Round Top, Texas

Round Top is a town in Fayette County, Texas, United States. The population was 90 at the 2010 census.[5]

Round Top, Texas
Town
Downtown Round Top, Texas
Motto(s):  "Big Time Small"
Location of Round Top, Texas
Coordinates: 30°3′54″N 96°41′48″W
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Fayette
Area [1]
• Total	0.95 sq mi (2.47 km^2)
• Land	0.95 sq mi (2.47 km^2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km^2)
Elevation	440 ft (134 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	90
• Estimate  (2019)[2]	90
• Density	94.34/sq mi (36.42/km^2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP codes	78954, 78961
Area code(s)	979
FIPS code	48-63524[3]
GNIS feature ID	1380945[4]

History

Round Top Historic Library

Royers Cafe. Where the elite meet to eat in Round Top

As a part of the Stephen F. Austin colony, James Winn acquired 4,428 acres (17.9 km²; 6.9 sq mi) in 1831; the present townsite was included in this tract. The community was originally known as "Townsend", after early settler Nathaniel Townsend (whose original house still exists as the Texana Lodge). Later the town was renamed "Round Top", since the postmaster lived in a house with a round tower.[6] Portions of Nassau Plantation were purchased by the Adelsverein, and settlement by German immigrants began 1845 to 1847; these settlers began buying up the local farms and the town lots.

Joel Walter Robison, a fighter in the Texas Revolution and later a member of the Texas House of Representatives from Fayette County, was originally buried at the Florida Chapel Cemetery near Round Top but was re-interred in 1932 in the Texas State Cemetery in Austin.[7]

The Bethlehem Lutheran Church is the oldest active Lutheran church in Fayette County. Round Top is the smallest incorporated town in Texas with a full service public library, the Round Top Family Library; and the smallest incorporated town in Texas with a local historic district, land use and architectural controls.[8]

Geography

Round Top is located in northeastern Fayette County at 30°3′54″N 96°41′48″W (30.065060, -96.696614).[9] It sits on a hill between Cummins Creek to the southwest and Rocky Creek to the east, tributaries of the Colorado River. The elevation in the center of Round Top is 439 feet (134 m) above sea level. Texas State Highway 237 passes through the center of town, leading northeast 22 miles (35 km) to Brenham and southwest 16 miles (26 km) to La Grange, the Fayette County seat.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town of Round Top has a total area of 0.97 square miles (2.5 km²), all of it land.[5]

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1890	238		—
1900	169		−29.0%
1910	186		10.1%
1920	150		−19.4%
1930	132		−12.0%
1940	120		−9.1%
1950	126		5.0%
1960	124		−1.6%
1970	94		−24.2%
1980	87		−7.4%
1990	81		−6.9%
2000	77		−4.9%
2010	90		16.9%
Est. 2019	90	[2]	0.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 90 people, 43 households, and 22 families residing in the town. The population density was 80.6 people per square mile (31.0/km²). There were 58 housing units at an average density of 60.7 per square mile (23.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.70% White, 1.30% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.19% of the population.

There were 43 households, out of which 9.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.5% were married couples living together, 4.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.8% were non-families. 44.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 37.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.79 and the average family size was 2.41.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 10.4% under the age of 18, 11.7% from 25 to 44, 37.7% from 45 to 64, and 40.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 58 years. For every 100 females, there were 57.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 68.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $43,125, and the median income for a family was $50,625. Males had a median income of $42,500 versus $41,875 for females. The per capita income for the town was $25,488. There were no families and 4.8% of the population living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 6.1% of those over 64.

Arts and culture

Round Top is the home of three visitor-drawing programs:

• Round Top Antiques Fair, outdoor gathering of antiques dealers drawing enormous crowds each spring and fall[11]
• Round Top Festival Institute, music institute for young musicians and faculty
• Shakespeare at Winedale, Shakespeare-in-Performance study program administered by the University of Texas at Austin English Department

Round Top is the home of the oldest building in Fayette County, Moore's Fort, which was moved there from nearby La Grange.

Education

The town is served by the Round Top-Carmine Independent School District.

References

1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
2. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
3. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
4. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
5. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Round Top town, Texas". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
6. Rotsch, Melvin (June 1972). "Bethlehem Lutheran Church, White Street, Round Top, Fayette County, TX" (data pages). Historic American Buildings Survey. National Park Service. Retrieved 2008-07-07.
7. "Robison, Joel Walter". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
8. Town of Round Top
9. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
10. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
11. "Round Top Antiques Show". Round Top Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved June 20, 2019.

External links

• Round Top Area Chamber of Commerce
• Round Top Register
• Round Top Family Library
• "Round Top, TX" article, Texas State Historical Association