| markernum | atlas_number | latitude | longitude | title | indexname | address | city | county | year | loc_desc | size | repaircom | markertext |
| 8752 | 5001008752 | 31.741409 | -95.656751 | Fort Houston | Fort Houston | | Palestine | Anderson | 1936 | about 2 mi. from Palestine off US 79S on FM 1990 just past tracks, behind Palestine Concrete | 1936 Centennial - Subject Marker (gray granite) | Good | A fort and stockade built about 1836 on the public square of the town of Houston (then in Houston County), as a protection against the Indians, by order of General Sam Houston, Commander-in-Chief of the Texan armies. The town was abandoned in 1846 for Palestine, the new seat of Anderson County, the fort about 1841. The site is now a part of the historic home of John H. Reagan, which is called Fort Houston.
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| 8753 | 5001008753 | 31.741409 | -95.656751 | Fort Houston | Fort Houston | | Palestine | Anderson | 1969 | Intersection of US 79 and FM 1990, 2 mi. south of Palestine, .25 mi. north of Ft. Houston on FM 1990 just past tracks | 18" x 28" | Fair; Refinish | (site one-fourth mile south)
A stockade and blockhouse of the Republic of Texas. Built in 1835-1836 to protect settlers who founded Houston, a pioneer town, now in Anderson County.
Friendly Indians would come to trade at the site, but wary settlers often slept inside the 25-foot-square blockhouse, built of heavy logs. Trappers bought supplies there and men from Houston formed one of the first Ranger units in Texas. The fort defended a large area of the frontier, 1836-1839, but it was abandoned about 1841. The site later became part of home of John H. Reagan, Texas Statesman.
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| 8754 | 5001008754 | 31.72718 | -95.651903 | Fort Houston Cemetery | Fort Houston Cemetery | Harcrow Road, west of Loop 256 | Palestine | Anderson | 1985 | Harcrow Road, west of Loop 256, Palestine | 27" x 42" | Good | In 1835, Joseph Jordan and William S. McDonald donated about 500 acres of land in this area for the town of Houston, later known as Fort Houston. An early map of the townsite shows a section designated as a "public burying ground." The infant child of the Rev. Peter Fullinwider, an early Protestant minister in Anderson County, is said to have been the first to be interred here. The oldest marked grave, that of Dr. James Hunter, is dated 1840.
The Fort Houston Cemetery is the only remaining physical evidence of the early frontier town, which was abandoned after Palestine was made Anderson County seat in 1846. Victims of diseases, Indian massacres, and other hardships that faced early Texas settlers are buried here. A special soldiers' plot, marked with a large boulder, contains the graves of soldiers of the Republic of Texas. Two veterans of the Battle of San Jacinto, John W. Carpenter and James Wilson, are buried in unmarked graves. The burial site of General Nathaniel Smith, a War of 1812 veteran, is also located in the soldiers' plot.
The Fort Houston Cemetery remains in use as a public burial ground and as a reminder of the early history of the area. (1985) |
| 8755 | 5001008755 | 32.051536 | -95.506287 | Frankston City Park | Frankston City Park | City Park on SH 155, Main at Elm | Frankston | Anderson | 1995 | City Park, Main at Elm on SH 155, Frankston | 18" x 28" | Good | In 1900 the Texas & New Orleans Railroad built a line through this area and plotted a townsite here on land owned by Frankie Miller. The town was named for "Miss Frankie" who donated this site, known as the Town Square, for a city park. By 1908 a city park existed here, and a post office and many of the town's earliest businesses had opened around the park square. A gazebo, built about 1920, replaced a small bandstand and became the site of various local festivities and social events. The park square continues to serve as the town's social and business center.
Sesquicentennial of Texas Statehood 1845 - 1995 |
| 8756 | 5001008756 | 32.051545 | -95.506309 | Frankston Railroad Depot | Frankston Railroad Depot | SH 155 | Frankston | Anderson | 1977 | SH 155, Frankston | Medallion & Plate | Good | In 1900 the Texas & New Orleans Railroad, now part of the Southern Pacific line, platted the town of Frankston. The station was first called Frankport and the post office Ayres. Both were renamed Frankston in 1902 for Miss Frankie Miller, who gave land for a city park. In 1906 this frame depot was built. The railroad connected local farmers with distant markets and provided passenger service from 1903 to 1964. The depot was restored in 1976 as a museum.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1977 |
| 7158 | 5001007158 | 0 | 0 | Seven Oaks (Mallard-Alexander House) | Seven Oaks (Mallard-Alexander House) | 407 E Kolstad | Palestine | Anderson | 1966 | 407 E Kolstad | Medallion & Plate | | Built in 1848 as the home of Judge John B. Mallard, first lawyer in Palestine. Became the home of Judge William Alexander of 1857. Alexander was Chief Justice of Anderson County 1860-1865, and a trustee of the first school in Palestine.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1966 |
| 7159 | 5001007159 | 0 | 0 | John and Laura Miller House | Miller, John and Laura, House | 3 mi. S on FM 19 | Frankston | Anderson | 1999 | 3 miles south of Frankston on FM 19 | 27" x 42" | | John and Laura Miller built this simple center passage house on this 500-acre site prior to 1870. They had come to Texas from Alabama several years earlier with John's parents, Samuel and Martha Miller, who established a 7,000-acre plantation in the area. John died in 1872, and Laura continued to live in the home until 1900.
The Miller family grew in prominence in the area. Laura's niece, Frankie Miller, gave a portion of the land surrounding Samuel and Martha Miller's original plantation house for a new town site when the railroad was built in 1900. The new town was named Frankston in her honor.
Laura Miller moved to Athens to live with her daughter, Sallie Jack Murchison, in 1900. She leased her house to Homer Garrison, Sr., and his wife Mattie Milam Garrison. Their oldest son, Homer Garrison, Jr., was born in the Miller House in 1901. He joined the Texas Highway Patrol when it was organized in 1930, and became director of the Department of Public Safety (DPS) and colonel of the Texas Rangers in 1938. During a distinguished 38-year career with the DPS, Garrison developed major programs including law enforcement training and communications, crime prevention, traffic safety and education. Honored for his outstanding contributions to the state of Texas, Homer Garrison, Jr., was buried at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin upon his death in 1968.
The Miller House displays Greek Revival elements in its symmetrical facade and full-width porch graced by classically inspired box columns. Witness to generations of Anderson County history, the house and many of its original features evolved from the antebellum era to meet the needs of its occupants. (1999)
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| 8729 | 5001008729 | 0 | 0 | Judge William Alexander | Alexander, William, Judge | Old Cemetery at end of E. Market St. | Palestine | Anderson | 1965 | Old City Cemetery at the end of E. Market St. | Grave Marker | not surveyed | Born 1814 in Scotland. Settled in Palestine 1851. Trustee in first school.
Practiced in Supreme Courts, Alabama, Texas. Was a partner of John H. Reagan, C.S.A. Postmaster-General, U. S. Congressman, U. S. Senator, Railroad Commissioner.
Married 1857 Mrs. Susan Scott Mallard, widow of another law partner. Had two daughters.
Chief Justice, Anderson County, 1860-1865. Died in Palestine, 1872.
Recorded, 1965
Incise in base: Erected by Ruth R. Eppner, Granddaughter |
| 8730 | 5001008730 | 31.958502 | -95.620625 | Anderson Campground | Anderson Campground | Off FM 837, 9.5 mi.SW, just W of Brushy Creek | Frankston | Anderson | 1981 | off FM 837, 9.5 mi. SW of Frankston just west of Brushy Creek | 27" x 42" | | Located on a spring near Brushy Creek community, this area was first settled in the 1850s. In 1873 it was set aside for use as a religious campground by members of the local Methodist congregation. The land was purchased from E. S. Jamison of Galveston County for sixty dollars in gold. The tabernacle was built the following year of pine beams, sweet gum piers, and wooden pegs.
Religious camp meetings were conducted here each summer. During the week-long services, residents of the surrounding area, representing several faiths, lived in tents on the grounds. The spring provided water for the campers and for baptisms. Although the meetings were primarily times of religious revival, they also allowed distant neighbors a chance to visit and exchange ideas.
A sanctuary for the Brushy Creek Methodist Church, built here in the 1870s, was replaced by the present building in 1894. A parsonage for use by the circuit preachers burned in 1916. As rural life became more modernized, camp meetings declined in popularity. The last ones here were held in the 1930s. Still used for religious meetings, Anderson Campground is the site of an annual September homecoming. (1981)
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| 8731 | 5001008731 | 31.812681 | -95.568393 | Anderson County | Anderson County | c.5 mi.NE on US 79 | Palestine | Anderson | 1936 | about 5 mi. NE of Palestine on US 79 | 1936 Centennial - Highway Marker (pink granite) | | Created March 24, 1846, from Houston County. Organized July 13, 1846 with Palestine as the county seat. Named in honor of Kenneth Lewis Anderson, vice-president of the Republic of Texas, 1844-45 |
| 8732 | 5001008732 | 31.766096 | -95.625676 | Anderson County Courthouse | Anderson County Courthouse | Courthouse Square | Palestine | Anderson | 1988 | corner of Lacy and Church | 27" x 42" | | Created by the Texas Legislature on March 24, 1846, Anderson County was named for former Republic of Texas Vice President Kenneth L. Anderson. The first court in the new county was held in a log house at nearby Fort Houston in 1846.
The first Anderson County Courthouse, a one-story frame structure, was built in 1847. Located on the northeast corner of the square, it was replaced by a two-story brick courthouse in 1856. A third courthouse, also brick, was completed in 1886 but was destroyed by fire in 1913.
The fourth and present Anderson County Courthouse was built in 1913-14. Designed by the Austin architectural firm of Charles Page & Bro., it was dedicated on December 20, 1914. The Beaux-Arts style building features giant order Ionic columns and pedimented porticoes on each facade, and is topped by a dome surmounted by a Justice statue.
Still in use as the seat of justice for Anderson County, the courthouse underwent major restoration in 1986. The historically and architecturally significant building serves as a source of pride for county residents.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1988 |
| 8733 | 5001008733 | 31.707405 | -95.628745 | Anderson County Poor Farm | Anderson County Poor Farm | 2.5 mi.S on S. Sycamore Rd. (FM 322) | Palestine | Anderson | 1986 | about 2.5 mi. south of Palestine on S. Sycamore Rd. (FM 322) | 18" x 28" | Good | Although county records show some attempts to care for the poor as early as the 1860s, property for a poor farm was not purchased until 1884. Various buildings were erected, including housing for residents and a caretaker, storage barns, a cotton gin, and a canning operation. A jail building was also in use for convict laborers who worked on the farm and on county roads. The ruins of several wells can still be seen throughout the property. A cemetery containing some 75-100 graves is located near the southern edge of the original farm site.
Texas Sesquicentennial 1836 - 1986
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| 8734 | 5001008734 | 31.76656 | -95.625467 | Antioch Missionary Baptist Church | Antioch Missionary Baptist Church | 907 E. Murchison St. | Palestine | Anderson | 1993 | 907 E. Murchison St. | 27" x 42" | Good | According to local tradition this congregation traces its origin to informal services held in various homes in Palestine as early as 1856. Although referred to as "Antioch Under the Hill" the congregation was formally named Antioch Baptist Church in 1873. The church built its first sanctuary that year on land deeded to the Rev. Bristow Smith, Bob Johnson, Virgil Campbell, and Thomas Hughes by John H. Reagan. Church membership increased and in 1885 and again in 1887 the congregation purchased town lots near here for the purpose of building a parsonage and a new sanctuary which was completed in 1895.
Two ministers, the Rev. T. W. Dailey and the Rev. J. B. Atkins, are credited with substantially improving church facilities during the first quarter of the 20th century. The church building, which had served the congregation well, was destroyed by fire in 1962. Services were subsequently held in a community center until a new sanctuary was erected at this site in 1964. The structure was later remodeled for use as a fellowship hall with the construction of a new church building here in 1980. Antioch continues to serve the local African American community with a variety of Christian educational and family programs. (1993) |
| 8735 | 5001008735 | 31.70508 | -95.562247 | Bell Cemetery | Bell Cemetery | 2 mi. S on Middle Crockett Rd., then left on FM 2914 at Chambers Cemetery, proceed 1 mi. to CR 151 and continue to cemetery on N side of road | Palestine | Anderson | 1991 | 2 mi. south of Palestine on Middle Crockett Rd., then left on FM 2914 at Chambers Cemetery, proceed 1 mi. to CR 151 and continue to cemetery on north side of road | 18" x 28" | Good | Confederate veteran Uriah Jasper Bell (1839 -1915) brought his family to northeast Texas in 1871. An ordained Baptist minister, he relocated to this area to lead the Ft. Houston Baptist Church. He and his wife Nancy (d. 1918) were the parents of seven children. Their only daughter, Lula Bell Kent, died in a fire in January 1890, three months after her marriage to Will Kent. She was buried on the family farm, and hers is the first burial in what became the Bell Cemetery. Also buried here are the Bells' six sons, as well as several generations of Bell family descendants. (1991)
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| 8736 | 5001008736 | 31.594017 | -95.588205 | Miles Bennett | Bennett, Miles | 3.8 mi.SW on FM 861, in Pilgrim Cemetery | Elkhart | Anderson | 1936 | in Pilgrim Cemetery, about 3.8 mil. SW of Elkhart on FM 861 | 1936 Centennial - Grave Marker (gray granite) | Good | A soldier in the Army of Texas, 1836. Born in Indiana, July 26, 1816; died November 24, 1849.
His wife Laura Jordon Bennett; born August 28, 1830; died December 24, 1925.
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| 8737 | 5001008737 | 31.924439 | -95.92694 | Bethel Cemetery | Bethel Cemetery | 20 mi. NW on US 287, in Bethel, on CR 2602 | Bethel | Anderson | 1985 | about 20 mi. NW of Palestine on US 287, in Bethel on CR 2602 | 27" x 42" | Poor; Refinish | Originally part of a Mexican land grant awarded to Jose de Jesus Grande in 1828, land at this site was later granted to early area settler Henry Rampy. Rampy, who had come to this part of Texas in 1848, deeded 5 acres of his land in 1859 for a community cemetery and church.
The earliest significant settlement of pioneers in the Bethel area came in 1846. By 1852, the community was thriving and a post office was established. The Bethel Cemetery was used largely by residents of the town and by settlers in other parts of Anderson and Henderson counties. The earliest marked grave, that of M. B. Hodge, is dated 1862. Her husband, the Rev. Robert Hodge, who also is buried here, was a pioneer Cumberland Presbyterian minister. He was instrumental in the founding of the Science Hill academy, an important early educational institution in this part of the state. Other early settlers and their descendants are buried here, as are a number of Confederate veterans.
The Bethel community began to decline after the end of the Civil War and was largely gone by the time the post office was discontinued in 1914. This cemetery is the only significant remnant of the once-thriving Anderson County community. (1985) |
| 8738 | 5001008738 | 31.981086 | -95.525382 | Bethel Church and Cemetery | Bethel Church and Cemetery | 5.5 mi. S on SH 155, then 0.5 mi. E on CR 327 | Frankston | Anderson | 1994 | about 5.5 mi. south of Frankston on SH 155, then .5 mi. east on CR 327 | 27" x 42" | Good | The Rev. James Madison McCarty (1802-1869) is the first Primitive Baptist minister known to have served in this area. In 1853 Bethel Primitive Baptist Church of Christ was established as a member of the Union Association organized by Daniel Parker.
Church services were held one weekend a month. Members of the congregation participated in holy services of communion and foot washings during conference meetings. Singing for the services was performed in the non-instrumental sacred harp method. The church was the primary religious and social gathering place for the Sandflat community.
The oldest documented burial in the Bethel Cemetery is that of the infant child of Daniel and Elizabeth Willingham Cook, who died on August 7, 1855. Among those buried in both marked and unmarked graves in the cemetery are veterans of the Civil War, World War I and World War II.
After the railroad was built through the county in 1900, bypassing this area in favor of Frankston to the north, the Sandflat community began to decline. Worship services at Bethel Church ceased in the 1940s. The cemetery remains as a reflection of the area's heritage. (1994) |
| 8739 | 5001008739 | 31.76211 | -95.632656 | Bowers Mansion, The | Bowers Mansion | 301 S. Magnolia St. | Palestine | Anderson | 1973 | 301 S. Magnolia St. | 18" x 28" | Poor; Refinish | Originally house of merchant Henry Ash; built 1878; bought 1884 by Andrew L. and Nellie O'Connell Bowers, who had architect-builder W. W. Wainright add cupola, gazebo, circular galleries after 1886. Charles Dunbar was architect in 1897 for ornate renovations, and Bowers continued to enlarge and enrich the structure until 1921.
Andrew L. Bowers (1852-1926), an International & Great Northern Railroad official, president of Palestine Salt & Coal Co., banker, mayor for 20 years, was active in Anderson County oil discoveries.
Four sons, two daughters grew up here; family owned place 72 years.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1973
Restored by Mrs. H. R. Avera and Carl L. Avera, 1970 |
| 8740 | 5001008740 | 0 | 0 | Governor Thomas Mitchell Campbell | Campbell, Thomas Mitchell, Governor | Courthouse grounds, US 287 and Lacy St. | Palestine | Anderson | 1975 | Courthouse grounds, US 287 and Lacy St. | 27" x 42" | Good | (April 22, 1856 - April 1, 1923) Born near Rusk in Cherokee County, Thomas Mitchell Campbell was the son of Thomas Duncan and Rachel (Moore) Campbell. He financed his education by working for the county clerk in Longview. In 1878 Campbell was admitted to the Bar and opened his law practice in Longview. He married Fannie Bruner the same year. Campbell moved to Palestine in 1892 after he was named receiver for the International & Great Northern Railroad. He was general manager of the line 1892-97.
In 1905, without prior political experience, Campbell announced as a candidate for Governor. He received the Democratic nomination despite strong opposition at the party's 1906 convention. Rallying supporters with the rousing march tune, "The Campbells Are Coming," he won the election by a large margin and became Texas' second native-born Governor. The first was Campbell's boyhood friend, Gov. James S. Hogg (1851-1906). In 1908 Gov. Campbell was elected to a second term. His administration was marked by strong anti-trust legislation, a pure food law, and prison reform.
When his term expired, Gov. Campbell returned to a banking and law career in Palestine. In 1916 he ran for the United States Senate but lost. He died in Galveston and was buried in Palestine's East Hill Cemetery. (1975) |
| 8741 | 5001008741 | 31.694811 | -95.582215 | Campbell Cemetery | Campbell Cemetery | | Palestine | Anderson | 1994 | US 287, about 6 mi. south of Palestine on CR 155 | 27" x 42" | Good | Typical of a number of small family cemeteries located throughout the state of Texas, this graveyard was established by the Campbell family, who moved to the Mound Prairie community in this area in 1844. Albert Gallatin Campbell (1808 - 1876), his wife Jenny Elvira, and their children John Bartlett, Isadore, and James, established a farm. Soon the family grew with the addition of another daughter, Jettie, and another son, Alexander.
