The Pflugerville cotton gin is one of the last remnants of the former Pflugerville Gin Company which is now owned by Pflugerville First United Methodist Church. Now the Pflugerville cotton gin was operated Pflugerville Gin Company from 1904 to 2009. Many locals of Travis County and Pflugerville refer to this cotton gin as “Pflugerville cotton gin”. This news article will explore and explain the history behind this building.
A 3-story cotton gin was constructed and established by Pflugerville Gin Company in 1904 by Otto C. Pfluger in the town of Pflugerville, Texas. This gin would become know to locals as the Pflugerville cotton gin. The Pflugerville cotton gin shared space with Pflugerville Ice Co and Pflugerville Cotton Seed Oil Co too. Pflugerville Gin Company was established to be a domestic for-profit business.
Railroad tracks traversing north to south were laid down in 1904 near downtown. The cotton gin was east of the railroad tracks. These railroad tracks ran to Austin, Hutto, and Round Rock. These railroad tracks were used to haul cotton bales across the state of Texas. These railroad tracks were close to the MKT Railroad. [Ref: Pflugerville (Images of America), 2013]
Several tons of cotton were produced daily. Cotton was picked by hand, put into a burlap sack, weighed, loaded onto trailers, and hauled to the cotton gin for processing to be sold on the market. A full sack weighed anywhere from 80 pounds to 100 pounds. Each bale weighed 500 pounds each. The cotton gin ran 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 
The first well was drilled by J. R. Johnson in 1910. This well was drilled about 650 feet in depth and 8 inches in diameter. This 2 well was constructed out of bluish-gray limestone surface material and cylinder shaped. This well was powered by a gasoline engine. (Ref: Geological Survey Water-supply Paper, Issues 1067-1070, 1950)
A water system established and operated by the Pflugerville Gin Company in 1911 for the town of Pflugerville, Texas. An electric plant was established during the same year. This electric plant provided local electrical service until 1925 when the town of Pflugerville could afford to purchase their own electric plant and no longer needed electricity from Pflugerville Gin Company. (Ref: https://atlas.thc.texas.gov/NR/pdfs/12000788/12000788.pdf)
Cotton and corn were major field crops for Pflugerville throughout the early to mid-20th century. Much of the cotton grown and grained in Pflugerville came from Pflugerville Gin Company and Pflugerville Cotton Seed Oil Co.
Use of the first well was discontinued in 1936. This well would be used as a stand-by well. A Geological Survey Water-supply Paper stated the first well had been used as stand-by well since then. (Ref: Geological Survey Water-supply Paper, 1957)
The second well for Pflugerville Gin Company was drilled in 1938 at a depth of 696 feet and 6⅝ inches in diameter. This well used a turbine pump which was powered by a 7½-horsepower electric motor unlike the first well that was powered by gasoline. This well produced 60 gallons of water per minute. (Ref: https://pubs.usgs.gov/wsp/1069/report.pdf)
Otto C. Pfluger was the owner and water works operator for Pflugerville Gin Co in 1941. Pflugerville Gin Company had 2 wells operating on the property. (Ref: https://pubs.usgs.gov/wsp/1069/report.pdf)
Source of information: Otto Pfluger, water works operator, Mar. 21, 1941.
Owner: Pflugerville Gin Co.
Source of supply: Two wells.
Well 1. Drilled about 1910: depth, 650 feet; diameter, 8 inches; deep-well cylinder and gasoline engine; used as stand-by well since 1936.
Well 2. Drilled in 1938; depth, 696 feet; diameter, 6% inches; deep-well turbine pump and 7j4-horsepower electric motor; static water level, 125 feet below land surface Mar. 1941; yield, 60 gallons a minute; temperature, 75° F.
Pumpage: Maximum, 22,000 gallons a day in summer, 3,600 gallons a day in winter.
Storage: Elevated tank, 23,000 gallons.
Number of customers: 85.
Treatment: None.
Cotton and corn were major field crops for Pflugerville throughout the mid-20th century. Much of the cotton grown and grained in Pflugerville came from Pflugerville Gin Company and Pflugerville Cotton Seed Oil Co. Several tons of cotton were produced daily.
Porous limestone was discovered when well testing was performed by the Texas Water Board in July 1957. Limestone was found when tested from 12 gallons to 50 gallons per minute. Underneath this limestone was Austin chalk found at a depth of 141 feet. (Ref: https://www.twdb.texas.gov/publications/reports/bulletins/doc/B5708.pdf)
A copy of the Travis County Rural Directory from 1958 lists the address for Pflugerville Gin Company as 136 E Pecan St. (Ref: https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth821478/m1/50/)
Otto C. Pfluger sold Pflugerville Gin Company to Milton Cockrum in 1964 as he approached old age and could no longer maintain the cotton gin. Milton Cockrum was then made agent and owner of Pflugerville Gin Company and the cotton gin. Cotton and corn were major field crops for Pflugerville throughout the 20th century. Much of the cotton grown and grained in Pflugerville came from Pflugerville Gin Company. Over 20 bales of cotton a day were produced. Railroad tracks that once connected to this cotton gin were removed in the 1970s. 
Pflugerville Gin Company ceased operations in October 16, 2009 after being declared a forfeited franchise by the State of Texas for non-payment of taxes. Milton Cockrum was listed as the acting agent for Pflugerville Gin Co and the Pflugerville cotton gin by Open Corporates. (Ref: https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_tx/0000174110)
The Pflugerville cotton gin was abandoned in 2010. Over the years this cotton gin has been vandalized and graffitied on as the building has sat vacant and unused. Several window panels are missing. Glass has been punched out. The Pflugerville cotton gin has been a well known graffiti hotspot for many artists. 
Pflugerville First United Methodist Church purchased the Pflugerville cotton gin in 2012 as an attempt historically preserve this cotton gin. They painted over spots where graffiti was sprayed on in a cleanup attempt. Pflugerville First United Methodist Church still owns this cotton gin today.
The Pflugerville cotton gin is located at 136 East Pecan Street, Pflugerville, Texas, US 78660.
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