This article explores the population and steeps of Newgulf City, Texas. Located in Wharton county, it was founded by the Texas Gulf Sulphur Company in 1928. Once home to more than 1,500 people, the town was eventually a ghost town. Despite its ghost town status, Newgulf still has a unique history. Read on to discover some interesting facts about this unincorporated community.
The town of Newgulf is located on the Boling Dome, an underground rock structure that covers five hundred acres in Wharton County. This area contains sulfur, petroleum, and a significant salt dome. Sulfur production began in the town in March 1929, using the Frasch method, which involves pumping out liquid sulfur. Currently, there are four sulphur fields in the area.
The sulfur industry brought prosperity to the town in the early 1900s. By 1956, however, the sulphur industry was facing a slump, and the company was forced to build new plants in Texas Gulf Sulphur County. As a result, sulphur prices abroad were dropping. Additionally, Texas Gulf Sulphur built sulphur plants that were too far away from the town. The local economy began to decline after WWII, and in the 1950s the company began to lay off their employees, resulting in a boom in empty homes in Newgulf.