John Bartlett Campbell (1834 - 1915) returned home after service in the Civil War and worked in a hardware store to earn money to purchase his own farm. He eventually purchased 270 acres and built a large home, where he and his wife Mary Elizabeth (1853 - 1927) reared their twelve children.
John Bartlett Campbell set aside one acre of land on his farm for a family burial ground, and in 1876 his father, Albert Gallatin Campbell, became the first person buried here. Albert's was the only burial in the graveyard for twenty-four years, until his grandson, 23-year-old John Bartlett Campbell, Jr., died in 1900 of scarlet fever. The cemetery is still in use by Campbell family descendants. |
| 8742 | 5001008742 | 0 | 0 | C. S. A. Iron Works | C. S. A. Iron Works | 7 mi. N on SH 155 in roadside park on W side | Palestine | Anderson | | roadside park on west side of SH 155, 7 mi. north of Palestine | 18" x 28" | Missing | Nearby, between old towns of Plentitude and Mound Prairie, John Billups as early as 1847 used Anderson County ore for iron to manufacture cotton gins and grist mills.
In the Civil War, with D. D. Hassell as partner, made rifles and bayonets for Confederacy.
To obtain military goods, the State of Texas subsidized war plants and exempted workmen.
Other factories at Lancaster, Houston, Bastrop, Fredericksburg, Waxahachie, Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, Burnet, Rusk and Tyler made pistols, percussion caps and gunpowder. (1964) |
| 8743 | 5001008743 | 31.913204 | -95.6824 | Concord Baptist Church and Cemetery | Concord Baptist Church and Cemetery | | Palestine | Anderson | 1997 | 2 mi. north of Palestine on FM 3309, 8 mi. north on CR 404 | 27" x 42" | Good | Three families named Fitzgerald moved to Texas in the 1840s and purchased land at Mound Prairie Creek, eleven miles north of Palestine. The area in which they settled became known as Fitzgerald. As other families moved to the area, interest grew in organizing a church. Fifteen charter members met at the Fitzgerald schoolhouse in 1871 and formed a Baptist church. It is believed they named it Concord for a community in Louisiana, the former home of some members of the church.
By 1883 the congregation was holding services in its own church building. A wooden frame sanctuary was erected at this site in 1901-02 that served the congregation until 1940 when it was destroyed by fire. A brick structure was begun in 1940.
The cemetery and church were located on land previously owned by pioneers William A. and Michael R. Fitzgerald. The oldest marked grave is that of Joel Kelley in 1872, although it is believed the site was in use before that time. Among those buried here are early settlers and their families and three Confederate Civil War veterans. The site continues to serve the Concord community and is maintained by a cemetery association. |
| 8744 | 5001008744 | 0 | 0 | Denson Springs Cemetery | Denson Springs Cemetery | 6 mi. E of SH 294, then 0.5 mi. N on CR 1220 | Slocum | Anderson | 1986 | 6 mi. east of Slocum on SH 294, then .5 mi. north on CR 1220 | 27" x 42" | Good | Early settlers of this area, known as Ioni after a nearby Indian village, began arriving in the early 1830s. The land on which this cemetery is located was granted to James Bradshaw in 1835. When he died in 1844, the property was inherited by his brother, William, who moved here with his family from Nacogdoches in 1849. One of William Bradshaw's daughters, Diana, married Kindred Watkins in 1850. When their first child, a son, was born and died on August 15, 1851, he was buried near their home. The child's burial was the first in what would become Denson Springs Cemetery.
Over the years, this one-acre plot became a family burial ground. Later, other settlers of the area were also buried here, and when the name of the community was changed in 1878 to Denson Springs, this site became known as the Denson Springs Cemetery.
Besides the marked graves, it is believed there are a number of unmarked burials. Veterans of the Civil War, World War I, and World War II are interred here. The graveyard was deeded to the Denson Springs Cemetery Association in 1980. Set in a grove of trees, it is a quiet reminder of the area's early pioneers and settlers.
Texas Sesquicentennial 1836 - 1986 |
| 8745 | 5001008745 | 31.767162 | -95.538909 | Eilenberger's Bakery | Eilenberger's Bakery | 512 N. John | Palestine | Anderson | 15 | | 18" x 28" | Fair | F. H. Eilenberger (1878 - 1959), a German immigrant, worked at bakeries in Galveston and Fort Worth before starting this company in 1898. Originally located on the corner of John and Oak streets, the operation was moved to this site in 1918. Eilenberger also lived here for several years. Although he sold the business to his two sons and his son-in-law in 1949, his baked bread continued to be distributed throughout East Texas until 1968. Today the bakery is noted for fruit and pecan cakes, which are produced from a family recipe and marketed worldwide.
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| 8746 | 5001008746 | 31.66652 | -95.724815 | Henry Fields | Fields, Henry | Old Magnolia Cemetery, 11 mi. W on SH 294 | Palestine | Anderson | 1936 | about 11 mi. west of Palestine on SH 294, in Old Magnolia Cemetery | Grave Marker | Good | A San Jacinto veteran; born in South Carolina, May 8, 1806; died Oct. 15, 1890 |
| 8747 | 5001008747 | 31.760514 | -95.450594 | Fields Chapel Methodist Church and Cemetery | Fields Chapel Methodist Church and Cemetery | 11 mi. E on US 84 | Palestine | Anderson | 1996 | about 11 mi. east of Palestine on US 84 | 27" x 42" | Good | Pioneer settlement began in this vicinity in the late 1830s and early 1940s. This area was the location of several camp revival meetings. The Rev. John W. Fields organized the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1852 and the church was named for him. Trustees elected were W. R. Anglin, J. J. O'Quinn, E. W. Hassell, Joseph Shaver, A. J. Killion, L. D. Fulton, and A. K. W. Jones. Adrian Anglin donated land to this congregation and property deeds were signed on June 23, 1853. The church members built a church that also served as a school. That structure was in use until the late 1940s, when a white brick sanctuary was erected.
The cemetery may have been in use prior to the date of the church organization, as there is evidence of more than 100 unmarked graves identified only by iron ore rock, native to the area. The oldest marked grave dating to November 8, 1858, is that of Arminda Florence Langston, infant daughter of Willis B. and Amarillo Anglin Langston. The burials include many pioneer settlers and their descendants and veterans of the Civil War. The community has gathered for homecoming, a social event held annually on these grounds. The church and cemetery continue to serve this area of Anderson County. (1996)
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| 8748 | 5001008748 | 31.765755 | -95.62955 | First Christian Church | First Christian Church | 113 E. Crawford | Palestine | Anderson | 1967 | | 27" x 42" | Fair; Refinish | Organized in 1847 under leadership of lawyer Joseph A. Clark (founder and administrator of college now T.C.U.) and John F. Taylor, a farmer. Both Clark and Taylor were followers of Campbell - Scott movement for Christian unity. Though 16 charter members were of different faiths, they successfully united through "Articles of Faith" which expressed their basic beliefs.
From its very beginning, the church has been of evangelistic nature. A Rev. Mr. Jordan (relinquishing affiliation with the Baptist church) became the first pastor, ministering not only to the newly-formed congregation but to other settlements near and far.
In the early 1850s, Rev. Carroll Kendrick became pastor. He too believed in the need for evangelism and pressed Joseph Clark to work with him.
Clark set forth strengthening congregations already formed, establishing new churches and expounding the gospel. Interrupted only by the Civil War, evangelistic work by the church continues to this day.
The first church building, erected in 1859, was located on Poplar and Fannin streets; the second on Houston and Crawford in 1884; the third, built in 1905, is now used for an educational building. The present church was constructed in 1955. |
| 8749 | 5001008749 | 31.628313 | -95.578004 | First United Methodist Church of Elkhart | First United Methodist Church of Elkhart | Corner of Parker & Church St. | Elkhart | Anderson | 1986 | | 27" x 42" | Good | The First Methodist service held in this area was in 1840, when a group of citizens formed a small congregation that met in private homes. In 1878 a Methodist mission was established in Elkhart. The Rev. J. F. Henderson, a circuit riding minister, was in charge of this as well as seven other missions in his district. In its first fifteen years, the church was served by nine different clergymen.
By November 1892, the congregation had grown such that plans were made to build a sanctuary. A white frame structure was erected, with a high steeple and bell tower on one corner. A Sunday School program began, and in 1907 the church created a youth ministry which continued over the years to form the Methodist Youth Fellowship. A missionary society was formed in 1915 by the women of the church.
In late 1930, under the leadership of the Rev. J. L. Webb, a new church building program was begun. A one-story structure was completed in 1933, and a second story was added in 1939. A brick parsonage was built near the church in the 1950s, and by 1971 the need for a new sanctuary had arisen. The addition was made onto the northeast side of the old church, and was consecrated on September 14, 1974.
Texas Sesquicentennial 1836 - 1986 |
| 8750 | 5001008750 | 31.761222 | -95.632441 | First Methodist Church of Palestine | First Methodist Church of Palestine | 422 S. Magnolia | Palestine | Anderson | 1993 | | 27" x 42" | Good | This church began with Methodist classes organized by John Wilson in 1840 and held in this area at the home of John Box. Louisiana Catherine "Aunt Bee" Small helped formally organize a Methodist church in Palestine soon after its selection as Anderson County Seat in 1846. By 1848 the Palestine community was included in the circuit of the Rev. Henderson D. Palmer.
Palestine's first church structure was built by area Methodists in 1850 at present day 812 N. Mallard Street. Named "Bascom Chapel" after Bishop Henry B. Bascom, it served numerous congregations in the community for many years as Palestine's sole house of worship.
In 1884 Palestine's Methodists erected a new sanctuary at the corner of Avenue A and N. Mallard Street and named it "Centenary." About 1900 a split in the congregation resulted in the formation of the First Methodist Church. Led by Dr. James Kilgore, First Methodist built a sanctuary here in 1910. The structure was remodeled in 1952 and in 1986 the adjoining "Carroll Building" was erected.
Women's local and foreign missionary efforts have been a part of church activities since at least 1910. The congregation continues to support numerous youth programs and activities.
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| 8751 | 5001008751 | 31.766477 | -95.627755 | First Presbyterian Church | First Presbyterian Church | 410 Avenue A | Palestine | Anderson | 1966 | | Medallion & Plate | Good | Organized Nov. 3, 1849, with 18 charter members, by the great pioneer leaders, Revs. Daniel Baker and John May Becton, home missionaries.
This Gothic building of handmade brick was erected in 1888; enlarged since by two additions.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1966 |
| 8757 | 5001008757 | 31.750204 | -95.680304 | Site of Four Pines School | Four Pines School, Site of | 2305 Salt Works Rd. | Palestine | Anderson | 1993 | 2305 Salt Works Rd., Palestine | 27" x 42" | currently down for construction | In 1911 school trustees D. Barry, C. F. Everett, and W. L. Pickle purchased one acre of land here to establish a school. An old tobacco barn at this site was converted for use as a schoolhouse. The school was named for four prominent pine trees near the school entrance.
By 1918 the barn/school building had been razed and replaced with a 3-room frame schoolhouse. The school offered instruction in grades one through eight. Funds raised by students through the sale of farm animals and cotton grown on school grounds were used by trustees to purchase an adjacent lot in 1925.
In 1946 Four Pines had four teachers and a student enrollment of 67. The Harmony and Pleasant Grove Consolidated School Districts merged with Four Pines in 1949, and three classrooms and a gymnasium/auditorium building were added to the school complex. Athletic teams wore the school's green and gold colors and were known as the "Pine Burrs."
In 1937 the nearby Magnolia, Long Lake, and Tucker schools formed the Woodhouse School District. In 1959 Woodhouse merged with Four Pines to form the Tucker common School District which in 1976 was renamed Westwood. Westwood Elementary School is currently on the same site as the original Four Pines School. (1993) |
| 8758 | 5001008758 | 0 | 0 | Freeman Farm | Freeman Farm | 3 mi. S on FM 19, then 2 mi. W on CR 323 | Frankston | Anderson | 1996 | 3 mi. south of Frankston on FM 19, then 2 mi. west on CR 323 | 27" x 42" | possibly not yet placed | William Franklin Freeman (1827 - 1892) and Elizabeth Ann Davis (1829 - 1856) were married in Alabama in 1846. After the birth of their first child in 1849 they came to Texas and settled two miles south of Kickapoo in Anderson County. They purchased land for a farm and in the 1850s built a homestead using hand-hewn lumber and bricks made at the site.
The Freemans were successful farmers and owned more than 3,000 acres of land. The plantation was self-sustaining and was operated by the Freemans and the slaves they acquired. Tasks were completed in additional buildings located here including a blacksmith shop, an icehouse, cotton gin, syrup mill, smokehouse, and chicken house. They produced their own clothing and shoes using a spinning wheel, shoe forms and a cobbler's bench. Much of the furniture was produced locally including wardrobes, tables, chairs, pie safes and desks.
The plantation served the Kickapoo area as a local post office. W. F. Freeman functioned as county commissioner in 1876, and as president of Kickapoo College in the 1880s. After his death, his second wife Bethena Oldham (1841 - 1904) managed the farm for many years. Their family continues to be active in civic affairs. (1993)
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| 8759 | 5001008759 | 31.769948 | -95.635221 | Grace Methodist Church | Grace Methodist Church | 209 W. Kolstad | Palestine | Anderson | 1995 | 209 W. Kolstad, Palestine | 27" x 42" | Good | Methodist missionary efforts in this area date to the late 1830s. Circuit-riding ministers served Methodists in Palestine from the time of its founding as the Anderson County seat in 1848. In 1850 church members built a frame sanctuary and in November of that year the East Texas Conference was held in the new building, named Bascom Chapel in honor of an early Methodist bishop.
The arrival of the railroad in 1872 resulted in a population boom for Palestine, and in 1884 a new church, named Centenary for the 100th anniversary of Methodism in the United States, was built. Three years later, the congregation divided to form the present First United Methodist Church and Grace United Methodist Church.
Initially called Methvin Chapel in honor of the Rev. Alex Methvin, this congregation built Howard Avenue Methodist Church in 1898. After it burned in 1913, a new sanctuary was constructed at this site and named Grace Methodist Church. Long a supporter of local and foreign missionary efforts, Grace United Methodist Church continues to serve the community with a variety of worship, educational, and outreach programs. (1995) |
| 8760 | 5001008760 | 31.675248 | -95.747993 | Green Bay A.M.E. Church | Green Bay A.M.E. Church | US 79/84 right-of-way at church | Tucker | Anderson | 1989 | US 79/84 ROW at Church, Tucker | 27" x 42" | Good | This congregation traces its history to 1866, when a group of black workers at the Long Lake Cotton Plantation gathered together informally to organize a church. The following year the owners of the plantation designated a plot of land on which the workers built a sanctuary, known as Green Bay Church. In 1868 the congregation was formally recognized by the African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) denomination and was renamed Green Bay A.M.E. Church. It was the first church in the Long Lake area.
In 1870 members of the church organized a day school for their children which became known as Green Bay School. When the church was moved to this site in 1887, school classes were held in the church building until a new school facility was erected in 1899.
The church continued to grow in its new location. Missionary activities included the establishment of two new congregations in the Tucker vicinity: New Salem Church and Bailey Chapel.
Construction of a new sanctuary at this site began in 1956 and was completed in 1959. Still an active congregation, Green Bay A.M.E. Church continues to serve the community with worship and outreach. (1989) |
| 8761 | 5001008761 | 31.675884 | -95.747738 | Green Bay High School | Green Bay High School | Green Bay Community Center, US 79 | Tucker | Anderson | 1986 | Green Bay Community Center, US 79, Tucker | 18" x 28" | Poor; Refinish | Green Bay High School traces its origin to October 11, 1889, when eleven black men of the community formed a board of trustees and organized a school for the area's black children. The first school facility was provided by Green Bay Methodist Church. New school buildings erected in the early 1900s also housed the Mt. Sinai Masonic Lodge. Many dedicated teachers served in the Green Bay School, and students from a large rural area attended the school from its creation until desegration of area school systems was achieved in 1966.
Texas Sesquicentennial 1836 - 1986 |
| 8762 | 5001008762 | 31.761222 | -95.63243 | Home of Congressman and Mrs. Alexander W. Gregg | Gregg, Alexander W., Home of Congressman and Mrs. | 421 S. Magnolia St. | Palestine | Anderson | 1970 | 421 S. Magnolia St., Palestine | 18" x 28" | Poor; Refinish | Honored national statesman from Palestine, Congressman A. W. Gregg (1855 - 1919) lived in this house at height of his career. Gregg, member of a distinguished southern family, graduated from University of Virginia School of Law; practiced in Palestine; was in State Senate, 1886-1888. Serving in U.S. Congress 1903-1919, he was instrumental in securing sea wall to protect Galveston from such devastation as that of 1900 hurricane.
Congressman Gregg married (first) Mary Bridges and (second) Mary Brooks. Had four children.
House was built 1886-1892. (1970)
Incise on base: Marker donated by Col. Perry E. Taylor |
| 8763 | 5001008763 | 31.758533 | -95.793733 | Harmony Baptist Church | Harmony Baptist Church | c. 10 mi. W on FM 320, then 1.3 mi. N on FM 645 | Palestine | Anderson | 1991 | about 10 mi. west of Palestine on FM 320, then north 1 mi. on FM 645 | 27" x 42" | Good | The community of Harmony began in 1855, when several families from South Carolina and Mississippi settled here and established homes and family farms. Originally named Harmony Missionary Baptist Church, this congregation was established in 1891 under the leadership of the Rev. L. D. Funderburk and the Rev. A. H. Sowell.
Beginning with nine charter members, the congregation conducted early worship services in a small building on the Jepthia D. Harris farm. The church building also housed the community school, and a Sunday School began in 1892.
By 1917 the congregation had outgrown its small facility, and plans were made for the construction of a new church building at this site. As the congregation continued to grow over the years, additional facilities were added to the church complex, but the need for a larger sanctuary arose again in 1958. Completed in December 1958, the new building was dedicated on March 15, 1959. An indoor baptistry was built in 1976, ending a long tradition of conducting baptism services in nearby creeks, lakes, and ponds. (1991)
Throughout its history, Harmony Baptist Church has served the community with a variety of programs.
