Indian Gap, Texas

{{Use American English|date=June 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}} {{Infobox settlement |name = Indian Gap, Texas |settlement_type = Unincorporated community |image_skyline = |imagesize = |image_caption = |pushpin_map = Texas#USA |pushpin_label = Indian Gap |pushpin_label_position = |pushpin_map_caption = |pushpin_mapsize =  |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = United States |subdivision_type1 = State |subdivision_name1 = Texas |subdivision_type2 = County |subdivision_name2 = Hamilton  |government_footnotes = |government_type = |leader_title = |leader_name = |established_title = |established_date =  |unit_pref = Imperial |area_footnotes = |area_total_km2 = |area_land_km2 = |area_water_km2 =  |population_as_of = 2000 |population_footnotes = |population_total = |population_density_km2 = auto  |timezone = Central (CST) |utc_offset = -6 |timezone_DST = CDT |utc_offset_DST = -5 |elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/> |elevation_ft = 1562 |coordinates = {{coord|31|39|47|N|98|24|48|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}  |postal_code_type = |postal_code = |area_code = |blank_name = FIPS code |blank_info = |blank1_name = GNIS feature ID |blank1_info = 1338427<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|1338427}}</ref> |website = |footnotes = }}

'''Indian Gap''' is an unincorporated community located between two hills in western Hamilton County in Central Texas, United States.

==History== Comanche Indians would use these hills to begin their raids, inspiring the name of the community. The community was settled in 1877. Hawley Gerrells was an early settler, who opened a post office in his home in 1879. At various times his home served as a store, a church, and a social center. H.A. Shipman bought the townsite and farmed it for several years. In 1889, he took over Gerrells' store and post office, and in 1892 he sold town lots. The population was 90 in the 1920s. At one point, Indian Gap had a bank, a hotel, three stores, a blacksmith shop, a gin, a barber shop, churches, and a weekly newspaper, ''The Arrow''. The post office closed in 1972. By the 1970s, the population had declined to 36 and remained there through 2000.<ref name="Handbook">{{Cite web|url=https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/indian-gap-tx|title=Indian Gap, TX|last=Hunt|first=William R.|website=tshaonline.org|access-date=2022-12-20}}</ref> The population was recorded as 27 in 2010 and rose to 35 as of 2019.<ref name="Texas Escapes"/>

==Geography== Indian Gap is located at the intersection of Farm to Market Roads 218 and 1702, {{convert|17|mi|km|abbr=on}} west of Hamilton, {{convert|35|mi|km|abbr=on}} east of Brownwood, and {{convert|40|mi|km|abbr=on}} south of Stephenville in the hills of far-western Hamilton County.<ref name="Texas Escapes">{{cite web | url= http://www.texasescapes.com/CentralTexasTownsNorth/IndianGapTexas/IndianGapTx.htm | title= Indian Gap, Texas | publisher = Texas Escapes Online Magazine | date= | accessdate = 2022-12-20}}</ref>

==Education== Indian Gap had its own schools at its peak, which closed about 1959.<ref name="Handbook"/> Today, the community is served by the Hamilton Independent School District.

==Notable person== Indian Gap is the hometown of Frank N. Mitchell, awarded a Medal of Honor for his actions in the Korean War.<ref name="Korean War Educator">{{Cite web |url=http://www.koreanwar-educator.org/topics/chosin/#MedalHonor |title=Korean War Educator |access-date=December 21, 2022 |archive-date=November 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221127112736/http://www.koreanwar-educator.org/topics/chosin/#MedalHonor |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

Category:Unincorporated communities in Hamilton County, Texas Category:Unincorporated communities in Texas