Historic Overview of Gordon

Gordon, Texas was named after H.L. Gordon an engineer for the railroad at the time of its construction through the area in 1880. The original townsite was called Hampton and was just north of the present day town of Gordon. Hampton began to develop around 1870. In 1881 Hampton was moved to Gordon and the town began to prosper. The first school was held in 1882 with Miss Mollie Shelton as the fist teacher.The first post office was moved from Hampton and opened on Oct 17, 1883. The Baptist and Methodist churches, along with others were organized in Gordon around this time. In 1889 Gordon had 300 inhabitants, five general stores, three drug stores, three hotels, three cotton gins (at one time known to have ginned more cotton in one year than any other town in the United States), a flour mill, a livery stable, a meat market, two lumber yards, a furniture store, a hardware store, three blacksmith shops, a barber shop, a bakery, a shoe repair shop, a harness shop, a Masonic Hall, odd Fellows Hall, four saloons, and a brick plant. The town also had three doctors at the turn of the century. It was during this time period that farmers and ranchers flocked to the area.
The Gordon telephone system went into place in 1901. Town leaders J.R. Rice and Eaton & Blewett built large brick buildings in town in around this time which lead to the brich downtown district. Eaton & Blewett began selling Ford cars around 1910. The town was incorporated during this time with R.L. Colvard as the first mayor. In 1912 an electric plant and water system was built for the town.

summarized "History of Gordon" by Mrs. M.H. Parks (1946)

Gordon is also noted as the site of the notorious Rube Burrow's second train robbery in January 1887. He got $4,200 from the express car.