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| 8764 | 5001008764 | 31.772545 | -95.626491 | Hodges - Darsey House | Hodges - Darsey House | 517 E. Hodges St. | Palestine | Anderson | 1973 | 517 E. Hodges St., Palestine | Medallion & Plate | missing | In the 1870s, after the International & Great Northern Railroad line reached Palestine, brothers A. B. and Dan Hodges moved here from Tennessee Colony settlement and became leading merchants. This house was built in 1895 by Dan Hodges for his wife Margaret Sue (Jackson) and their five children. A good example of Queen Anne style residences of the late Victorian era, the house was purchased in 1959 by William Gray Darsey, Jr., (who restored and preserved it) a leader in the area oil industry.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1973 |
| 8765 | 5001008765 | 31.976518 | -95.648082 | Hopewell Cemetery | Hopewell Cemetery | FM 837, 2.5 mi. NW | Brushy Creek | Anderson | 1990 | FM 837, 2.5 mi. NW of Brushy Creek | 27" x 42" | Good | Serving the rural area of north Anderson County and the community of Brushy Creek, this cemetery traces its history to the 1860s. The earliest documented burial in the graveyard is that of Zylpha Wylie, who died in 1862. There are at least 74 unmarked graves. A number of people were buried here in the 1870s, including many infants and children.
Several generations of some pioneer Anderson County families are represented by the gravestones found in the Hopewell Cemetery. Also interred here are five Confederate veterans of the Civil War.
The land on which the cemetery is located was officially designated as a burial ground in 1881, when John H. and Mary Young deeded the property to trustees of the Church of Christ at Hopewell. Totaling about six acres, the land was purchased for $15.00 by church trustees William Elkins, Chesley Murphey, and John L. Scarborough.
Descendants of the area's pioneer settlers formed a cemetery association in 1953 to provide maintenance for the historic graveyard. A memorial service is held once a year. (1990)
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| 8766 | 5001008766 | 31.771824 | -95.626038 | Col. G. R. Howard House | Howard, Col. G. R., House | 1101 N. Perry St. | Palestine | Anderson | 1966 | 1101 N. Perry St., Palestine | Medallion & Plate | Good | Built 1851 by Col. G. R. Howard, merchant and public official. Owned by family until sold to city, 1965, for a museum.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1966 |
| 8767 | 5001008767 | 0 | 0 | I & GN Hospital and Nurses' Quarters | I & GN Hospital and Nurses' Quarters | 919 S. Magnolia St. | Palestine | Anderson | 1990 | 919 S. Magnolia St., Palestine | 27" x 42" | Good | Established in 1884, the International & Great Northern Railway Employees' Hospital Association built a complex of frame structures at this site adjacent to the railroad tracks. The hospital, which operated on monthly employee dues, provided service to all railroad employees along the I&GN lines.
In 1920 the frame structures were razed and replaced with a new brick hospital building. In addition to patient rooms, the institution included a pharmacy, laboratories, medical clinic, and emergency room with ambulance service. An adjacent two-story nurses' quarters building was added to the site in 1925.
Designed by prominent Houston architect Alfred C. Finn, both buildings exhibit elements of Georgian Revival style architecture. Prominent features of the hospital include its raised basement, central bay, and ornate Georgian portico. The nurses' quarters features an offset classical portico and hipped roof.
The Missouri-Pacific Railroad took over the I&GN lines in the 1930s, and after that time the institution was known as the Missouri-Pacific Lines Hospital Association. The hospital continued to operate until 1970. The buildings stand as reminders of the railroad's impact on the City of Palestine.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1990 |
| 8768 | 5001008768 | 31.957928 | -95.956452 | Judson Baptist Church | Judson Baptist Church | 1 mi. N on FM 59, then 0.25 mi. W on FM 2961, then W on CR 491A to church | Cayuga | Anderson | 1985 | from Cayuga go north 1 mi. on FM 59, then east .25 mi. on FM 2961, then north on CR 491A to church | 27" x 42" | Good | This congregation was organized in 1854 when the Fosterville Baptist Church divided its membership to better serve the growing population of Anderson County. County pioneers R. R. Morrow and J. H. Rowland were chief organizers of the 21 charter members. Morrow served as their first pastor.
Judson Baptist Church met for worship services in a brush arbor near Hall Branch Creek until its first sanctuary was constructed on land provided by Martin and Nancy Haywood. By 1891, membership had grown such that a larger church building was erected. Over the years, Judson Baptist Church facilities have been enlarged or relocated to adapt to population shifts in northwest Anderson County. After the congregation moved to this site in 1924, members farmed the surrounding land and used the proceeds to pay off the church debt.
Throughout its history, Judson Baptist Church has provided significant service and leadership to the Cayuga community and to those in the surrounding rural area. Its members have continued to uphold the ideas and traditions of their pioneer founders. (1985)
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| 8769 | 5001008769 | 31.955447 | -95.942571 | Judson Cemetery | Judson Cemetery | 2 mi. S on US 287, then 1 mi. N on CR 476, 0.1 mi. E to cemetery | Cayuga | Anderson | 1993 | south of Cayuga via US 287 2 mi., then 1 mi. north on CR 476 to cemetery entrance | 27" x 42" | Good | This graveyard traces its origin to the establishment of Judson Missionary Baptist Church of Christ on September 20, 1854. The church served the pioneer community of Wildcat Bluff (later called Cayuga). The congregation relocated here about 1856 from the nearby Gilmore's Chapel and Brush Arbor to a church building and acreage donated by Martin and Nancy Haywood on October 20, 1855. The first recorded burial here was that of 7-year-old Allen W. Barton on October 26, 1863.
Pioneer burials were a community effort. Members prepared the body, made the shroud, built the caskets and dug the graves. Cedar trees and large stones were used as grave markers. According to local tradition cedar tree stumps continue to disclose the site of unmarked grave sites. In 1910 a small parcel of land was added to the graveyard by donors L. J. M. Sutton, L. B. Clay, Mrs. Ida Harton, and Joe A. and Sarah Johnson.
Ellen and J. W. Seat donated 3-3/4 acres to the Judson Baptist Church in 1925 and sold additional acreage in 1954 for cemetery purposes. The Judson Cemetery Association helped establish a perpetual care fund in 1970 to maintain the grounds. The cemetery, deeded to the cemetery association by the Judson Baptist Church in 1986, continues to serve the church and community. (1993) |
| 8770 | 5001008770 | 32.025645 | -95.488455 | Site of the Kickapoo Battlefield | Kickapoo Battlefield, Site of the | c. 2 mi. SE on FM 19, jur before CR 318 | Frankston | Anderson | 1936 | about 2 mi. SE of Frankston on FM 19 - just before CR 318 | 1936 Centennial - Subject Marker (gray granite) | Good | Here General Thomas J. Rusk with 200 Texans on October 16, 1838, attacked a band of hostile Indians and allied Mexicans, molestors of frontier settlements, and routed them.
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| 8771 | 5001008771 | 31.764531 | -95.624185 | Captain William Kimbro | Kimbro, Captain William | City Cemetery off E. Market St. | Palestine | Anderson | 1936 | city cemetery off E. Market St., Palestine | 1936 Centennial - Subject Marker (gray granite) | Good | In Memory of
Commanded a company at San Jacinto; came to Texas in 1831; born in Tennessee; died in Anderson County, September 14, 1856.
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| 8772 | 5001008772 | 0 | 0 | Kolstad Jewelers | Kolstad Jewelers | 100 W. Oak | Palestine | Anderson | 1977 | was located at 100 W. Oak St., Palestine (business closed 3/94; marker with CHC) | 18" x 28" | missing; not surveyed | Soren Kolstad (1823 - 1918), a skilled artisan and clockmaker, migrated to Texas from his native Norway in 1852. He settled in Palestine, where he opened a jewelry store in 1853. The store has occupied four locations. Mahogany display cases, installed in the third shop in 1916, were transferred to the present site in 1933. Managed by five generations of the Kolstad family, this is believed to be the oldest retail store in continuous operation by its founding family in the state of Texas. Members of the Kolstad family have also been leaders in religious, civic, and educational activities. (1977)
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| 8773 | 5001008773 | 0 | 0 | Link Family Cemetery | Link Family Cemetery | 6 mi. NW on SH 19, then 1 mi. W on CR 433W | Palestine | Anderson | 1993 | about 6mi. NW of Palestine via SH 19, then 1 mi. west on CR 433W | 27" x 42" | not surveyed; unable to meet with property owner | This cemetery was established when John and Mary Otelia Link buried their young daughters Annie and Allean at this site within a week of each other in July of 1887. Both children died of diphtheria. At that time no Catholic cemetery existed nearby and local tradition suggests the children were buried near their home because transportation of unpreserved bodies over a long distance in the heat was impractical. John Link died in 1888 and was buried next to his daughters.
The Links practiced burial procedures commonly used in rural Texas in the 19th century. The deceased was washed and laid out on a cooling board with bags of saltpeter or silver coins placed over the eyes in an undertaking shared by friends and neighbors. Pallbearers lowered the locally manufactured casket with the use of three traditional cotton straps. After the burial, participants gathered at the home of the deceased to eat and express sympathy.
John and Mary's eldest son Andrew B. Link formally set aside the cemetery in a deed transferring family land to his youngest brother John F. Link in 1919. Of the 32 burials currently in the cemetery, 11 are of children under the age of 6. The Link Family Cemetery is maintained by an association of family members. (1993)
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| 8774 | 5001008774 | 31.77406 | -95.630862 | The Link House | Link House, The | 1003 Link St. | Palestine | Anderson | 1972 | 1003 Link St., Anderson | Medallion & Plate | Good | Built and continuously occupied by family of early Palestine physician Henry Harnsbarger Link (1820 - 90) and wife, Hypatia McGee (1829 - 88). First rooms, built 1852, now form front hall. Dr. H. R. Link, one of builders' three sons, remodeled house in 1912.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1972 |
| 8775 | 5001008775 | 0 | 0 | Lone Pine Baptist Church | Lone Pine Baptist Church | 0.5 mi. W of US 287/SH 19 intersection on US 287 | Palestine | Anderson | 1989 | .5 mi. west of US 287/SH 19 intersection, on US 287, Palestine | 27" x 42" | Good | This congregation traces its history to a small group of worshipers who gathered together in the early 1890s to hold services in a small schoolhouse near this site known as Rocky Point. A plot of land was purchased by the church in 1903, and a one-room frame structure was built for school and church purposes. The one pine tree on the property gave the church its name: Lone Pine Baptist Church.
Although the congregation met regularly before then, the church was formally organized on July 8, 1908, with 34 charter members. The Rev. A. M. Thompson was called as first pastor, a position he held until his death in 1911.
In 1916 a larger building was erected for the combination church and school. About one year later the two institutions were divided, and a church structure was built in June 1920. Called the tabernacle, it had permanent walls and a roof, but the interior floor was of dirt.
Continued growth over the years enabled the congregation to improve the tabernacle and build additional facilities. A new church auditorium was dedicated in 1957. The church continues to serve the community as it has for over eight decades. (1989) |
| 8776 | 5001008776 | 0 | 0 | John Byler Mallard, Judge | Mallard, John Byler, Judge | City Cemetery | Palestin | Anderson | 1965 | City Cemetery, Palestine | Grave Marker | not surveyed | Born 1820 in Alabama. An honor graduate, University of Tennessee Law School. Married in 1844 Miss Susan Scott, Tippah County, Mississippi. In 1845 settled in Republic of Texas. Built one of first homes in Palestine, 1848.
First lawyer in Palestine, formed partnership with Judges Wm. Alexander and John H. Reagan, later state and national leader.
Was a member of the Fifth Texas Legislature. Died in 1854.
Recorded, 1965
Incise in base: Erected by Miss Ruth R. Eppner |
| 8777 | 5001008777 | 0 | 0 | McClure-McReynolds-Fowler Home | McClure-McReynolds-Fowler Home | 921 N. Perry St. | Palestine | Anderson | 1970 | 921 N. Perry St., Palestine | 27" x 42" | Good | Built in 1849 by Judge Alexander E. McClure (1815 - 1870), who came from Tennessee to Texas in 1840 and lived for a number of years at Old Fort Houston. Judge McClure was the first district clerk in Anderson County, co-owner of the "Trinity Advocate," and one of the most prominent lawyers in East Texas.
The house was purchased from the McClures in 1884 by Zachariah Aycock McReynolds (1846 - 1928), who immigrated to Texas in 1875 from Adairsville, Georgia. He was a Confederate veteran who had fought in the sieges at Vicksburg and Atlanta in the Civil War, 1861-1865.
About 1890 the house was remodeled using the old timber, including well preserved hand-hewn sills.
From 1880 to 1908, Z. A. McReynolds held the offices of district clerk, county clerk, county judge, tax collector, and postmaster. In 1934 Colonel Godfrey Rees Fowler (1876 - 1958) and his wife Ella Sue (McReynolds) returned to Palestine to retire to her old family home. Colonel Fowler was a grandson of Judge John H. Reagan (first Texas Railroad Commission chairman). Fowler had fought in the Spanish-American War, the Philippine insurrection, the Nicaraguan uprising, and World War I. The McClures and McReynoldses have been the only property owners since 1848. (1970) |
| 8778 | 5001008778 | 31.631158 | -95.509055 | Site of the McClean Massacre | McClean Massacre, Site of the | 8 mi. S on FM 2419 to E. CR 185 | Palestine | Anderson | 1936 | about 8 mi. south of Palestine via FM 2419 to E. CR 185 | 1936 Centennial - Subject Marker (gray granite) | Good | Daniel McLean and John Sheridan, expert Indian fighters employed by the settlers as guides and protectors, were killed here in 1837. By holding the savages in check until the settlers could escape, both sacrificed their lives.
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| 8779 | 5001008779 | 0 | 0 | Old Montalba | Montalba | 3.5 mi. N on SH 19 | Montalba | Anderson | 1970 | about 3.5 mi. north of Montalba on SH 19 | 27" x 42" | Poor; No refinish; bullet holes & post? | In area known as Beaver Valley, settled about 1853 -- the year that pioneer P. G. Oldham built his home a half-mile northwest of this marker. This was on the Palestine-Athens Road, the route taken by mail hacks in early days. To the east was a campground where travelers often spent the night, and where later inhabitants of the area used to gather for seasonal religious campmeetings. Near the Oldham home was the Beaver Valley Primitive Baptist Church. Mr. Oldham donated land for a cemetery adjoining the church. Nearby stood a noted early school, Beaver Academy. The church was later known by name "Holly Springs."
The first local physician, Dr. T. J. Adams, built his homestead in the woods of Beaver Valley in 1859, and conducted a wide practice until he was past 80.
During the Civil War, while the young men of the area were away in the army, an iron foundry in this valley made arms and bullets for the Confederacy.
In 1880 a post office was granted under the name Montalba -- suggested by early settler to be Hamlett, inspired by snowclad mountain on the horizon. Mrs. Mollie Hamlett was the first postmaster. In later years Montalba settlement was moved southward, and now thrives as a market and supply point for valley. (1970) |
| 8780 | 5001008780 | 31.909138 | -95.385924 | Murdoch McDonald | McDonald, Murdoch | Corner of Front and Neches Sts. | Neches | Anderson | 1986 | corner of Front and Neches St., Neches | 27" x 42" | Good | Murdoch McDonald was born in North Carolina on February 16, 1810, the son of Scottish immigrants. About 1832 he went to Georgia, where he met Dr. George Lester. In 1839, McDonald, along with Lester and his family, came to Texas. Settling in the Mound Prairie area of Anderson county, McDonald farmed and Lester opened his medical practice. In 1843, McDonald married George Lester's daughter, Sarah. They had nine children, six of whom lived to adulthood.
In 1871, McDonald donated three hundred acres of land to the International Railroad Company, with the stipulation that a town and station be established, and that he would receive three lots in the town. By 1872 the railroad had reached the new town, and McDonald built a hotel at this site on one of his city lots. The hotel became a social center of the area.
Murdoch McDonald, considered the founder of Neches, remained a leader in the community until his death on November 1, 1889. He and his wife are both buried in the Mound Prairie Cemetery. Most of their children remained in the county. One son, John, and a grandson, Walter H. McDonald, operated retail businesses in Neches for many years.
Texas Sesquicentennial 1836 - 1986 |
| 8781 | 5001008781 | 31.873708 | -95.570625 | Mound Prairie Cemetery | Mound Prairie Cemetery | 8 mi. N on SH 155, then 0.5 mi. W on FM 321 | Palestine | Anderson | 1985 | from Palestine take SH 155 north 8 mi., then FM 321 west for .5 mi. to cemetery road | 18" x 28" | Good | The earliest marked graves in this cemetery date to the late 1850s, although settlement of the Mound Prairie community occurred much earlier. Mound Prairie, once the home of a Baptist college known as Mound Prairie Institute, declined during the latter part of the 19th century. This cemetery is one of the few physical reminders of the town. Many of the early settlers and their descendants are buried here, as are several Confederate veterans. Some of the graves are marked with rock cairns or hand-hewn stones. (1985)
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| 8782 | 5001008782 | 31.76921 | -95.622945 | Mount Vernon A.M.E. Church | Mount Vernon A.M.E. Church | 913 E. Calhoun | Palestine | Anderson | 1986 | 913 E. Calhoun, Palestine | Medallion & Plate | Good | Freedmen organized this African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1873. The first sanctuary, a frame building at Mulberry and Birch streets, was shared with a group of Missionary Baptists. In the late 1870s, the Methodists built their own chapel at this site and adopted the congregational name Mount Vernon. The present brick sanctuary, with influences of the Gothic Revival style, was completed in the 1920s.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1986 |
| 8783 | 5001008783 | 31.923201 | -95.54819 | Mount Vernon United Methodist Church | Mount Vernon United Methodist Church | 12 mi. N, off SH 155 in Pert Community, W on 2267 1 mi. to CR 463, then S to church | Palestine | Anderson | 1986 | about 12 mi. north of Palestine off SH 155 in Pert, west on 2267 1 mi. to CR 463, then south into church | 27" x 42" | Good | Early denominational records indicate that this congregation was in existence as a mission church as early as 1880. In 1896, A. L. and Susanna Herrington donated one acre to the county to be used for a free school. A one-room school building was erected on the site, on Walnut Creek twelve miles north of Palestine, and also served as a church meeting place. The community was known as Mount Vernon, and the Methodist church assumed that name, also.
The one-room building was moved in 1907 two miles north of its original location, and two rooms were added to the structure for the growing school. The congregation continued to meet in the building until 1913, when this site, across the road from the school building, was deeded to the Mount Vernon Methodist Episcopal Church, South. A sanctuary was completed the same year.
The church has maintained active programs over the years, and has served as a training ground for many young ministers and student pastors from nearby Lon Morris College. For over one hundred years, the Mount Vernon Methodist Church has served as a center for its rural community.
Texas Sesquicentennial 1836 - 1986
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| 8784 | 5001008784 | 31.627013 | -95.332925 | Muse Cemetery | Muse Cemetery | 9 mi. E on SH 294, 0.5 mi. N on CR 1229 | Slocum | Anderson | 1986 | 9 mi. east of Slocum on SH 294, then .5 mi. north on CR 1229 | 27" x 42" | Good | The oldest marked grave in this cemetery is that of Mary E. Gilmore, who died February 6, 1859, at the age of six months. The oldest section of the burial ground is covered with sand, though grass grows on newer sections. A 1969 survey located some 261 unmarked graves, which were then designated with cement markers.
