Jasper is a city located in Jasper County, Texas is on U.S. highways 96 and 190, State Highway 63, and Sandy Creek in north central Jasper County. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 8,247. It is the county seat of Jasper County⁶ and is situated in East Texas. Jasper is about 110 miles northeast of Houston.

Contents

1 History 2 Geography and Climate 3 Demographics 4 Economy 5 People 6 External links

History

The area was settled around 1824 by John Bevil. 30 families occupied the settlement as early as 1830, when it was known as Snow River or Bevil's Settlement after John R. Bevil one of the earliest white settlers.

In 1835 it was renamed for William Jasper, a hero of the American Revolution who was killed attempting to plant the American colors at the storming of Savannah in 1779. Jasper became the county seat in 1844. During the Civil War the town housed a Confederate quartermaster depot. Antebellum educational institutions included the Jasper Male and Female High School, which operated until 1878, when it became the Southeast Texas Male and Female College, and Jasper Collegiate Institute, which operated from 1851 until 1874. The population declined to 360 in 1870, reflecting the hardships of the Civil War, but by 1885 had risen to 1,000.

A weekly newspaper, the Jasper Newsboy, has been published continuously since 1865.

In 1896 Jasper had a population of 1,200. The arrival of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway early in the twentieth century, Jasper grew into a center for the manufacture of timber products. Lumber from two sawmills with a daily capacity of 125,000 board feet, goods from basket and stave factories, logs, ties, poles, and pulpwood were shipped in 200 cars per month.

Jasper served as headquarters for the Lower Neches Valley Authority's construction program, including Dam "B" at Town Bluff and engineering and surveying for a dam at Magee Bend on the Angelina River.

Local farmers raised broiler chickens and beef and in the 1950s turned to dairying. Jasper also became the headquarters of Morgan and Lindsey Incorporated, variety chain stores, which at one time operated eighty-five stores in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

In 1990 the community reached a peak of 7,267 residents and 222 businesses.

The only known soldier of the American Revolution to be buried in Texas was Jasper resident Stephen Williams, in whose honor a marker has been placed on the courthouse lawn.

Notable Events

The city became infamous throughout the United States in 1998 after an African-American man named James Byrd, Jr. was dragged to death by John William King and two other white supremacists in the town.

Jasper was also one of the primary locations for the recovery of the Space Shuttle Columbia wreckage in Feburary of 2003.

Geography and Climate

Jasper is located at 30°55'20" North, 93°59'56" West (30.922333, -93.998750)¹.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 26.9 km² (10.4 mi²). 26.8 km² (10.3 mi²) of it is land and 0.2 km² (0.1 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.58% water.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there are 8,247 people, 2,888 households, and 1,992 families residing in the city. The population density is 307.9/km² (797.4/mi²). There are 3,467 housing units at an average density of 129.5/km² (335.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 48.26% White, 43.91% African American, 0.44% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 5.18% from other races, and 1.49% from two or more races. 8.56% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 2,888 households out of which 34.4% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.7% are married couples living together, 20.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% are non-families. 27.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 12.6% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.58 and the average family size is 3.14.

In the city the population is spread out with 26.7% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 35 years. For every 100 females there are 98.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 96.5 males.

Economy

The median income for a household in the city is $24,671, and the median income for a family is $32,242. Males have a median income of $28,432 versus $17,266 for females. The per capita income for the city is $12,997. 28.4% of the population and 23.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 34.3% of those under the age of 18 and 23.3% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

People

Famous People of Jasper, Texas David White James Byrd, Jr.

External links

• City of Jasper Homepage http://www.jaspertx.org/
• County of Jasper, Official Site http://www.co.jasper.tx.us/
• Jasper/Lake Sam Rayburn Area Chamber of Commerce http://www.jas.net/~jaspercc/

Maps and aerial photos

Street map http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?latlongtype=decimal&latitude=NaodW29-item51 afa759393f1e05&longitude=-93.99875&zoom=6 | Topographic map http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=30.922333&lon=NaodW29-item4 013731c1214a259&s=200&size=m&layer=DRG100 | Aerial photograph http://terraserver.microsoft.com/map.aspx?t=1&s=14&lon=NaodW29-item1de758617699b e5&lat=30.922333&w=750&h=500