Golden is an unincorporated community in Wood County, Texas, United States. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had a population of 156 in 2000. The Golden area was settled initially as early as 1865. The community wasn't formally formed until the late 1870s when a sawmill was constructed by C.W. Tucker. The Missouri, Kansas and …Golden is an unincorporated community in Wood County, Texas, United States. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had a population of 156 in 2000. The Golden area was settled initially as early as 1865. The community wasn't formally formed until the late 1870s when a sawmill was constructed by C.W. Tucker. The Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad was built through Golden in 1881 on its Greenville to Mineola line. The town was named after railway construction engineer John Golden. The railroad tie-cutting industry added to the local agrarian economy. By 1885, Golden had a post office, and the community had a population of 100 by 1890. That year, it had three churches and several businesses, including a shingle mill, a cotton gin, two sawmills, a vineyard, and a nursery. The population grew to 300 six years later. A bank opened in the city in 1907. The community had a population zenith of 650 in 1914 and boasted a telephone connection, and the Golden Rule, a community newspaper. By 1925, the population had dwindled to 400. The bank closed in 1931. The population continued to fall throughout the middle of the 20th century. In 1965, the railroad abandoned its line through Golden. The community thrived on growing watermelons and truck farming. The population from the 1960s through 2000 was reported as 156. There were four businesses and three churches in Golden in 1988. The number of businesses grew to 21 in 2000.
Save
Share
More