The cemetery takes its name from the pioneer Thomas Fletcher Muse family, though records show it was in use prior to the family's settlement in the area following the Civil War. However, there are no indications that any of the Muse family members are buried here.
The first section was not officially deeded for use as a cemetery until 1909. Two additional sections were added in 1958 and 1981. Several generations of some area families are represented here. Most of the grave markers are of stone, though there are also some above-ground vault burials. A cemetery association was formed in 1981.
To the east of the oldest section is another small cemetery, containing the graves of black citizens of the community. The oldest marked grave in that plot is of Jackson Roach, who died September 1, 1882.
Texas Sesquicentennial 1836 - 1986
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| 8785 | 5001008785 | 31.779541 | -95.624852 | Northeast Texas Christian Theological and Industrial College | Northeast Texas Christian Theological and Industrial College | SH 155 r-o-w at its intersection with Old Kickapoo Rd. (Brushy Creek Rd) | Palestine | Anderson | 1989 | SH 155 ROW at intersection with Old Kickapoo Rd. (Brushy Creek Rd.) | 27" x 42" | Poor; Refinish (busy road) | Led by the Rev. A. J. Hurdle, the Northeast Texas Christian Missionary Convention of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) was formed in Daingerfield in 1900. Established to serve black members of the denomination, its primary purpose was the creation of a college.
The Christian College Building Association was formed by a group of women within the organization, and by 1904 enough funds had been raised to purchase 49 acres of land near Palestine, Texas. Contractor J. L. Randolph was hired in 1910, and on May 26, 1911, the cornerstone was laid for the main college structure.
Opening with seven students in January 1912, the Northeast Texas Christian Theological and Industrial College consisted of several large frame buildings and had a faculty of four. D. T. Cleaver served as the first president and was succeeded by I. Q. Hurdle. In addition to their classroom studies, the students farmed the college lands and raised livestock.
After the main college building was destroyed by fire about 1920, the school closed. The remaining buildings were later razed, leaving no visible reminders of the institution that once provided an education to students from several states. (1989)
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| 8786 | 5001008786 | 31.661976 | -95.732748 | Site of Old Magnolia | Old Magnolia, Site of | 11 mi. SW, at SW corner of SH 294 and FM 1990 intersection | Palestine | Anderson | 1967 | SW corner of SH 294 and FM 1990 intersection, 11 mi. SW of Palestine | 27" x 42" | Poor; Refinish | (one-half mi.S)
Founded in 1840s as a ferrying point on the Caddo Trace; later became a major landing for flatboats and steamers on the Trinity River, where cotton and other products were shipped by a four-day trip to Galveston to be exchanged for flour, salt, and sugar.
Magnolia -- named for a huge tree in center of town -- reached its zenith in 1863, when it had several hundred people and eight major stores. Focus of social life then was Haygood's Magnolia Tavern, where board and lodging for a man and two horses cost $2 a day.
Haygood's was the scene of many gala parties feting riverboat passengers, for when a deep-throated steamer whistle blew a few miles from port, it signaled a rush of people from miles around eager to greet arrivals and collect long-awaited parcels.
Growing river traffic spawned many towns like this, and from 1830 to 1880, Texas waterways were dotted with boats. From the first, though, the state's rivers were unsuited for extensive trade, because even the largest were shallow, winding, and often choked with debris. After 1880, trains replaced riverboats.
An irony of the transition was that one of the last steamers to pass Magnolia, in 1872, carried rails for the tracks being lad through nearby Palestine. (1967)
An irony of the transition was that one of the last steamers to pass Magnolia, in 1872, carried rails for the tracks being laid through nearby Palestine.
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| 8787 | 5001008787 | 31.969986 | -95.595426 | Olive Branch Cemetery | Olive Branch Cemetery | 14 mi. N on FM 315, 3 mi. E on FM 837, then 0.25 mi. N on cemetery road | Palestine | Anderson | 1988 | 14 mi. north of Palestine on FM 315, then 3 mi. east on FM 837, then north on cemetery road .25 mi. | 27" x 42" | Good | This part of Anderson County was settled in the 1850s. Many of the early settlers were from the vicinity of Brushy Creek, South Carolina, and it is believed that is why the streams in this area and the community were named Brushy Creek. A smaller creek near this site became known as Olive Branch.
In 1858, as the community began to grow, a small one-room building was erected to serve as a church and school. A cemetery was established on land adjacent to the building. Although the land was not officially deeded as a graveyard until 1858, there are marked burials from as early as 1856.
The oldest documented grave is that of Joseph H. Waddell, who died in 1856 at age six. Also interred here are many early pioneers and a number of veterans, including James Eastland (1827 - 1911), who served in the Mexican War and the Civil War, and later represented Anderson County in the Texas Legislature. Daniel Henderson, who deeded the land for the church, school, and cemetery, is also buried here.
This cemetery is a visible reminder of the early settlers of Brushy Creek. The Olive Branch Cemetery Association, organized in 1978, maintains the historic graveyard. (1988)
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| 8788 | 5001008788 | 31.765153 | -95.63422 | Palestine Carnegie Library | Palestine Carnegie Library | 502 N. Queen St. | Palestine | Anderson | 1970 | 502 N. Queen St., Palestine | Medallion & Plate | Fair | Outgrowth of 1853 effort by Judge John Graham Gooch to see circulating library established in Palestine, at first lending his own books.
Original city library was replaced by this structure, built 1914 with aid from the Carnegie Foundation.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1970 |
| 8789 | 5001008789 | 31.765194 | -95.627888 | Palestine Fire Department | Palestine Fire Department | 611 Avenue A | Palestine | Anderson | 1972 | 611 Avenue A, Palestine | 14" x 24" | Good | Palestine, founded 1846, acquired fire department when International & Great Northern Railroad extended line here in 1872. Early fire-wagon was horse-drawn flatbed loaded with hose. Motor truck and city water were introduced 1918. Bell from 1895 hangs in front. (1972) |
| 8790 | 5001008790 | 31.741267 | -95.629723 | Palestine High School | Palestine High School | 400 Micheaux Avenue | Palestine | Anderson | 1986 | 400 Micheaux Ave., Palestine | 27" x 42" | Good | A public school system in Palestine was established in 1881 under control of the municipal government. The first classes were held at the old Palestine Female Institute (built in 1858), then a high school was built in 1888 at the Institute site on Avenue A.
In 1915 voters passed a $100,000 bond issue for a new high school. The City Council chose this site in newly created, 22-acre Reagan Park for the campus. Fort Worth architects Sanguinet & Staats were chosen for the design, which features Tudor Gothic -- or Jacobethan -- detail in brick, limestone, and occasional tile panels.
The 2-story structure, on a raised basement, is framed with reinforced concrete, allowing ample window space for air and light. The original plan included eight lecture rooms, a library, a gymnasium, laboratories, and an auditorium. A principal and 10 teachers comprised the first faculty, and the first graduating class in 1917 contained 38 students.
This building became a junior high in 1939, and was named in 1955 for John Henninger Reagan (1818-1905), Texas statesman and Palestine resident. Elementary grades were assigned here from 1966 to 1976, when the school was closed. The building was then preserved and rehabilitated as a museum and cultural center.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1986 |
| 8791 | 5001008791 | 31.766303 | -95.634886 | Palestine Lodge No. 31, A. F. & A. M. | Palestine Lodge No. 31, A. F. & A. M. | 401 W. Debard St. | Palestine | Anderson | 1996 | NW corner of Queen and Debard, Palestine | 27" x 42" | Good | Established on November 21, 1846, the Palestine Masonic Lodge is one of the oldest organizations in Anderson County. Established by 22 charter members meeting under a dispensation from the Grand Lodge of Texas, the group was officially chartered as Lodge No. 31 in 1848.
For the first two years meetings were held in members' homes until a lodge building was erected on the west side of the courthouse square in 1848. In 1850 the Masons built a 2-story structure to provide a school for boys in the community on the first floor and a meeting hall on the second level. Their commitment to education continued when the Masons constructed a brick schoolhouse for girls in 1852.
The third Lodge building contained three floors: the first floor was split into three separate stores for rental to area merchants; the second floor was styled as the city's first opera house; and the third floor housed the Lodge meeting room. The Masons have met in many other sites over the years.
Among its many prominent members was John H. Reagan, U.S. Congressman and first Texas Railroad Commissioner. The Masonic Lodge continues to serve the community as it has for more than 150 years. (1996)
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| 8792 | 5001008792 | 31.766119 | -95.625887 | Palestine Salt Works C. S. A. | Palestine Salt Works C. S. A. | courthouse grounds, corner of E. Market and US 287 | Palestine | Anderson | 1936 | corner of E. Market and US 287, Palestine (Courthouse grounds) | 1936 Centennial - Subject Marker (gray granite) | Good | Located 6.5 miles southwest. During the Civil War this salt works was assigned to produce salt for the Confederacy at a fixed price of eight dollars for a hundred-pound sack. Private customers from East Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana often paid twenty dollars for a sack. Producing salt was slow, tedious work. Salt water was taken from wells spread over a distance of three-fourths of a mile. A pump operated by a slave was placed in each well. Gum logs, hollowed out and joined together formed a pipeline from the wells to large cast iron boiling kettles which were kept fired. Heated water was then transferred to smaller kettles for quick evaporation.
(see other side)
(Back Palestine Salt Works)
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| 8793 | 5001008793 | 32.042245 | -95.599073 | First Gravesite of Cynthia Ann Parker | Parker, Cynthia Ann, First Gravesite of | Foster Cemetery, 6 mi. N off FM 315 on Millnar Rd | Brushy Creek | Anderson | 1969 | about 6 mi. north of Brushy Creek off FM 315 on Millnar Rd. in Foster Cemetery | Medallion & Plate | Good | Captured from Ft. Parker by Indians, 1836. Recaptured by Texas Rangers in 1860. Mother of Quanah Parker, war chief of Comanches. First buried here. Reburied in Post Oak Cemetery, Okla., 1910. Reburied Ft. Sill Post Cemetery, Okla., 1957.
Recorded --1969 |
| 8794 | 5001008794 | 31.591959 | -95.58916 | Rev. Daniel Parker | Parker, Rev. Daniel | 3.8 mi. SW on FM 861, Pilgrim Cemetery | Elkhart | Anderson | 1936 | Pilgrim Cemetery, about 3.5 mi. south of Elkhart on FM 861 | Grave Marker | Good | Pioneer Baptist minister; born in Virginia April 6, 1781; died Dec. 3, 1844. His wife Patsy Dixon Parker, born Jan. 17, 1783; died Dec. 1, 1846.
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| 8795 | 5001008795 | 31.591896 | -95.589158 | Dickerson Parker | Parker, Dickerson | 3.8 mi. SW on FM 861, Pilgrim Cemetery | Elkhart | Anderson | 1936 | Pilgrim Cemetery, about 3.5 mi. south of Elkhart on FM 861 | Grave Marker | Good | A San Jacinto Veteran
Born in Tennessee, May 29, 1812; died August 1, 1844.
His wife Lucinda Eaton Parker, born Jan. 14, 1820, died Jan. 27, 1847.
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| 8796 | 5001008796 | 31.756133 | -95.6295 | Pennybacker-Campbell-Wommack House | Pennybacker-Campbell-Wommack House | 814 S. Sycamore at W. Angelina | Palestine | Anderson | 1969 | 814 S. Sycamore, Palestine | Medallion & Plate | Good | "Silk Stocking Row" Victorian residence built in 1890. Noted as family home of Mrs. Percy V. Pennybacker (1861-1938), teacher, author of widely-used school history of Texas, first Texan President General Federation Women's Clubs.
Purchased 1900 by Thomas M. Campbell (1856 - 1923), famous lawyer, banker, Governor of Texas in 1907-11. Enlarged by Gov. Campbell, house is now property of great-grandson, Drew Wommack, Jr.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1969 |
| 8797 | 5001008797 | 31.594009 | -95.588131 | Old Pilgrim Church | Pilgrim Church, Old | FM 861, 3.5 mi. SW | Elkhart | Anderson | 1965 | FM 861 about 3.5 mi. south of Elkhart | 16" x 12" | Good | Replica, oldest Protestant Church in Texas. As Pilgrim Primitive Baptist Church, constituted July 28, 1833, in Crawford County, Illinois.
Under guidance of Elder Daniel Parker, a "moving arm" of established church, 11 members entered Texas, Jan., 1834. First building, 1848.
RTHL 1965
[Note: RTHL designation removed 1989] |
| 8798 | 5001008798 | 31.594009 | -95.588142 | Pilgrim Predestinarian Regular Baptist Church | Pilgrim Predestinarian Regular Baptist Church | 3. 5m i. S on FM 861 | Elkhart | Anderson | 1936 | about 3.5 mi. south of Elkhart on FM 861 | 1936 Centennial - Monuments and Statues | Good | Organized in Crawford County, Illinois by Elder Daniel Parker in 1833 with the following charter members: Daniel Parker, Pheby Parker, Patsey Parker, Julious Christy, John Parker, Rachel Christy, Salley Brown.
The first Baptist church in Texas. First meeting held in Stephen F. Austin's Colony, January 20, 1834. First log church built in 1839. |
| 8799 | 5001008799 | 0 | 0 | Pilgrim Predestinarian Regular Baptist Church | Pilgrim Predestinarian Regular Baptist Church | 0. 5 mi. W on SH 294 | Elkhart | Anderson | 1936 | 0.5 mi. west of Elkhart on SH 294 | 1936 Centennial - Highway Marker (pink granite) | Good | Organized in Illinois in 1833 by Daniel Parker. Members moved to Texas. First meeting in Stephen F. Austin's Colony, January 20, 1834.
Log church built December, 1839. Old graveyard adjoins. Present church fourth on same site. Continuous worship since 1834. Daniel Parker, Pastor 1833 - 1844. |
| 8800 | 5001008800 | 0 | 0 | Pine Lodge Club House | Pine Lodge Club House | 1.5 mi. SE | Palestine | Anderson | 1967 | 1.5 mi. SE of Palestine | Medallion & plate | not surveyed | Built by business leaders who in 1880s patronized Mineral Wells Hotel at spa in Elkhart, a nearby resort.
After wells failed, group moved here, organized lodge, built (1907) this club house with wide fireplace, large rooms, long verandas.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1967 |
| 8801 | 5001008801 | 31.661929 | -95.409926 | Providence Church and Cemetery | Providence Church and Cemetery | 16 mi. SE off FM 323 on CR 1223 | Palestine | Anderson | 1973 | about 16 mi. SE of Palestine off FM 323 on CR 1223 | 27" x 42" | Good | On March 20, 1858, W. T. Miller deeded eight acres of land here "to trustees Lemuel Mullins, Chairman, D. Capp and Wm. Webb, for school purposes and burial ground." W. M. Hardy added a half-acre to even north line. These gifts met a pressing need for a central place to educate the children in this farmland area. Local residents (including Freemasons) donated work and materials, fenced the churchyard cemetery, and built a two-story structure to house the Providence School and Providence Missionary Baptist Church downstairs, and Providence Lodge No. 400, A.F. & A.M. (later to be Elkhart Lodge), upstairs. Providence was second missionary Baptist church in Anderson County.
After tornado damage to building in 1900, school was discontinued. The present one-story building was salvaged and repaired with original materials, and regular church services continued through 1935. The cemetery, still used for burials, has some graves of settlers who arrived in the Republic of Texas days, and for years held school and worship in their own homes. Providence celebrated its centennial July 4-18, 1958, with nightly church services. The annual homecoming is held the first Sunday in June, with morning service followed by dinner on the ground. (1973)
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| 8802 | 5001008802 | 31.760185 | -95.625023 | John H. Reagan Monument | Reagan, John H., Monument | corner of E. Park and Crockett (US 287) | Palestine | Anderson | 1911 | corner of E. Park and Crockett (US 287), Palestine | Monument | Good | [plaque at base of monument reads:]
Reagan Monument. Unveiled July 6, 1911. Sponsored by John H. Reagan Chapter, UDC. Pompeo Coppini, Sculptor |
| 8803 | 5001008803 | 31.760185 | -95.625023 | John H. Reagan | Reagan, John H. | corner of Crockett Rd. & Park Ave. | Palestine | Anderson | 1994 | corner of Crockett Rd. and Park Avenue | 27" x 42" | Good | John Henninger Reagan, son of Timothy and Elizabeth Lusk Reagan, was born on October 18, 1818, in Sevierville, Tennessee. He joined the Republic of Texas Army in 1839 and served in the Cherokee War. In the early 1840s he held several public offices in Nacogdoches County, and in 1847 obtained a law license and was elected to the Texas House of Representatives. He moved to Palestine in 1851 and opened a law office in his home. He was elected Texas 9th Judicial District Judge in 1852.
Reagan, elected U.S. Congressman in 1857, resigned in 1861 over what he believed was a Federal takeover of states' rights. He served as postmaster general of the Confederacy during the Civil War. He was captured by Federal troops in 1865 and imprisoned for 18 months. He returned to Texas in 1866 and established a family farm near Palestine at the former site of Ft. Houston.
During his tenure as a U.S. Congressman (1876-87) and U.S. Senator (1887-1891) Reagan led the fight that brought railroad monopolies under Federal control with the passage of the Interstate Commerce Act in 1887. In 1891 he became the first chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission, a position he held until 1901.
Reagan died of pneumonia on March 6, 1906. The entire Texas legislative assembly attended his funeral. (1994)
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| 8804 | 5001008804 | 31.76608 | -95.617273 | Christopher Columbus Rogers | Rogers, Christopher Columbus | East Hill Cemetery off E. Lacy St. | Palestine | Anderson | 1967 | East Hill Cemetery off E. Lacy St., Palestine | Grave Marker | Poor; local | (1846 - 1887)
Elected marshal, 1874; served when Palestine was one of tough railroad towns in southwest. Won fame solving 1878 Grayson murders. Slain in argument over testimony in his trial for killing friend resisting arrest.
