a city in Garza County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,708 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Garza County.GR|6

One of Post's most well-known civic boosters is Giles Connell McCrary, Sr. (born 1919), who served as mayor from 1969-91. He is an oil operator, rancher, art collector, investor, philanthropist, and the owner of the acclaimed OS Ranch Museum, which features art and exhibits from throughout the world.

Centennial

Post observed its centennial on June 1-June 3, 2007. Festivities began with a parade and were followed by The All-School Reunion Dance, which featured the Lubbock, Texas band Thrift Store Cowboys.

On Saturday, Old Mill Trade Days, with vendors abounding, offered six hours of live music as well as other activities. Throughout the weekend, there were art shows, museum exhibits, and theater productions to observe the centennial.

History

The town, located on the edge of the caprock, began under the name Post City in 1907 as a utopian colonizing venture of Charles William (C. W.) Post, the breakfast cereal manufacturer, and was originally founded by him as a model town. [http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/PP/hgp10.html] He purchased 200,000 acres (800 km²) of ranchland and established the Double U. Company to manage the town's construction. The company built trim houses and numerous structures, which included the Algerita Hotel, a gin, and a textile plant. They planted trees along every street and prohibited alcoholic beverages and brothels. The Double U Company rented and sold farms and houses to settlers. A post office began in a tent during the year of Post City's founding, being established (with the name Post) July 18, 1907, with Frank L. Curtis as first postmaster. [ Schmidt, Walter G. (1993) "An Encyclopaedia of Texas Post Offices", p. 173, Chicago, Illinois: The Collectors' Club of Chicago.] Two years later the town had a school, a bank, and a newspaper, the "Post City Post". The railroad reached the town in 1910. The town changed its name to Post when it incorporated in 1914, the year of C. W. Post's death. By then Post had a population of one thousand, ten retail businesses, a dentist, a physician, a sanitarium, and Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian churches.

The Post estate pledged $75,000, and the town raised $35,000 in 1916 to bid unsuccessfully to become the site of the proposed West Texas Agricultural and Mechanical College, later known as Texas Tech University. Postex Cotton Mills began production in 1913 with 250 employees. When the Post interests sold the business to Ely and Walker Dry Goods Company of St Louis, Missouri in 1945, the plant was producing six million yards of cloth a year and employed 375 workers who manufactured Postex cotton sheets and Garza pillow cases. Ely and Walker sold Postex in 1955 to Burlington Industries, the world's largest textile manufacturer at that time. By 1973, the company employed 450 persons. The mill is now closed.

Oilfield service companies have been important to the economy, as have farming and ranching. In 1989, Post had two libraries, a hospital, a nursing home, an airport, the "Post Dispatch" (founded 1926), and ninety businesses. The population reached 3,400 in 1928, declined to 2,000 in 1940, and increased to 3,100 during the 1950s. With the development of the local oil industry, the town's population attained its highest level of 4,800 in 1964. The 1980 census showed a population of 3,864, but by 1988, the "Texas Almanac" reported 4,162. In 1990, the population was 3,768.

Geography

Post is located at coor dms|33|11|30|N|101|22|50|W|city (33.191789, -101.380432)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²), of which, 3.8 square miles (9.7 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.53%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census GR|2 of 2000, there were 3,708 people, 1,243 households, and 873 families residing in the city. The population density was 988.8 people per square mile (381.8/km²). There were 1,419 housing units at an average density of 378.4/sq mi (146.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 51.54% White (European, non-hispanic), 5.47% African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 18.69% from other races, and 2.91% from two or more races. 42.64% of the population were Hispanic or Latino.

There were 1,243 households out of which 34.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.5% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.7% were non-families. 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.17.

In the city the population was spread out with 27.5% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 114.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $25,034, and the median income for a family was $29,135. Males had a median income of $26,318 versus $17,266 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,113. About 23.0% of families and 27.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.2% of those under age 18 and 25.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The City of Post is served by the Post Independent School District.

Notable residents

Jack Ross Alexander (September 9,1934 - May 8, 2008) was an educator, banker, city council member, civic leader, and Disciples of Christ clergyman in Post. He graduated from Floydada High School (1953) in Floydada (Floyd County), Texas Tech University (1957) in Lubbock, and thereafter procured his master's degree from Texas A&M University-Commerce, formerly East Texas State University in Commerce. He served two years in the United States Army before moving to Post. He began teaching and was named principal of Post Elementary School, where he served for twenty-two years. His city council service extended from 1978-93. After he retired from education, he was affiliated with First National Bank of Post. He was a member of Rotary International and the Post Chamber of Commerce, which previously designated him as "Citizen of the Year". He was a board member and president of the Garza County Hospital Board, the South Plains Community Action Association, Garza County Trailblazers, the Post Museum Board, and the Caprock Cultural Association. At the time of his death, he was pastor of the First Christian Church in Post. He was survived by his wife, Sandra, and two married daughters. He is interred in the Terrace Cemetery in Post. [ [http://www.lubbockonline.com/stories/050908/obi_277550514.shtml Jack Alexander | Lubbock Avalanche-Journal ] ]

Ben William Edwards (born ca. 1974) is the only medical doctor in Garza County. He graduated from medical school in 2002 and immediately established his practice in a 5,000 square foot clinic in Post, where he sees from thirty to fifty patients daily. Edwards' commitment to Garza County has been the subject of media interest because of the unwillingness of most physicians to establish their practice in rural areas of West Texas and the Texas Panhandle. [ [http://www.lubbockonline.com/stories/051808/loc_280237765.shtml "South Plains faces shortage of rural doctors" | A-j Austin Bureau ] ]

References

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