Clute, Texas

Downtown Clute, TX

City of Clute
City
Location in the state of Texas
Coordinates: 29°01′34″N95°23′40″W / 29.02611°N 95.39444°W / 29.02611; -95.39444
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Brazoria
Incorporated	May 1952
Founded by	Soloman J. Clute
Government
• Type	Council-Manager
•  Mayor	Calvin Shiflet
•  Chief Of Police	James Fitch
Area [1]
• Total	5.69 sq mi (14.73 km2)
• Land	5.32 sq mi (13.78 km2)
• Water	0.37 sq mi (0.95 km2)
Elevation	10 ft (3 m)
Population  (2020) [2]
• Total	10,604
• Density	2,197.78/sq mi (848.58/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	77531
Area code	979
FIPS code	48-15652 [3]
GNIS feature ID	1354690 [4]
Website	http://ci.clute.tx.us/

Clute is a city in Brazoria County, Texas, United States, within the Houston metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 10,604. The city gained some fame with the discovery of a fossilized mammoth named Asiel.

Geography

Clute is located at 29°1′34″N95°23′40″W / 29.02611°N 95.39444°W / 29.02611; -95.39444 (29.026060, –95.394539). ^[5]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.6 square miles (15 km²), of which 5.3 square miles (14 km²) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km²) (5.14%) is water.

History

Clute's history began at the junction of the old Calvit and Eagle Island Plantations. ^[6] Alexander Calvit, one of Stephen F. Austin's Old Three Hundred, obtained title to the land in 1824. ^[6] Eagle Island Plantation belonged to Jared Groce, the richest man in Austin's Colony. ^[6] Calvit's plantation later became the Herndon sugar plantation, owned by John H. Herndon, who married Calvit's only daughter. ^[7]

After the American Civil War, Joseph Pegan, Soloman (or Solomon) J. Clute, and several relatives including George and John Clute, founded a community near the plantation site. ^[7] In 1881, the name Clute was adopted when both plantations were bought by Solomon J. Clute. ^[8] George was described as, "a little Yankee from New York with a long, white beard." ^[6] The other founders of Clute have also been described as northerners. The Clutes acquired additional land from Herndon, who put it up for auction in the 1870s. ^[7] A deed dated March 17, 1886, transferred ownership from Soloman J. Clute to George Clute for property known as Clute's Place. Soloman Clute administered the community until 1888 or 1889, when it was sold. The Eagle Island Plantation of William H. Wharton occupied the site of present Restwood Memorial Park. ^[7]

In 1933, Clute had only two businesses and a population of ten. ^[7] By 1937 the town had a school for white children with two teachers and two schools for black children with one teacher each. ^[7] In the early 1940s, Clute began to prosper with the advent of Dow Chemical and several large construction companies moving into Southern Brazoria County. ^[6] A post office was established by 1943, and a new grade school was built in the 1950s.

In 1950, Clute had a population of 700 and thirty-six businesses; in 1954 the residents numbered 3,200 and the businesses forty-five. ^[7] Clute was incorporated in May 1952 under the name Clute City, with a commission form of government; in 1955 the town changed its name back to Clute and adopted an alderman (city council) form of government. ^[7]

Brazoswood High School opened in Clute in 1969 with grades 9–11. The first class graduated 356 students in May 1971. Brazoswood won the state championship in football in 1974. ^[9]

Mammoth discovery

In November 2003, a pair of mammoth tusks were found buried in a sand pit near Brazoswood High School by a backhoe operator. ^[10] They are believed to be remains of the first-dated mammoth discovered on the Texas Gulf Coast. ^[11]

The mammoth was judged to be about 38,000 years old, judging from the age of logs recovered near the site, and was considered to be a Columbian mammoth. These mammoths were slightly larger and less hairy than their famous cousin, the wooly mammoth. In addition, fossil logs and remains of bison, horse, deer and turtle are present, providing a glimpse of a unique Ice Age environment buried 35 feet below the surface, said Robson Bonnichsen, director of the Center for the Study of the First Americans. ^[11]

There is now a restaurant/museum of the same name to honor the discovery.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1960	4,501		—
1970	6,023		33.8%
1980	9,577		59.0%
1990	8,910		−7.0%
2000	10,424		17.0%
2010	11,211		7.5%
2020	10,604		−5.4%
U.S. Decennial Census [12]

Clute racial composition as of 2020 ^[13]
(NH = Non-Hispanic) ^{[lower-alpha 1]}

Race	Number	Percentage
White (NH)	3,404	32.1%
Black or African American (NH)	1,040	9.81%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)	45	0.42%
Asian (NH)	94	0.89%
Pacific Islander (NH)	3	0.03%
Some Other Race (NH)	46	0.43%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH)	280	2.64%
Hispanic or Latino	5,692	53.68%
Total	10,604

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 10,604 people, 4,453 households, and 2,854 families residing in the city.

As of the census ^[3] of 2000, there were 10,424 people, 3,674 households, and 2,564 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,949.1 inhabitants per square mile (752.6/km²). There were 4,142 housing units at an average density of 774.5 per square mile (299.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 64.22% White, 7.66% African American, 0.76% Native American, 0.96% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 23.03% from other races, and 3.37% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 48.09% of the population.

There were 3,674 households, out of which 41.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.3% were married couples living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.2% were non-families. 24.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.35.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 31.4% under the age of 18, 13.5% from 18 to 24, 31.1% from 25 to 44, 16.4% from 45 to 64, and 7.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $32,622, and the median income for a family was $34,638. Males had a median income of $31,574 versus $18,396 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,008. About 16.0% of families and 18.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.0% of those under age 18 and 14.5% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The public schools in the city are operated by the Brazosport Independent School District. Schools in Clute include:

• Madge Griffith Elementary School
• T. W. Ogg Elementary School
• Clute Intermediate School
• Brazoswood High School

The city is also served by Brazosport College. ^[15] The Texas Legislature designated the Brazosport ISD as in the Brazosport College zone. ^[16]

The Clute Library is a part of the Brazoria County Library System.

Culture

Clute hosts "The Great Texas Mosquito Festival" every July. The festival has been held annually since 1981. The three-day festival attracts some 18,000 visitors. ^[17]

Notable person

• Ron Paul, Clute is where former Rep. Ron Paul currently resides, and is also where his son, Sen. Rand Paul went to high school

References

1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
2. "US Census Bureau Population Finder: Baytown city, TX". factfinder.census.gov. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2007.
3. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
4. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
5. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
6. History of Clute
7. Diana J. Kleiner. The History of Texas Online
8. "Texas Travel". Archived from the original on January 2, 2010. Retrieved January 11, 2010.
9. UIL Football State Champions Archived February 12, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
10. Jen Sansbury "Dispute could keep Asiel from coming home," Brazosport Facts, March 7, 2006
11. "Team Excavating Mammoth On Gulf Coast". ScienceDaily. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
12. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
13. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
14. "About the Hispanic Population and its Origin". www.census.gov. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
15. "Brazosport College Map" (PDF). Brazoria County Appraisal District. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
16. Texas Education Code Sec. 130.170. BRAZOSPORT COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.
17. "THE GREAT TEXAS MOSQUITO FESTIVAL". 2009. Retrieved January 5, 2010.

1. Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race. ^[14]

External links

• City of Clute
• Brazosport Center for the Arts & Sciences Website