Recorded, 1967
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| 8805 | 5001008805 | 31.65329 | -95.738312 | Paul L. Rutledge, Sr. | Rutledge, Paul L., Sr. | 2.4 mi. E of US 79/84 and SH 294 intersection, in Magnolia Cemetery, 5 mi. from Tucket | Tucker | Anderson | 1991 | about 2.4 mi. east of US 79/84 and SH 294 intersection in Magnolia Cemetery, 5 mi. from Tucker | Grave Marker | Good | (1904 - 1961)
A graduate of Prairie View A&M College, prominent educator Paul Rutledge, Sr., also attended Tuskegee Institute and Atlanta University. He served as principal of Flint Hill High school near Neches from 1933 to 1937, and Green Bay High School at Tucker from 1937 to 1942. In 1942 he became a Texas Education Agency area supervisor for vocational agriculture. Rutledge was a positive influence for generations of African American school children in Texas. (1991)
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| 8806 | 5001008806 | 31.76432 | -95.634798 | Sacred Heart Church | Sacred Heart Church | 401 W. Oak St. | Palestine | Anderson | 1964 | 401 W. Oak St. at Queen, Palestine | Medallion & Plate | Fair | Successor to 1874 Church of St. Joseph, built on site given by International & Great Northern Railway, and destroyed by fire in 1890. This building of handmade brick was begun later that year; Nicholas J. Clayton of Galveston was the architect.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1964 |
| 8808 | 5001008808 | 31.765333 | -95.635987 | Site of St. Mary's Academy | St. Mary's Academy, Site of | 418 Tennessee Ave. | Palestine | Anderson | 1997 | 418 Tennessee Ave., Palestine | 27" x 42" | Good | The arrival of the railroad in Palestine brought many workers, several of whom were Catholic who wanted religious instruction for their children. St. Mary's Academy began in 1882 when Mother St. Andrew Felton, Superior General of the Sisters of Divine Providence located at Castroville, Texas, sent three sisters to establish religious education here.
Sister Mary Flavienne Braun was appointed Superior and principal of the school. Classes were held in a three-room frame schoolhouse on Lacy Street. Basic education and classes in religion were supplemented with instruction in French and elocution.
The citizens of Palestine contributed generously to a fund to relocate the school, which was moved to this site in the 1880s to occupy two houses. North wing was added that included a chapel, classrooms, and dormitories. By 1900 a south wing was added to accommodate the increase in both day students and boarding pupils. The addition contained an auditorium on the first floor and dormitories on the top floor. St. Mary's High School was closed in 1949 due to a decrease in enrollment. A reduced teaching staff continued to operate the facility for grades 1-8, but the school was closed permanently in 1966. (1997)
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| 8813 | 5001008813 | 31.989287 | -95.824843 | Stafford - Tucker Cemetery | Stafford - Tucker Cemetery | 4 mi. W on Fm 847, then W on FM 2961 | Bradford | Anderson | 1988 | just west of junction FM 837 and FM 2961 on FM 2961, 4 mi. west of Bradford | 27" x 42" | Fair | The family of Uriah Monroe and Elizabeth Hanks Stafford came to Texas in the 1840s. In 1851 their son, George Washington, married Susan Woolverton and raised his family in Anderson County. After George W. Stafford's death in 1876 his land passed to his three children, William Uriah, Mary Louisa, and James Monroe Stafford. William later sold his interest to his brother and sister and left the area.
The Stafford family became important in the life of the community of Price's Chapel, which was later renamed Springfield. Mary Louisa married John Lewis Tucker in 1871, and in 1897 this cemetery was begun on the family farm with the burial of their infant son, James D. Tucker. James Monroe Stafford was the next person buried here, after he was killed in the line of duty as Anderson County deputy sheriff in 1899. Mary Louisa Stafford Tucker died of pneumonia in 1900 and was buried in the family plot.
Those interred in this cemetery include members of the Stafford and Tucker families, as well as a few neighbors. The graveyard has been cared for by members of the family since its beginning. It serves as a physical reminder of the area's early history. (1988)
Incise on base: Sponsored by James H. and Mamie R. Stafford |
| 8814 | 5001008814 | 31.668747 | -95.584477 | Starr Cemetery | Starr Cemetery | US 287 and SH 19, 3 mi. N | Elkhart | Anderson | 1969 | off US 287/SH 19 about 3 mi. north of Elkhart on cemetery road | 14" x 24" | Good | Family graveyard of the descendants of John Starr (1797 - 1872), Texas pioneer. First person buried here, Starr lies beside wife Susannah. Interred nearby are 6 of their 8 children; 2 of the sons here served in the Confederate Army, Civil War. Ancestral home is on nearby Starr Hill. (1969)
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| 8815 | 5001008815 | 0 | 0 | John Starr House | Starr, John | Off US 287, 6.5 mi. S | Palestine | Anderson | 1968 | not surveyed
Hwy. US 287, 6.5 mi. south of Palestine | Medallion | not surveyed | Home of 1848 settler Starr and wife Susannah (sister of religious leader Daniel Parker, aunt of famed Indian captive Cynthia Ann Parker).
Late Greek Revival style. Built 1856, fireplaces are of handcut native sandstone.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1968 |
| 8816 | 5001008816 | 0 | 0 | St. Philips Episcopal Church of Palestine | St. Philips Episcopal Church of Palestine | Sycamore and Crawford Sts. | Palestine | Anderson | 1979 | corner of Sycamore and Crawford St.
(not visible to public) | 18" x 28" | marker closed in vestry | During the 1850s Mrs. Frances Henderson, wife of Governor J. Pinckney Henderson, helped found St. Philips as a mission. Upon the petition of the Rev. John Owens, who served part-time as the priest here, the Diocese of Texas in 1860 raised the mission to full parish status. During the Civil War, members met in homes, the Masonic Lodge, or the Methodist sanctuary. In 1863 the Rev. Caleb Dow became the first full-time rector. James Firth Brook designed this building, erected in 1875-76 on Oak Street. The congregation grew with the town and in 1903 the structure was moved here. (1979) |
| 8817 | 5001008817 | 31.836722 | -95.839806 | Tennessee Colony | Tennessee Colony | Junction of FM 321, spur 324 and SH 287 | Tennessee Colony | Anderson | 1971 | junction of FM 321, Spur 324 and SH 287, Tennessee Colony | 27" x 42" | Good | Founded in 1838 by settlers who came from the Old South by wagons, seeking fertile, watered farm lands. Later their cotton shipped from Magnolia Ferry on the Trinity created great wealth. Early businesses were a general store, blacksmith shop, cabinet shop (which made furniture still found in area). Town was trade center for places as far away as Dallas. The plantation era reached a climax in grandeur on the properties of F. S. Jackson, a settler from Virginia.
Circuit riders held religious services in homes until a log cabin church could be built, probably in late 1838; a second log church succeeded this one.
Masons attended the lodge in Magnolia for years, but in 1857 obtained charter for Tyre Lodge No. 198, A.F. & A.M., in Tennessee Colony. They then worked to build a 2-story church-school-lodge hall, which was finished in 1860 (and was to be used until 1948). The schools were outstanding, especially those taught by a Mr. Hooker and by Professor Sidney Newsome. They drew patronage from Palestine and other area towns. Remembered students included Addison and Randolph Clark, later to become founders of a college that would be forerunner of Texas Christian University.
Descendants of original colonists still live here. (1971) |
| 8818 | 5001008818 | 31.837523 | -95.832226 | Tennessee Colony Cemetery | Tennessee Colony Cemetery | 0.5 mi. E off Spur 324, | Tennessee Colony | Anderson | 1986 | off Spur 324 about .5 mi. east of Tennessee Colony, marker just inside gate | 27" x 42" | Poor; Refinish | Settlers from the southern United States founded Tennessee Colony in 1838, years before the formation of Anderson County. One of their first community efforts was construction of a log church building on a hill near this site.
Located on the Manuel Riondo Land Grant of 1833, the Tennessee Colony Cemetery may include graves dating from the 1840s and 1850s, although no marked stones remain as evidence. A large vacant area in the center of the burial ground once included numerous fieldstones indicating the presence of individual gravesites. Over the years, however, the stones have been moved or misplaced.
The earliest marked grave is that of Mrs. Manurva E. Shelton (b. 1831), who died on September 13, 1862. Other interments here include those of pioneer area settlers and their descendants, military veterans, members of local fraternal orders, and community leaders.
In 1974, the heirs of M. S. Avant (1834 - 1906) formally deeded this land to the Tennessee Colony Cemetery Association. Still used, the Tennessee Colony Cemetery reflects over a century of the area's history dating from the days of the Republic of Texas.
Texas Sesquicentennial 1836 - 1986 |
| 8819 | 5001008819 | 31.739601 | -95.569529 | Texas State Railroad | Texas State Railroad | | Palestine | Anderson | 1997 | off US 84 on Park Road 70 about 3 mi. east of Palestine in state historical park. | 27" x 42" | Good | The Texas Prison System built a short rail line from the Rusk State Penitentiary to hardwood timber stands where charcoal was made for firing the prison's iron ore furnaces. The rail line became the foundation of the Texas State Railway, organized in 1896 to make the prison self-supporting and to develop the region's economy.
Built by prisoners and supervised by the State Penitentiary System, the line was completed in 1909 to Palestine (30 mi.W) where it connected with existing routes. Financial woes and the closing of the furnaces led to the line being leased to the Texas & New Orleans Railroad, and later the Texas & Southeastern Railroad, which operated the line until 1969.
Control of the line was transferred to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department in 1972 for development as a state park. Restoration of the tracks between Rusk and Palestine was accomplished by Texas Department of Corrections inmates. New depots and parks were built at each terminus. Vintage steam locomotives and rail cars were purchased to provide tourist passenger service from Palestine to rusk. The park has become one of the most popular tourist attractions in the state. (1997)
Incise on back: Marker donated by Correctional Employees Council, AFSCME/AFL-CIO, Local 3806
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| 8820 | 5001008820 | 0 | 0 | William and Caroline Broyles House | Broyles, William and Caroline | 1305 S. Sycamore St. | Palestine | Anderson | 1989 | | 27" x 42" | Good | A native of Huntsville, Alabama, William Broyles came to Texas following the Civil War. Traveling by boat to Shreveport, Louisiana, he continued his journey to Texas on foot, finally settling in Palestine.
Broyles worked as a carpenter and later opened a mercantile store near the Anderson County Courthouse. Following the arrival of the railroad and the subsequent relocation of the town, he opened the first store in the new townsite. In 1878 he established a lumber business which eventually included a lumberyard, saw mill, and cabinet shop.
A real estate investor as well as merchant, Broyles played an important role in the economic development of Palestine. He had this home built for his wife, Caroline, in 1895. Designed by local architect Luther McKlemurry, the home is a fine example of 19th-century eclecticism, exhibiting influences of Italinate, Queen Anne, and Second Empire styles. Outstanding features include its tower, roof cresting, and fine milled woodwork crafted by workers at Broyles' Lumber Company. Landscaping originally surrounding the home included elaborate flower gardens and an adjacent pecan orchard.
RTHL 1989 |
| 11659 | 5001011659 | 0 | 0 | Magnolia Cemetery | Magnolia Cemetery | SH 294, 10.3 mi. NW | Elkhart | Anderson | 1999 | 10.3 miles northwest of Elkhart on SH 294 | 18" x 28" | | As is often the case with early African American cemeteries because of the status of Africans and African Americans in pioneer and plantation society, documentation of the Magnolia Cemetery's origin is scarce. A strong tradition of oral history provides what information is available. It is believed that the land for the Magnolia Cemetery was given by farmer E. P. Murray and that the oldest marked grave is that of former slave Isham Murray, who was born in 1805 and died in 1880. His wife Laura reportedly was buried with their white slaveowners. At least sixteen other African Americans born between 1813 and 1856, probably all former slaves, are interred here. Others buried here include nine veterans of World War I, as well as veterans of World War II, Korea and Vietnam. (2000) |
| 11660 | 5001011660 | 0 | 0 | Swanson Cemetery | Swanson Cemetery | Park Road 70, off SH 84 about 3 mi. E | Palestine | Anderson | 1999 | Off SH 84 about 3 mi. E of Palestine, on Park Road 70 | 27" x 42" | | Micam Main of Illinois was granted a league of land by the Mexican government in 1835. One of the area's first brickmakers, Samuel M. Warden, died while working on Main's estate on Christmas Eve in 1847. He was interred on this site. According to oral history, Warden's grave was marked only with bricks of his own manufacture. His is believed to have been the first burial in this cemetery.
Virginia native Henry Clay Swanson (1822-1906), a former member of the Alabama state legislature, moved to Texas with his brother, James Madison Swanson, their families and slaves in 1851. "Colonel" Henry C. Swanson owned a farm east of Palestine and later operated a mercantile store in town. He purchased the land around the cemetery from Elisha Main, Micam Main's son and heir, in 1854.
The slaves and former slaves of Henry Clay Swanson and James M. Swanson, as well as African Americans from Anderson County and neighboring areas, were interrred on this site. Descendants of slaves attended funerals here from 1872 to the late 1940s and early 1950s. A young girl was among the last interred in the well-populated burial site in the late 1940s. Others buried here include Tom Swanson, a former slave from Virginia to whom Henry Swanson willed $100, and two of his brothers, as well as their descendants.
Thirty-six marked and approximately 23 unmarked graves are believed to grace the cemetery. This is the final resting place of many of those whose labor built Anderson County, Houston County, and the state of Texas. (2000) |
| 12552 | 5001012552 | 31.766028 | -95.632028 | First Baptist Church of Palestine | First Baptist Church of Palestine | 801 N. Sycamore St. | Palestine | Anderson | 2001 | | 27" x 42" | | First Baptist Church can trace its history to 1851, five years after Palestine was founded as the Anderson County seat. Elders McKane and Zachariah Worley (an ordained minister), John and Sarah Smith, J. E. and Rachel Teague, Thomas V. Smith, Theresa Stevens, and Annie Harris organized the congregation. They met for worship in Bascom Chapel, which they shared with members of other early Palestine churches.
The Baptists built their first sanctuary at the corner of Perry and Murchison streets in 1853. There they became known as Old Town Baptist Church and hosted the Baptist state convention in 1854. In 1879, the church hosted Palestine's first revival meeting led by Major William Penn. Under Penn's leadership, the congregation raised money through nickel contributions to build a new church on Avenue A. The new building, completed in 1887, became known as Avenue "Nickel" Baptist Church. After a fire destroyed the Avenue Church, a new sanctuary was completed on Sycamore Street under the leadership of the Rev. R. L. Gillon in 1912.
Now known as First Baptist Church of Palestine, the congregation continues its commitment to Christian mission and ministry in Palestine, Anderson County and around the world. (2001)
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| 12564 | 5001012564 | 31.762707 | -95.630847 | Palestine Post Office and Federal Building | Palestine Post Office and Federal Building | 101 E. Oak St. | Palestine | Anderson | 2001 | | 27" x 42" | | Land at this site was purchased in 1907 from St. Philip's Episcopal Church for a new post office for Palestine. Architects Deacon Armiger and Dunplap, under the supervision of U. S. Treasury architect James Knox Taylor, drew the plans, and construction took place between 1911 and 1913. Located in Palestine's commercial district, the new post office building was an imposing addition to the downtown and prominently affirmed the presence of the federal government in Palestine. Other federal offices also were located in the building, including the Selective Service office and the National Weather Bureau's reading station. The Palestine post office vacated the building in 1962; thereafter, until 1987, it was used solely for the offices of various federal agencies. After the General Services Administration declared the building surplus to its needs, the county of Anderson, in search of additional space for county workers, stepped in to preserve the historic building. The property transfer to Anderson County took place in 1990. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1998, the Palestine Post Office and Federal Building remains a significant part of Palestine's architectural heritage. (2001) |
| 12630 | 5001012630 | 0 | 0 | Micham Main | Main, Micham | 500 N. Church St. | Palestine | Anderson | 2002 | Anderson County Courthouse square | 27" x 42" | | Little is known about this Anderson County pioneer until he married Elizabeth Van Winkle in Crawford County, Illinois, in 1820. The Mains lived in the Illinois township of Palestine until 1833, when, drawn by a favorable change in the Mexican colonization laws, they moved their family to the Nacogdoches District of what is now Texas.
Micham Main applied for a land grant in David G. Burnet's colony and received property in what is now Anderson County in 1835. He farmed the land, as was required under the terms of his grant, and joined the Republic of Texas army for a brief tenure in 1836. Ten years later, the first Texas legislature created Anderson County, and Micham Main was appointed as one of three men to establish a site for a county seat and to give it a name. Along with James Box and John Parker, also from Illinois' Palestine township, a 100-acre tract of land was selected and accepted by the Anderson County commissioners court.
Early histories of Anderson County credit Micham Main with naming the new Anderson County seat Palestine for his former residence in Illinois. Later accounts, however, recognize John Parker for this action. Primary source materials that could verify either claim have not surfaced. Nevertheless, Micham Main remains an important part of Anderson County's early history. He died at his home in 1847 and is buried in the Swanson Cemetery. (2002)
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| 12643 | 5001012643 | 0 | 0 | Site of Woodhouse School | Woodhouse School, site of | 2 miles southwest of Tucker on SH 294 | Tucker | Anderson | 2001 | 2 miles southwest of Tucker on SH 294 | 27" x 42" | | Woodhouse School began with the consolidation of the Long Lake, Tucker and Magnolia schools into Consolidated Common School District No. 7. These were all small schools, each with two teachers: one for grades one through four and another for grades five through eight. In December 1937, William Phillip Bishop Woodhouse (1864-1951) deeded a portion of his landholdings to the school district for the construction of Woodhouse School.
Most of the teachers from Long Lake, Tucker and Magnolia returned to teach at Woodhouse for its opening session in the fall of 1938. Originally serving grades one through eight, the school added a grade each year until 1942, when the first senior class graduated and the first yearbook was published. First superintendent of the school district was J.P. Brookshire, who remained in that position until 1939.
The Work Projects Administration (WPA) built additional facilities for Woodhouse School in 1941, including an agriculture building, a cafeteria and a home economics cottage. Athletic programs centered around basketball, and Woodhouse fielded competitive boys' and girls' basketball teams throughout much of its history.
Consolidation with the Four Pines School to create Westwood School signaled the closing of Woodhouse. The class of 1960 was the last to graduate from Woodhouse, although its facilities continued in use until 1979. Woodhouse remains an important part of the history of rural education in Anderson County. |
| 12774 | 5001012774 | 0 | 0 | Mary Kate Hunter (November 8, 1866 - April 15, 1945) | Hunter, Mary Kate, (November 8, 1866 - April 15, 1945) | Palestine Public Library, 1101 N. Cedar | Palestine | Anderson | 2001 | Palestine Public Library, 1101 N. Cedar | 27" x 42" | | Mary Kate Hunter
(November 8, 1866 - April 15, 1945)
Born just outside Palestine in 1866 to Nathaniel and Jennie (Beeson) Hunter, Mary Kate Hunter played a significant role in recording, promoting and preserving the history of Palestine and Anderson county. Educated at Palestine Female Academy and Sam Houston Normal Institute, she studied piano with classical musicians across the United States and in Germany, and taught piano to countless Palestine children.
As a clubwoman, she was a charter member of the Self-Culture Club in Palestine, organized in 1894; served as a delegate to the first annual meeting of the Texas Federation of Women's Clubs in 1898;organized a local chapter of the Women's National Foundation in 1921 for the preservation and study of local history; and founded and led the Fort Houston chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. A supporter of voting rights for women, Mary Kate Hunter organized and was first president of the Palestine Equal Suffrage Association, and held statewide office in the Texas Equal Suffrage Association in 1915-16.
