Traces Posted January 29, 2023 Share Posted January 29, 2023 Traces of Texas reader Jim Richardson generously submitted these two photos. The first one shows his brother, a friend, and himself (on the right) in 1953 in a town called "Newgulf." The second shows the same scene today. Newgulf had an interesting history. Says Jim: "Once there was a town in Texas called Newgulf. It was a "company owned town" about 50 miles south of Houston, in the eastern Wharton County boondocks. The town was built and supported by Texas Gulf Sulphur Company, where my father worked for 37 years. To say this town was idyllic would not do it justice. The town of about 1,200 had a school, hospital, library, theater, golf course, hamburger joint, beer joint, barber shop, 3 gas stations, dry cleaners and a full compliment of stores to support its residents. There was zero crime. I lived there from birth in 1948 until I went to college in 1969. It was a truly unique upbringing. Many of us who lived there are members of a Facebook page called Sulphabrats. This photo from 1953 is of my brother, Robert Richardson, Evan (Buzz) Anders (University of Texas, Arlington professor, now deceased) and me in the firetruck. This was taken by our picket fence behind our house in Newgulf. About 90% of the houses in Newgulf were frame houses on piers. The company went out of business in the mid-1990's and the frame houses were sold and moved. This was one of the brick/tile homes which could not be moved. It is still standing vacant as shown in the current color photo. If you have time some day, you might want to search/read a little about Newgulf which I guess is now, technically, a ghost town." Thank you, Jim! The photo of you, your brother and Buzz is so endearing, and it's nice to see the old place still standing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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