Pioneer Village Forms, Wal-Mart Opens

The population of Gonzales County was 16,949, with the town itself having 7,152 residents. On March 22nd, Beulah’s Beauty Shop on Saint Frances Street was destroyed by an arsonist. On April 9, the formation of “Pioneer Village” began on Highway 183 on the north edge of Gonzales. The old Riverside School became a meeting place for several local clubs. On July 1, the Gonzales Wal-Mart opened its doors. On August 9, evacuees fleeing Hurricane Allen from the coast began to flood into Gonzales. Finally, on September 27, J.C. Penney closed its doors.