In addition to her civic duties, Hunter also was a published poet, editor of a local society journal and board member of the Texas State Library. She extensively researched the history of Palestine and Anderson County and conducted dozens of oral history interviews with early area residents. At her death in 1945, she bequeathed her voluminous collection of material to the Palestine Public Library, where it remains in use as an important record of Anderson County history.
(2001)
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| 12786 | 5001012786 | 0 | 0 | Early Settlement of Northwestern Anderson County | Early Settlement of Northwestern Anderson County | US 287 at CR 499, 20 mi. NW | | Anderson | 2002 | US 287 at CR 499, 20 mi. NW | 27" x 42" | | Early Settlement of Northwestern Anderson County
Early Texas settlements were often centered around institutions such as churches and schools. Even those that were short-lived played significant roles in the historical development of the state.
When Anderson County organized in 1846, the area west of Catfish Creek was only sparsely populated. Community development began in the 1840s on land owned by Georgia-native Charles Gilmore (1796-1880). His house served as first polling place, first school and location for early meetings of the Gilmore's Chapel Methodist Church, the first area church. He then donated land for its cemetery and sanctuary. In 1854, local Baptists met there and organized Judson Baptist Church, moving later to a nearby site (1 mi. N) and then to Cayuga (3 mi. NW).
Wild Cat Bluff (7.5 mi. NW), near the confluence of Wildcat Creek and the Trinity River, was also settled in the 1840s. It was an important ferry crossing and flourished until after the Civil War, when the river became unnavigable. Just over in Henderson County, settlers came as early as 1846 and founded a masonic lodge. In 1852, Bethel Post Office, the first in the area, opened with Gilmore as postmaster. Soon the center of activity moved near the present-day community of Bethel (2.5 Mi. SE), and Gilmore's Chapel Community disappeared.
Although some of these communities and institutions did not survive, their stories demonstrate early settlement patterns and reflect the goals and needs of area pioneers, who established schools, churches and businesses, relying on mutual support and effort to develop Anderson County.
(2002)
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| 12803 | 5001012803 | 0 | 0 | Site of Lincoln High School | Lincoln High School, Site of | 902 Swantz | Palestine | Anderson | 2002 | 902 Swantz | 27" x 42" | | Site of Lincoln High School
In 1891, the first high school for African-American students in Palestine opened in the mission church on San Jacinto Street. Four years later, the school moved to this site and became known as Lincoln High School. The first class graduated from Lincoln in 1896. Originally a four-room building, the schoolhouse was expanded over time to accommodate increasing enrollment.
In 1922, the Lincoln school building burned, and classes were held in several churches until the new, six-room brick structure was completed in 1923. As rural districts consolidated with Palestine, enrollment at Lincoln continued to increase, and the school became an important cultural center for the African-American community.
In 1952, the school board approved construction of a new high school to be named in honor of Alonzo Marion Story, Lincoln's principal from 1925 to 1949. The building that had formerly housed the high school reopened as Lincoln Junior High in the fall of 1953. Serving grades five through eight, it later housed grades two through eight before closing in 1965 when the Palestine schools integrated.
After 1965, the Lincoln school building remained in use as an important social center and as headquarters for the Anderson County community council. A 1996 fire resulted in its demolition, but this site remains a significant part of the educational and community heritage of Palestine and Anderson County.
(2002)
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| 12815 | 5001012815 | 0 | 0 | Tyre Masonic Lodge No. 198 | Tyre Masonic Lodge No. 198 | Intersection of Spur 324, FM 321 and FM 645 | Tennessee Colony | Anderson | 2002 | Intersection of Spur 324, FM 321 and FM 645 | 27" x 42" | | Tyre Masonic Lodge No. 198
Until this Masonic Lodge was chartered in 1857, local Masons traveled to Magnolia Lodge No. 113 near the Trinity River. On March 3, 1856, seven Tennessee Colony Masons met at the store of James S. Hanks and adopted a resolution to petition the Grand Lodge of Texas for a new lodge. The Grand Lodge approved the request on January 19, 1857, and Tyre Lodge no. 198, Ancient Free & Accepted Masons, was officially chartered four days later.
A.L. Porter served as the first worshipful master. Other officers the first year were John Nelson Woolverton, Dr. W. C. Kenney, John Vannoy, John M. Burns, Thomas Hudson, Joshua Brown Hanks, J. R. Fulton, C. D. Holliman and M. A. Anderson. Members met in a log building, but soon bought a house for lodge purposes. In 1861, a two-story building was constructed and put into use as a community school, a place for Sunday worship and a meeting place for the Masons. A 1949 building replaced the 19th-century structure as the hall.
Throughout its history, the members of Tyre Masonic Lodge have sponsored a number of programs and outreach projects for the community, including the Tennessee Colony Masonic
Institute, which provided school classes for local children in the late 1850s. Lodge members have served in various armed conflicts, including the Civil War, World War I and World War II. The organization draws members from surrounding communities as it continues to uphold the ideals and traditions of its founders.
(2002)
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| 12817 | 5001012817 | 0 | 0 | Tennessee Colony Order of the Eastern Star No. 102 | Tennessee Colony Order of the Eastern Star No. 102 | Intersection of Spur 324, FM 321 and FM 645 | Tennessee Colony | Anderson | 2002 | Intersection of Spur 324, FM 321 and FM 645 | 27" x 42" | | Tennessee Colony Order of the Eastern Star No. 102
The first Order of the Eastern Star (OES) Chapter chartered in Anderson County, this organization was founded in 1902 for the wives and female relatives of the members of Tyre Masonic Lodge no. 198. Originally known as the Redbud Chapter, it took the name of the Tennessee Colony Community in 1936.
Charter members of this chapter, which included members of the Tyre Masonic Lodge, were: Will H. and Annie Calcote, Pete Oldham, Tom Wyley, H.H. Auld, Marcus E. and Tennie Avant, Albert Dupuy, T.F. Wylie and John l. Carroll. Officers elected for the first year were: Bula Graham, W.N. Montgomery, Mamie Dupuy, Fannie Holt, Jesse Graham, Missie Swayze, Maud Montgomery, Emma Swayze, Eva Woolverton, Addie Carroll, D. Welborn Gore, Carrie Carroll, Annie Calcote, Alice Swayze, Vera Vannoy, Mattie Woolverton, E.A. Swayze and Will H. Calcote.
The Order of the Eastern Star is always associated with a Masonic Lodge, and its purposes are fellowship and charitable works. Meetings of the Tennessee Colony Chapter were held once a month until 1940-41, when a change was made to hold meetings twice monthly. The chapter met in the Masonic Lodge hall.
Membership in the Tennessee Colony OES increased substantially after World War II, with many local and area residents accepted into membership. Members have been active at the district and state level, and their charitable works have played an important part in the cultural heritage of Tennessee Colony.
(2002)
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| 12859 | 5001012859 | 0 | 0 | Alonzo Marion Story | Story, Alonzo Marion | 5300 N. Loop 256 | Palestine | Anderson | 2002 | 5300 N. Loop 256 | 27" x 42" | | Alonzo Marion Story
Alonzo Marion Story (1882-1966) was born in New Orleans to parents John and Mary Story. He attended public schools and graduated from Louisiana's Leland College before doing post-graduate work in Texas and Colorado.
Story came to Texas at the age of 21 and taught mathematics in Midway. He also served as a mail clerk before moving in 1912 to Palestine, where he taught math at Lincoln High School, the school for African American students. He taught there until 1917, when he moved to Austin to be principal of the state's Deaf, Dumb and Blind Institute for African Americans.
In 1924, Story was offered a job as principal in Dallas. Instead, he returned to Palestine's Lincoln High School, where he taught math and served as principal. Beloved and respected, Story stayed until retiring in 1949, teaching his last years with no eyesight. After retirement, he tutored from his home.
In 1953, the school district opened a new facility and named it Alonzo Marion Story High School in honor of the revered educator. After desegregation, the school became a junior high and then an elementary school before being destroyed by a tornado in 1987. In 1990, the district built a new school named for him.
Story dedicated his life to education. In addition to his roles as teacher and principal, he was director of religious education at West Union Baptist Church and served on the executive committee of the Texas State Teachers Association and as vice president of the East Texas Teachers Association. His immeasurable contributions to Palestine are reflected in the community's commemoration of his life.
(2002)
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| 12953 | 5001012953 | 0 | 0 | Jemison Quarters Cemetery | Jemison Quarters Cemetery | CR 2054 at CR 321 | Tennessee Colony | Anderson | 2003 | CR 321 W of Tennessee Colony, approx 1 mi; S on CR 2054 approx 1 mi.; cemetery on left through open pasture | Historic Texas Cemetery | | Jemison Quarters Cemetery
In 1847, settlers from Tennessee and Alabama moved to this area, naming the community Tennessee Colony. Elbert S. Jemison, believed to have come from Alabama Circa 1850, established a plantation in this vicinity. He served as a soldier during the Civil War and profited from cotton production on his plantation. There, he housed his slaves, as well as many from other states, renting their labor to area farms and operations like the nearby Confederate salt works.
Following Emancipation in 1865, many freed slaves remained in Tennessee Colony, establishing a cemetery here. Tradition holds that the earliest burials are of slave owners and their slaves; the first marked grave dates to 1880. Several of the men and women buried in the cemetery had been born into slavery.
Today, the burial ground, known as Jemison, Jimmison or Jimerson Quarters cemetery, is maintained by a cemetery association. It is the final resting place of generations of area African American residents, including veterans of major 20th century conflicts, and it remains a link to the history of more than a century's work toward freedom, equal rights, community and home.
Historic Texas cemetery - 2003
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| 12954 | 5001012954 | 0 | 0 | Site of McKnight Plaza | McKnight Plaza, Site of | 100 Avenue A | Palestine | Anderson | 2004 | 100 Avenue A | 27" x 42" | | James B. McKnight moved to Anderson County in 1848. In 1876 and 1879, he bought land at this site from J.H. Mead. Here, he operated a saddlery and farrier business. McKnight died in 1907, and in 1910, the property was sold to the Farmers and Citizens Bank, which had been established by African American businessmen in 1906. The block here became known as McKnight Plaza.
Between 1910 and 1945, McKnight Plaza housed numerous businesses and offices owned by African American merchants, doctors and dentists. The Farmers and Citizens Bank, which would close in the late 1920s, was on a prominent corner of the ground floor. George Macon Shuffer owned a dry good store. Dr. H.V. Hurd, a dentist, and Dr. J.H. Dodd owned a drugstore and soda fountain; Dodd's wife operated a millinery shop. Other businesses included J.B. Blake's cab company, John Tatum's café, H.G. Neely's accounting and insurance office, the funeral home of Al Davis and I.V. Bland, John Hunter's barbershop, and Noah Williams' cleaning and pressing shop. Doctors W.R. Roberts, R.E. Holland and H.D. Patton, as well as dentists Williamson McLellan and H.D. Mitchell, had offices and tended patients at this site. The Missouri Pacific Colored Booster Club, a private social organization located here, sponsored local events and dances.
For 35 years, McKnight Plaza served as a commercial center for Palestine's African American community, representing local entrepreneurship and enterprise. Commonly referred to as "on the square," the plaza was once a bustling shopping and office center. Following the building's demolition in 1945, the plaza's former site became a grocery store and later a bank. Today, it remains a significant part of Palestine's social and economic history. (2004) |
| 13031 | 5001013031 | #N/A | #N/A | South Union Missionary Baptist Church | South Union Missionary Baptist Church | 807 S. Dorrance St | Palestine | Anderson | 2004 | 807 S. Dorrance St | 27" x 42" | | In 1893, the Rev. Richard Henry Boyd (1843-1927), a native of Mississippi, organized the South Union Baptist Church of Palestine with 31 charter members. Boyd, known as the "Cowboy Preacher," had established churches around Texas, including Palestine's West Union congregation. The South Union Church, named for its geographic location within the city, met in a two-room building on Royall Street until moving to Dorrance Street in 1911.
In addition to uniting communities through the formation of congregations, Boyd aspired to create Christian literature for the nation's African American churches. After working with the Southern Baptist Convention Sunday School board in Nashville, Boyd held a conference at South Union Church to discuss religious education with other Black leaders. He later moved to Nashville to publish religious materials.
The South Union congregation, which built a larger sanctuary in 1948, has continued to offer its facilities to community groups for meeting and educational purposes. Its pastors have led parishioners in a variety of outreach and educational missions, including radio and television ministries, as well as a library. The congregation has reflected the trends in the community, with the membership roll including a large number of railroad employees in the early 20th century and numerous local and statewide leaders throughout the church's history.
The church became South Union Missionary Baptist Church in 1986. Today, it is a long-standing Palestine institution, recognized for its service to the community and for its important history. (2004) |
| 13082 | 5001013082 | #N/A | #N/A | Site of Henry High School | Henry High School, Site of | SH 94 at CR 130 | Elkhart | Anderson | 2004 | SH 94 at CR 130 | 27" x 42" | | Despite adverse conditions, African Americans in Texas in the late 19th century worked hard to provide their children with an education. Students in this area attended Mt. Moriah, Boxes Creek, Beulah, Washington Chapel, Union Hope and New Mt. Zion schools. The abbreviated school year allowed the children to help their parents during planting and harvest seasons, and most students focused only on the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic. In the 1930s, Hattie Jamerson, of the Mt. Moriah community, urged local residents to build a high school to serve the rural area's African American students. John Henry Sims, born and educated in Mt. Moriah, returned here in 1932 after earning a teaching certificate in Kansas. Inspired by Jamerson's efforts, he met with Julian P. Greer of the Elkhart Independent School District, and the school board selected a six-acre site here for a school building. Community residents razed the old school buildings and brought the lumber to use in the new construction, which began in 1937.
The school was named for its first principal, George H. Henry, and it opened in January 1938. Students in grades 7-11 met at one end, and the other side housed elementary grades. Students could take basic classes, as well as science, history, homemaking, farming and shop. After Henry retired in 1946, H.J. Hurt served as principal.
In 1939, the first five students graduated from Henry High School, which remained open until 1963, when it merged into Green Bay High School in Tucker. Elementary classes remained until integration with Elkhart schools in 1967. Since 1980, former Henry High students have met biennially to celebrate their educational roots and the community's historic efforts in providing for its children. (2004) |
| 13178 | 5001013178 | #N/A | #N/A | The I&GN Railroad in Palestine | I&GN Railroad in Palestine, The | Main and W Oak | Palestine | Anderson | 2003 | Palestine, Main and W. Oak | 27" x 42" | | The I&GN Railroad in Palestine
Established as Anderson County seat in 1846 by the Texas Legislature, Palestine grew steadily throughout the remaining 19th century, nearing 9,000 residents by 1900. The town first centered on trade facilitated by the Trinity River, with frequent steamboats bringing in staples in exchange for local and East Texas products. The river, however, was only navigable for half of each year, leaving residents to rely on ox-drawn wagons at other times.
Realizing the potential of the railroad, local leaders John H. Reagan and George A. Wright garnered wide support to offer county money to the Houston and Great Northern Railroad, later consolidated into the International and Great Northern Railroad, which reached Palestine in 1872. Between 1874 and 1875, the railroad moved its headquarters, along with shops and a roundhouse, to the town and became a vital economic force.
From the time rail construction began until beyond 1900, the railroad was the biggest employer in Palestine. Many employees came from other parts of the state and nation, as well as from other countries. A county immigration society helped promote immigration efforts, and the local newspaper sent thousands of circulars recruiting newcomers. Many immigrant families lived in Palestine, creating an international community in East Texas.
In an effort to spare the courthouse and original town square the noise and traffic associated with a railroad, the line was routed west of what became known as Old Town, the town's original business district. New Town developed around the rail depot, however it was decades before the two sections blended together. Although the automobile lessened the reliance on rail travel and shipping, the impact of the railroad is still seen in Palestine today.
(2003)
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| 13186 | 5001013186 | #N/A | #N/A | Westwood United Methodist Church | Westwood United Methodist Church | 110 Ridgewood St | Palestine | Anderson | 2003 | Palestine, 110 Ridgewood Street at West Oak (US 79) | 27" x 42" | | Westwood United Methodist Church
(Holmes Chapel Methodist Church)
In November 1883, Harriet Mcclanahan Holmes donated one acre of land to Anderson County and William M. Holmes donated funds for the Holmes Community School, where Minnie Lee Holmes served as the first teacher. In the schoolhouse that year, area residents organized the Holmes Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The Rev. Daniel C. Neel served as the congregation's p.
The church outgrew the schoolhouse and built a sanctuary in 1899. At that time, church services were held once a month by the Rev. A. Methvin. The congregation used its second house of worship, located on Holmes Road, until 1948. The church, like the Palestine area, experienced growth due to new industry and a post-war population increase. After selling the Holmes Road property, the congregation worshiped in a large tent while waiting for a new, larger sanctuary, which was completed in 1950. The congregation again outgrew its facilities and added new buildings a decade later.
In the 1960s, area school districts consolidated into the Westwood Independent School District. The church, which originally bore the name of the once rural Holmes Chapel School, later changed its name to reflect its place in the community, which had become known as Westwood following school consolidation.
During its more than 100 years as a congregation, the Westwood United Methodist Church (Holmes Chapel Methodist Church) has continued to grow, serving its community through its many programs. To commemorate the contributions of families that nourished the growth of the congregation, members over the years have placed memorials around church grounds, continuing the commitment to community and worship made by the founding members in the 1880s.
(2003)
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| 3 | 5003000003 | 0 | 0 | "C" Ranch House | "C" Ranch House | 10 mi. from SH 158/FM 1788 intersection; private access | Andrews | Andrews | 1966 | From Andrews, 10 mi. from SH 158/FM 1788 intersection; private access | Medallion and Plate | N/A | First privately owned land in Midland area, purchased in 1883 by Nelson Morris of Chicago. Then known as the Chicago Ranch, it had the first wire fence and windmill in West Texas and world's largest herd of Black Angus cattle.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1966 |
| 166 | 5003000166 | 32.319235 | -102.553743 | Original Townsite of Andrews | Andrews, Original Townsite of | 700 W. Broadway (SH 176) | Andrews | Andrews | 1970 | 700 W. Broadway, Andrews (at Chamber of Commerce) | 18" x 28" | N/A | Founded when Andrews County was organized in 1910, on land owned by Robert Madison Means (b. 1878). With his father, J. S. Means, "Bob" Means began homesteading here in 1899 and organized an abstract company in 1909. When Andrews battled Shafter City to acquire county seat, Means donated lots to local cowboys so they could vote; helped win election. Married Atwood Wilder, 1910; was county clerk, 1918-1922; civic leader throughout life.
Town has grown through many gifts of real estate and funds from Means, who retired after finding oil on his land in 1934. (1970) |
| 167 | 5003000167 | 32.36718 | -102.805809 | Andrews County | Andrews County | 12 mi. W on FM 87 in roadside park | Andrews | Andrews | 1936 | From Andrews, take FM 87 West about 12 miles to roadside park. | 1936 Centennial - Highway Marker (pink granite) | N/A | Created August 21, 1876, organized May 11, 1910. Named for Richard Andrews killed at the Battle of Concepcion, October 28, 1835, the first man to fall in the Texas revolution. County seat, Andrews. |
| 168 | 5003000168 | 32.334096 | -102.658167 | Andrews County Discovery Well | Andrews County Discovery Well | | | Andrews | 1965 | From Andrews, take Hwy. 87 West about 5 miles | 18" x 28" | N/A | C. E. Ogden No. 1, producing 200 barrels a day from San Andres lime formation was brought in, Dec. 1929, by Deep Rock Oil Co.--the Andrews County discovery well and first of 730 wells in Fuhrman-Masco oil field.
Bought, Feb. 1932, by Tripplehorn brothers, of Fort Worth. Has now pumped for more than 35 years.
Since 1956, Andrews has been top producing county in Texas and U. S. Fuhrman-Masco field has produced 55 million barrels of oil--its contribution to total of more than a billion barrels for Andrews County in May, 1965. (1965) |
| 407 | 5003000407 | 32.32211 | -102.54619 | Billionth Barrel | Billionth Barrel | Courthouse grounds | Andrews | Andrews | 1965 | Courthouse grounds, Andrews | 27" x 42" | Redo/Locally | On May 25, 1965, from one of 7,400 producing oil wells in the county's 196 fields, came the Billionth Barrel of Andrews County crude oil.
In the 35 years and 5 months since oil flowed from the county's discovery well, C. E. Ogden No. 1, in Dec. 1929, Andrews has attained a new place in history.
In 1929, the county had about 400 people. Its wealth, mostly in land and livestock, amounted to $8,109,399. Five persons in the county filed income tax returns. There were fewer than 100 children in school. Highway bonds in the amount of $200,000 were about to be issued, as a measure for county improvement.
By 1956, Andrews County produced more than 60,000,000 barrels of oil annually--gaining recognition as number one in Texas and in the United States.
Of great significance is the fact that presently proven reserves underlying the county total more than one billion barrels, without any consideration for additional recoveries by secondary methods.
Andrews is more than a product of the billion barrels of crude of oil it has produced, more than the gasoline plants working through the night, more than modern highways, paved streets, homes, schools, dreams. Its destiny is great in human resources--and oil. (1965) |
| 8727 | 5005008727 | 0 | 0 | U. S. Forest Service in Texas | U. S. Forest Service in Texas | | Zavalla vicinity | Angelina | 1968 | 5.5 miles SE of Zavalla on SH 63 (in roadside park in Angelina National Forest) | 18" x 28" | very poor, vandalized; refinish | This area--heart of the Piney Woods and the East Texas forest industry--was, in 1933, cutover forests and worked-out farms. That year the Texas Legislature authorized the establishment of national forests in the state.
Today Angelina, Davy Crockett, Sabine and Sam Houston forests (the 4 national forests in Texas) include over 658,000 acres.
Under management, net growth exceeds 175,000,000 board feet with a value of over $7,000,000 yearly. In addition, forests offer extensive recreation areas. U. S. Forest Service offices have been in Lufkin since 1947. (1968)
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| 11653 | 5005011653 | 0 | 0 | Beulah Congregational Methodist Church | Beulah Congregational Methodist Church | | Lufkin vicinity | Angelina | 1998 | 12 miles southeast of Lufkin on FM 58 | 18" x 28" | | Allen Squyres, son of Beaulah pioneers, joined the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1845. He was licensed to preach in 1868 after his return from the Civil War. In 1883, area Methodists left the church they shared with local Baptists to form a Methodist Episcopal Church. The Rev. Mr. Squyres left the Methodist Episcopal Church and became a Congregational Methodist in 1889; in 1892, the Methodist Episcopal congregation moved to Beulah and joined the Congregational Methodist Conference with the Rev. Allen Squyres as their first pastor. With 34 members in 1998, the Beulah Congregational MEthodist Church continued to provide worship services and community outreach to Beaulah and Angelina County. (1998) |
| 11654 | 5005011654 | 0 | 0 | Beulah School | Beulah School | | Lufkin vicinity | Angelina | 1998 | 12 miles southeast of Lufkin on FM 58 | 18" x 28" | | Beulah School began operations in 1903. Buildings erected and furnished by local residents were used as both school and church. State funds made possible Beulah's first full-time schoolhouse, erected one mile from this site in 1917. The structure grew to accommodate 75 students and three teachers in three rooms. Older students were transferred to Diboll High School in 1928. Though the students escaped with minor injuries, a tornado destroyed the schoolhouse during classes in April 1954. Another edifice was constructed on this site. The Beulah School consolidated with the Diboll Independent School district in 1963; the building became a community center. (1998) |
| 11655 | 5005011655 | 0 | 0 | Burke School | Burke School | | Burke | Angelina | 1999 | county road 62, Burke | 18" x 28" | | The community of Burke was established along the Houston, East and West Texas Railroad in 1882. S. J. and Nancy Arrington conveyed one acre of land adjoining the town on which to establish a public school. The first building, a one-room structure, was enlarged to three rooms within a few years. The 1887 enrollment was about fifty students. Voters approved a bond in 1910 to erect a brick schoolhouse for grades 1 through 7. For many years, Burke wa an independent district. The brick edifice was torn down in 1935 and replaced with a larger schoolhouse built with Works Progress Administration funds. After the Burke Independent School District was consolidated with the Diboll schools in 1964, the Burke schoolhouse remained in service to the community as a senior citizens center and polling place. (1999) |
| 11656 | 5005011656 | 0 | 0 | First United Methodist Church of Lufkin | First United Methodist Church of Lufkin | 805 E. Denman Ave. | Lufkin | Angelina | 1998 | | 27" x 42" | | Margaret (Fullerton) Abney, born in Alabama in 1829, joined the Methodist Church with her family at a camp meeting held at nearby McKendree Campground in 1863. Because the nearest Methodist church was ten miles away, Mrs. Abney held Bible study meetings in her home on Sunday afternoons.
This group of Abney family and friends formed the nucleus of the membership of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, when it organized a Lufkin congregation in 1882. One of eight churches in the Homer circuit, the congregation met once a month in a local school building to hear the sermons of the Reverend H. H. Vaughan. In 1884 a 200-seat frame church building was erected in downtown Lufkin on land donated by the railroad. The building was shared with local Presbyterians and Baptists.
By 1891, membership had grown to 100 and the pastor held services twice a month. Ten years later, the membership numbered 286 and the pastor was serving full-time. Completed in 1905 at a cost of $14,750, a new sanctuary seated more than 800 people.
The church propsered, requiring an educational building by 1928. Despite the difficult times of the Depression era and World War II, the congregation continued to grow, and the church was relocated to Denman Avenue in 1959. By 1978, when the congregation celebrated the 100 years since Mrs. Abney began her Sunday School, the church complex included six buildings.
The First United Methodist Church of Lufkin continues an active tradition of community and missionary service. (1998) |
| 1056 | 5013001056 | 0 | 0 | Cooper Chapter No. 101, Royal Arch Masons | Cooper Chapter No. 101, Royal Arch Masons | | Pleasanton | Atascosa | 1971 | fronts North Main at intersection of Main and Virginia Street, Pleasanton | 20" x 20" | None | Chartered March 27, 1871, on petition of Master Masons of Pleasanton Lodge No. 283, A.F. and A.M., and the surrounding area. Met in upper floor of the Isaac Cooper home until 1891; over Cooper Brothers store until Masonic Hall was built in 1961.
Marker in Appreciation for Royal Arch Masons past and present, 1971. |
| 1576 | 5013001576 | 0 | 0 | Town of Fashing | Fashing, Town of | | Fashing | Atascosa | 1967 | intersection of FM 99 and FM 2924, in front of Fashing School | 27" x 42" | Refinish | Near the Old San Patricio Trail, leading from San Antonio to McMullen and McGloin colony, in area of Gulf of Mexico. In this vicinity were stage stops at Belle Branch, Rock Spring, Rountree's, and Tordilla. Land was part of the Butler, Hickok, Tom and Rountree ranches. Town was platted in 1915 as "Hickok." However, after the U.S. Post Office Department disapproved that name, the tag on a popular tobacco -- "Fashion" -- inspired adoption of the name "Fashing" for the town.
First schoolhouse was built in 1917; a second, 1921. The Methodist church, organized 1922, erected first house of worship (building moved in from Bastrop) in 1925. In 1934, St. Elizabeth Catholic Church was built. The Martin Luther Lutheran Church was erected 1948. Present school building was completed in 1952.
A center for mineral development. First local oil production was from Weigang Field, 1946. Tordilla Hill (5 mi. N) was site of first major uranium discovery in Texas in 1954. After further petroleum strikes in Fashing Edwards Limestone Field, 1958, gas and sulfur processing plants were built by the Elcor Chemical Co., Lone Star Producing Co., Sinclair Oil and Gas Co., and Warren Petroleum Corp. Currently, the only commercial uranium operation in Texas is near here. (1967) |
| 1650 | 5013001650 | 0 | 0 | First Baptist Church of Lytle | First Baptist Church of Lytle | | Lytle | Atascosa | 1996 | FM 290 in Lytle take Prairie Street, north to FM 463 | 18" x 28" | N/A | Dr. J.V.E. Covey and 16 charter members organized this church in April 1893 and held their first meeting under a stand of oak trees. A small frame building was later built, becoming their first permanent church building. Early baptisms were performed in the Medina River. Over the years the church has erected new and larger buildings to serve its growing congregation. The church has been instrumental in initiating additional congregations in Natalia, Atascosa, LaCoste, and Castroville. The church continues to be active in the community as it has for over 100 years. (1996) |
| 1666 | 5013001666 | 0 | 0 | First Baptist Church of Pleasanton | First Baptist Church of Pleasanton | | Pleasanton | Atascosa | 1991 | On College Street at intersection of College Street and Reed Street, Pleasanton | 27" x 42" | Good | On December 16, 1866, seven charter members met together to organize the First Baptist Church of Pleasanton. They met for worship in a variety of places, including the county courthouse in 1867, a schoolhouse south of town in 1870, and the Rock Schoolhouse beginning in 1875.
In 1879, Mildred Mansfield (1816-1892) and her son F. M. (1836-1902) donated land at this site, and the congregation's first sanctuary was completed in 1883. In addition to offering worship and educational programs to its own members, the church also was involved in both foreign and domestic missionary endeavors.
As the congregation grew in size over the years, additional buildings were erected to meet membership needs. New structures were completed in the 1950s and 1960s prior to the church's centennial celebration in 1966. A fire destroyed much of the main church building in February 1972, but the congregation rebuilt and dedicated the renovated structure in October 1974. The Old Rock Schoolhouse, in which the early members had met for worship services, became a part of the church plant in 1986. (1991) |
| 3158 | 5013003158 | 0 | 0 | Lytle Methodist Church | Lytle Methodist Church | | Lytle | Atascosa | 1992 | Corner of Somerset and Mesquite, Lytle | 27" x 42" | None | According to oral history, the Lytle Methodist Episcopal Church, South, was founded in 1889. W.C. Newton, a local farmer and preacher, became known as "The Father of the Lytle Methodist Church" due to his efforts to establish a permanent place of worship. Newton also provided land for the Lytle Community Cemetery, cared for by church trustees.
The Rev. Jerome P. Garrett served as the first appointed pastor from 1891-1893. The congregation built their first sanctuary in 1892. After the railroad came through Lytle, bypassing the Benton City community, the Benton City Methodist congregation merged with this one in 1909. An active Women's Missionary Society was founded in 1915; a youth group and the Methodist Men's Club were also established.
To meet the needs of a growing congregation, the sanctuary was expanded and renovated in 1922. In 1950 a multi-purpose education building was added, and in 1957 a building committee planned a brick sanctuary with cathedral ceiling and stained glass windows. The Lytle United Methodist Church, as it has been known since 1968, continues to provide diverse ministries to the community through worship services, study programs and other charitable activities. (1992) |
| 4862 | 5019004862 | 0 | 0 | Site of Old Taylor School | Taylor School, Site of Old | | Utopia vicinity | Bandera | 1967 | From Utopia, take FM 187 northwest about 4 miles to roadside marker. | 18" x 28" | Refinish. | Founded 1883, named for Henry Taylor. He, Gid Thompson and other early settlers gave land and founded school. First trustees were D. Harper, H. Kennedy, H. Taylor. In the first one-room frame building, desks and recitation benches were home made. After it burned, two more were built before consolidation with Utopia, 1937. Miss Sue Harper, Frank Robinson, and "Miss Mattie" Noel listed among outstanding teachers. This was community center; weekly Literary Society, Sunday school, church met here. This marker given by and in memory of former pupils. (1967) |
| 5008 | 5019005008 | 0 | 0 | Spettel Riverside House | Spettel Riverside House | | Lakehills | Bandera | 1981 | Off Park Road 37, Lakehills. Take Ten Thousand Trails Road to recreational area, house is just inside gates - here road changes to Spettel Road. | 18" x 28" | None | John B. Spettel, Jr. (1853-1909), through partnerships with Jacob Koenig, his brother Joseph Spettel and his brother-in-law Louis Schorp, became a successful area cattleman. By 1881 he and his bride Theresa Leibold (1854-1941) were living in this home a mile south of Mitchell's Crossing on the Medina River, now under the waters of Medina Lake. Featuring elaborate ornamentation, the Spettel Riverside House became a popular stop for travelers on the road between Castroville and Bandera. Following completion of the Medina Dam in 1912, it was moved to this site.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1981. |
| 5081 | 5019005081 | 0 | 0 | St. Stanislaus Catholic Church | Saint Stanislaus Catholic Church | 703 Cypress | Bandera | Bandera | 1963 | | Medallion only | Refinish/local effort. | N/A |
| 5082 | 5019005082 | 0 | 0 | St. Stanislaus Convent and First Catholic School | St. Stanislaus Convent and First Catholic School | | Bandera | Bandera | 1975 | Corner of Seventh Street and Cedar Street, Bandera. | Medallion and Plate | None | Polish settlers, who came to Bandera in 1855, built this convent and Catholic school in 1874. All classes, except religion and music, were moved in 1882 to a nearby frame school building. In 1922 a second story was added to the native limestone convent, in which the Sisters lived until a new residence was erected in 1963. The parish school was closed in 1968. Restored in 1971, this structure is now a museum.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1975. |
| 12931 | 5019012931 | 0 | 0 | Benjamin Franklin and Mary Hay Langford, Jr. Home | Langford, Benjamin Franklin, Jr., and Mary Hay, Home | 407 Fourteenth St | Bandera | Bandera | 2002 | 407 Fourteenth St
| 18" x 28" | | Bandera's early settlers included Lyman Wight's Mormon colony, which arrived in 1854. In 1890, John and Jennie Davenport Miller bought this site from colonists George and Virgine Minear hay. George and early Bandera settler Isaac Berry Langford helped build a home for the Millers, who sold it in 1904 to children of the Hays and Langfords: Benjamin Franklin "Frank" Langford, Jr., and his bride, Mary Emma Hay. The couple added to the house over the years, converting the one-story, l-plan design into a two-story block structure. Frank and Mary were active in the community and donated land across the street for a Mormon church. The long-time Langford family home serves as a reminder of Bandera's early history.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2002 |
| 568 | 5029000568 | 0 | 0 | Bullis House | Bullis House | 621 Pierce St. | San Antonio | Bexar | 1983 | | Medallion and Plate | none | Completed in 190 for Gen. John Lampham Bullis, this Neo-Classical Revival Residence was designed by San Antonio architect Harvey Page. A native of New York, Bullis spent much of his career on the Southwestern frontier. In 1873 he took command of a company of Seminole Scouts, whose sucess in tracking and combating Indian Raiders attracted national attention. Gen. Bullis, for whom nearby Camp Bullis is named, lived here until death in 1911. |
| 622 | 5029000622 | 0 | 0 | Caile House | Caile House | 526 Nueva St. | San Antonio | Bexar | 1966 | | Medallion and Plate | none | This caliche block home was built by Robert Caile (d. 1879) soon after he purchased the property in 1857. Caile, who came to Texas from England, later enlarged the residence with an addition during the post-Civil War period. A part of the 1812 Spanish land grant to Delores Alderete, the site remained in Caile family until 1894, when it was purchased as rental property by Jacob Hotz, Farmer. After his death in 1928, relatives owned the house until the 1940s. |
| 702 | 5029000702 | 0 | 0 | Canary Islanders | Canary Islanders | | San Antonio | Bexar | 1971 | Main Plaza, NW Corner of courthouse lawn, San Antonio | 27" x 42" | none | Earliest civilian colonists of San Antonio, this nucleus of pioneers from the Canary Islands formed the first organized civil government in Texas and founded the village of San Fernando de Bexar in 1731.
Following a sea and land voyage of over a year, these weary travelers arrived at the Presidio (Fort) of San Antonio early on March 9, 1731. Totaling 56 persons, they had emigrated to Texas from the Spanish Canary Islands near Africa, by order of King Philip V.
On July 2, they began to lay out a villa (village), choosing a site on the west side of the Plaza de las Islas (present Main Plaza) for the church and a site on the east side for the Casa Reales (government building). On July 9, the captain of the Presidio, Juan Antonio De Almazan, read to the islanders the decee of the viceroy naming them and their descendatns "Hijos Dalgos", persons of nobility.
The heads of the 16 families who settled in San Antonio were: Juan Leal Goraz, Juan Curbelo, Juan Leal, Antonio Santos, Jose Padron, Manuel De Nis, Vicente Alvarez Travieso, Salvador Rodriguez, Jose Leal, Juan Delgado, Jose Cabrera, Juan Rodriguez Grandillo, Francisco De Arocha, Antonio Rodriguez, Lorenzo and Martin De Armas, and Felipe and Jose Antonio Perez. (1971) |
| 748 | 5029000748 | 0 | 0 | Casas Reales | Casas Reales | | San Antonio | Bexar | 1971 | Main Plaza, San Antonio (faces Markert St.) | 27" x 42" | none | On site chosen July 2, 1731, for "government houses" by people of San Fernando de Bexar, including newly-arrived settlers from the Canary Islands. Structure, erected 1742, had to be rebuilt in 1779 by Don Jose Antonio Curbelo, alcalde of the Villa San Fernando de Bexar. A jail was erected to the south in 1783.
From commanding position of Casas Reales on Main Plaza were read official proclamations, to the roll of drums. A noted visitor in 1807 was Lt. Zebulon M. Pike, freed after arrest on upper Rio Grande while exploring Louisiana Purchase for the United States. Briefly in 1813 over the Cases Reales flew the green flag of the rebel Republican Army of the North, formed to free Mexico from Spain's rule. Aided by the Baron de Bastrop, Moses Austin in December 1820 initiated the Anglo-American colonization of Texas by filing his petition and plans with the governor and cabildo (council) in Casas Reales. Santa Anna arrived here February 23, 1836, to press the siege of the Alamo.
The bloody "Council House Fight" between Texian leaders and Comanche chiefs occurred here on March 19, 1840.
The building served as municipal headquarters under Spanish, Mexican, Republic of Texas, and American regimes, but were vacated in 1850 by the city. (1971) |
| 751 | 5029000751 | 0 | 0 | Casino Club | Casino Club | | San Antonio | Bexar | 1965 | directly east of the library on West Market St., San Antonio | 18" x 28" | repaint-careful-attached to wall --local effort | Property of Casino Association, organized 1853 among cultured German settlers. Club house and opera building, erected 1858, had a theatre; a hall seating 700; banquet rooms; club rooms.
Setting during Civil War for military balls, entertainments, suppers; tableaux, concerts and minstrel shows to benefit the Confederate cause; and meetings of ladies to roll bandages.
The owners obtained the best artists of the day to perform here. In the 1850s one noted guest was Col. Robt. E. Lee. Later audiences included Gen. U.S. Grant and Buffalo Bill. (1965) |
| 9478 | 5037009478 | 0 | 0 | Site of Epperson's Ferry | Epperson's Ferry, Site of | | Maud | Bowie | 1936 | 1 mi. northeast of Maud on US 67 | 1936 Centennial - Subject Marker (gray granite) | Good | At this crossing, constructed by nature and used by Caddo Indians, early French and Spanish explorers, and travelers over Trammel's Trace.
Mark Epperson before 1837 established a ferry used until the construction of a wooden bridge antedating the modern structure erected in 1924. |
| 9479 | 5037009479 | 0 | 0 | First Disciples of Christ in Texas | First Disciples of Christ in Texas | | Texarkana | Bowie | 1967 | just north of Texarkana on US 59/71 about 1 mi. north of IH-30 | 27" x 42" | Poor; Refinish | Worshiped in 1831 at McKinney's Landing, where the McKinney family and a small group of neighbors met together for informal services. During the winter of 1841-1842, a traveling preacher from Illinois, G. Gates, organized the congregation into a church. He later wrote, "I remained with the brethren about a week... gathered scattered sheep and constituted a church of 16 members, with fair prospects for more."
First leader of the group was Collin McKinney (1766-1861), who had come with his family from Kentucky to Texas in 1831, when Mexico governed the state. The worship services he started were in defiance of the laws of Mexico, which demanded the allegiance of each citizen to the Catholic religion. In 1836, he signed the Texas Declaration of Independence. Collin County and the city of McKinney bear his name.
Between 1844 and 1846, the McKinney families and neighbors moved their congregation to Mantua, near Van Alstyne, where they met in a wooden church with a four-foot wall separating men from women. Five slaves of the family were members of the Mantua group. When the railroad built past Van Alstyne, they moved there and organized the First Christian Church, a direct descendant of the 1831 congregation. (1967) |
| 9480 | 5037009480 | 0 | 0 | First United Methodist Church of DeKalb | First United Methodist Church of DeKalb | | De Kalb | Bowie | 1985 | NW corner of Johnson and Austin St. | 27" x 42" | Good | The Rev. William Stevenson led the pioneering efforts of Methodist circuit riders in northeast Texas in 1815. He preached on both sides of the Red River, although Protestant services were then illegal in the Spanish territory of Texas. Methodist "societies" began to spring up in this area in the 1820s and 1830s.
Dr. J. W. P. McKenzie started a Methodist mission in DeKalb in 1836, just five years after the town was founded. This area was then considered part of Miller County, Arkansas. The Rev. John B. Denton, who served the church in 1837, was later killed in the Village Creek Indian Battle in Tarrant County. The city and county of Denton were named for him.
The Methodists' first church building was a log structure which also served as a schoolhouse. It stood in the southeast corner of Old DeKalb Cemetery. After the arrival of the Texas & Pacific Railroad, the church moved to a new building at Fulton and Church St. in 1882. The Presbyterian and Christian churches also shared that facility. A Sunday School program was begun in 1883. The church moved to its present location in 1913 and has occupied three buildings here. Three Methodist congregations, Austin Chapel, Oak Grove, and Springhill, have merged with the fellowship. (1985)
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| 9481 | 5037009481 | 0 | 0 | John F. Floyd House | Floyd, John F. | 1203 Wood St. | Texarkana | Bowie | 1989 | | Medallion & Plate | missing | A Confederate veteran of the Civil War, John F. Floyd (1846-1923) moved to Texarkana in 1881. The successful owner of a lumber business, he had this home built for his family in 1903. Reflecting the turn-of-the-century transition from Victorian influences toward more Classical Revival detailing in architecture, the Floyd home features Palladian windows in the gable ends, art glass transoms, and paired colonnettes on the porch.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1989 |
| 9482 | 5037009482 | 0 | 0 | The French in Texas | French in Texas, The | | Texarkana | Bowie | 1966 | just north of Texarkana, Tx. city limits on US 59/71about 1 mi. north of IH-30 | 27" x 42" | Poor; Refinish | Were explorers and traders for about a century. Claimed coastal Texas early as 1685 when La Salle established his Fort Saint Louis colony.
Another Fort Saint Louis, among Nassonite Indians, a few miles northwest of this marker, was founded in 1719 by a French captain, Benard de La Harpe, who came up the Red River. This fort was a center for trade with the Cadodacho (Caddoes) of northeast Texas and the Wichita, Tawakoni, Tonkawa and other tribes of North Texas. Over 250,000 French and Caddo Indian artifacts have been found near here-- including two millstones used in a flour mill near the fort.
Although Spain claimed Texas earlier and during the time of La Harpe, this did not discourage the French; they traded as far south as the mouth of the Trinity until Louisiana was ceded to Spain in 1762.
The chief French influence in east Texas was the Cavalier Saint Denis (1676-1744), who controlled Red River area of Louisiana, frequently coming into Texas. At first he prospected for silver and gold, as Spain had done. Later he found trading with the Indians was very profitable. The French had no policy against trading guns to Indians; partly for that reason they were more popular than the Spainards. (1966)
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| 8660 | 5041008660 | 0 | 0 | Alexander Methodist Chapel | Alexander Methodist Chapel | | Bryan vicinity | Brazos | | From the intersection of SH 6 and FM 974 (North Bryan) take FM 974 north approximately 5.3 miles to Alexander Rd., then NW on Alexander Rd. approximately .9 mile to Alexander Cemetery Rd., then on cemetery road approximately .1 mile.
| Other - explain | | Organized in 1854 by Robert Alexander, Circuit Rider. First church built of hand-hewn logs in 1856 by early settlers, George Fullerton, Hugh Henry, Jim Walker, John Walker, E.W. Thompson and others. Ten acres of church land donated by Eliz Boatwright and John Singleton was deeded to the following trustees: James Walker, William Lawrence, John B. Wallace, William Glass and Harvey Mitchell. Second church was built in 1908 - W.D. Gardner, Pastor. Third church was built in 1939 - Willard Smith, Pastor. |
| 8661 | 5041008661 | 0 | 0 | Allen Academy | Allen Academy | 3201 FM 158 | Bryan | Brazos | 1997 | At the corner of 22nd St. and Ursuline Ave., Bryan | 27" x 42" | | This school originated as Madison Academy, founded in 1886 in Madisonville by John Hodges Allen (1854-1920), an educator from Mississippi. When his brother Rivers O. Allen (1865-1925) joined him in 1896, the institution became Allen Academy, a private boarding school for boys. During the summer of 1899, the Allens moved the school to Bryan.
In the early years of the 20th Century, enrollment steadily increased. The campus was enlarged and new buildings erected to accommodate the students. During World War I, military training was introduced. In 1925 John Allen's son Nat Burtis Allen (1892-1946) became director of the school. During his tenure, the academy continued to grow and gained national recognition. When he died in 1946, the campus contained over 300 acres, including a farm and dairy. His son Nat Burtis Allen, Jr. (1919-1973) guided the institution until 1973 and led in establishing broader curriculum.
Allen Academy is the oldest accredited, non-sectarian preparatory school for boys operating in Texas. Its graduates include leaders in government and business. Today the institution is coeducational and offers a broad range of scholastic programs for boarding and day students. (1997) |
| 8662 | 5041008662 | 0 | 0 | A&M College Consolidated Rural School | A&M College Consolidated Rural School | | College Station | Brazos | | 2100 block of Welsh Avenue (Welsh Avenue side of football stadium), College Station. | 27" x 42" | | The state of Texas granted a charter for an independent school district to encompass the Texas A&M College campus in 1909. Because there was not a sufficient number of students in the district to support a school, A&M president William Bizzell and professor Martin Hayes, head of the department of vocational teaching, persuaded the leaders of three surrounding common school districts to send their students to a new school to be located on the college campus.
The new school opened in 1920 with 304 students. It was supported by A&M college with funding for buildings, teacher salaries, furniture, and equipment. It became a model for rural schools in the area, and by 1928 the surrounding school districts officially dissolved and merged with A&M College Consolidated Independent School District.
By 1938 the school facilities had become overcrowded. Because the college was not able to increase its contributions to the institution, the school moved off of the A&M campus in 1940. With the move came the genesis of the College Station Independent School District. |
| 8663 | 5041008663 | 0 | 0 | Astin-Porter Home | Astin-Porter Home | 600 E. 29th St. | Bryan | Brazos | 1980 | | Medallion and Plate | | Built for Onah (Ward) Astin (d. 1944), the wife of cotton planter James H. Astin (d. 1897), this house was designed by the Waco firm of Howard Messer and S. Wemyss Smith. Construction began in 1901 and was completed two years later. The exterior of the Classical Revival residence features a two-story gallery with Corinthian columns. Holland Porter, a planter, purchased the home in 1946, and additions were made to the structure during his ownership. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1980 |
| 8664 | 5041008664 | 0 | 0 | Black Education in Bryan | Black Education in Bryan | | Bryan | Brazos | | Between Houston St. and Preston St. on 20th; Bryan (in park). | 27" x 42" | | On March 30, 1885, the City of Bryan purchased seven lots in this area as a site for a public school to provide separate but equal and impartial instruction for black children of the community, as prescribed by the Texas State Constitution of 1876. The "Bryan Public School for Colored" was the first educational institution established for blacks in Brazos County.
When school opened in the fall of 1885, its principal was A.H. Colwell, who later became a prominent leader of black Republicans, and was named as a presidential elector from Texas in 1896. The original faculty included Mrs. Anne Alberson, Misses Mamie Burrows and Beatrice Calhoun, Mrs. Ada Scott Hall, and Mrs. Lenora Green, a classmate of Dr. William E.B. Dubois.
The first school building of this site was a two-story frame structure, furnished with planks supported by kegs for seating. After the school burned in 1914, a brick edifice was constructed. In 1930, when the Kemp Junior-Senior High School was built across town, this facility became Washington Elementary School. After its destruction by fire in Sept. 1971, Washington Elementary was not rebuilt and the black students were integrated into the Bryan Public School System. Washington Park occupies most of the original site.
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| 8651 | 5051008651 | 30.433674 | -96.75352 | St. John's Lutheran Church | St. John's Lutheran Church | | Deanville | Burleson | 1996 | intersection of FM 111 and FM 60, Deanville
| 18" x 28" | | This church was organized by The Rev. A. H. Falkenberg and 35 charter members in 1910. Services were held in a schoolhouse until a sanctuary, containing an 800-pound bell donated by the family of John B. Luedke, Sr., was built here in 1917. The church established an adjacent cemetery in 1918. The congregation prospered and a new church building was erected here in 1966. The original bell, housed in a tower at this site, continued to herald the commencement of worship services. This congregation has played a vital role in the community's civic, social, and religious development. |
| 8652 | 5051008652 | 30.604403 | -96.527356 | San Salvador Mission Church | San Salvador Mission Church | | Caldwell | Burleson | 1974 | from Caldwell, take SH 21 E about 11 miles to FM 50, go S about 2 miles to CR 286, go W about 0.5 mile to church
| Medallion and Plate | | San Salvador, a mission of St. Anthony's Catholic Church, Bryan, was named for the patron saint of Cefalu, Sicily, the native village of Italian immigrants who came here in 1894. Religious services were held in homes until 1908, when devout families each gave cotton from ten field rows to buy materials, and the men worked six weeks to build this church. First Mass was said at its Altar in Oct. 1908. In 1952 the building was remodeled, and a new Altar was added in 1965. |
| 8653 | 5051008653 | 30.530922 | -96.423924 | Snook | Snook | | Snook | Burleson | 1971 | on FM 2155 at intersection with Spur 2155, Snook | Other - explain | | Settled 1880s by Czech immigrants. First called "Sebesta's Corner". In 1895 named "Snook" for John Snook, who helped secure post office. Soon had a one-room school, a "masova schuza" (slaughterhouse), a cooperative store, and lodge for "Czechoslovak Benevolent Society". |
| 8654 | 5051008654 | 30.357765 | -96.536955 | Somerville | Somerville | | Somerville | Burleson | 1971 | on SH 36, northern edge of town, Somerville | 18" x 28" | | Located where two branches of the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway joined, town was named for Albert Somerville, first president of the railroad. First settlers arrived after town was surveyed about 1883; the post office was permanently established in 1897. Somerville boomed in the 1890s when local citizens persuaded a railroad tie plant to locate here. Santa Fe Railroad bought the operation in 1905; this is still an important industry. Incorporated in 1913, the town has become a recreation center since Lake Somerville was created in the 1960s. |
| 8655 | 5051008655 | 0 | 0 | Alexander Thomson | Alexander Thomson | | Caldwell | Burleson | 1972 |
| 27" x 42" | not yet surveyed | (August 29, 1785 - June 1, 1863)
A leader in colonizing Texas. Born in St. Matthew's Parish, S.C.; lived also in Georgia, then in Tennessee where in 1830 he became partner of the Empresario in development of the Sterling C. Robertson Colony.
Conducting a number of families who had signed agreements to settle in the Robertson Colony, he crossed into Texas and came to Nacogdoches three days after Mexican officials there received notice of 1830 law requiring passports of immigrants. After Thomson tried unsuccessfully to have rule waived for hardship reasons, the party bypassed Nacogdoches, making a new trail often used afterward and known as the Tennesseans' Road. Thomson lived for a time in Austin's Colony, representing District of Hidalgo (now Washington County) at Texas Convention of 1832. By 1835, when he was Consultation Delegate from Viesca (later Milam Municipality), he was living and serving as official surveyor in Robertson's Colony. Still a leader, he was Robertson's executor in 1842.
Married twice, father of 13, he was ancestor of many noted Texans, including Thaddeus A. Thomson, United States envoy to Colombia and signer of the Thomson-Urrutia Treaty in 1914. Alexander Thomson is buried in Thomson Family Cemetery one mile to the northeast. |
| 1257 | 5003001257 | 32.315125 | -102.561744 | Dorsie M. Pinnell | Pinnell, Dorsie M. | | Andrews | Andrews | 1968 | Andrews County Cemetery, US 176 W. Within city limits, Andrews. | Grave Marker | unknown | (June 25, 1875-July 23, 1939)
Descendant of a Virginian who fought in the American Revolution. Came to Texas at 17 for health. Served (1898-1899) in Spanish-American War, Co. K, 1st Texas Inf. Vol. Regt. Later took up ranching in Andrews County. Married Jessie Whitten; had 4 sons.
Recorded 1968. |
| 1350 | 5003001350 | 32.319235 | -102.553743 | Early Settlers of Andrews County | Early Settlers of Andrews County | 700 W. Broadway (SH 176) | Andrews | Andrews | 1970 | 700 W. Hwy 176 or Hwy. 87, (original town square), Andrews (at Chamber of Commerce) | 18" x 28" | bullet hole/faded; redo locally |
One of last frontiers of Texas. Anglo settlement here lagged 60 years behind rest of state due to Indians and scarcity of water.
In 1886 O. B. Holt became first man to file for county land. First settlers included the Cowden brothers and Peter Von Holebeke.
In 1900 county had 87 people; it was finally organized in 1910. With windmill pumps and drift fences, ranching became feasible, although soil was so dry that a grazing cow crashed through a dugout roof into a bed one day.
In 1930 the discovery of oil brought wealth and rewarded the tenacity of first pioneers.
(1970)
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| 1923 | 5003001923 | 32.375314 | -102.52809 | Florey Park | Florey Park | 3 mi. N on US 385, 3 mi. E on Florey Park Rd. | Andrews | Andrews | 1965 | From Andrews, take U.S. 38-T north about 3 miles, then go east on Florey Park Rd. about 3 miles.
Or, from Andrews, take U.S. 385 north about 10 miles to Florey, then go 1 mile east on Florey Park Rd. | 18" x 28" | marker missing | Named for old town of Florey, established as a post office 7 miles to the northeast in 1909, prior to the organization of Andrews County, June 1910.
In heart of the Means Oil Field, opened 1930, this park is at site of a 1934-1958 camp of Humble Oil and Refining Company. In the 24 years of the camp's history, its many residents developed an oasis here. The recreation area, with its lush grass and tall trees, attracted visitors from all parts of the county.
On September 22, 1958, Humble Company donated the land to be used as a county park. (1965) |
| 2051 | 5003002051 | 32.356133 | -102.771397 | Frankel City | Frankel City | 12 mi. W, at intersection of US 87 and FM 181 | Andrews | Andrews | 1984 | From Andrews, take U.S. 87 west about 12 miles to intersection of FM 181 and U.S. 87 | 27" x 42" | Redo | In 1941 the Fullerton Oil Company of California struck oil near this site, and by 1945 more than 100 drilling rigs were in operation. The discovery brought great numbers of workers into the area, resulting in the establishment of the town of Fullerton.
Located approximately one mile north, Fullerton provided newcomers with two churches, two cafes, two filling stations, a grocery store, delicatessen, beauty shop, and Andrews telephone exchange. Buses transported children to and from school in Andrews (16 miles SE). By the end of World War II, the boom town also boasted supply stores, oil field service companies, welding shops, and an electric plant.
Fullerton's name was changed to Frankel City when the U.S. post office was established in 1948. At one time the post office served as many as 500 area families. By 1976, however, most of the oil had been taken from the ground, and workers in the field were laid off or transferred to other jobs. The town was abandoned as the post office and other businesses closed.
The old Prairie Schooner Cafe, moved to this site from its original location, is all that is left of Frankel City. The ghost town, however, remains an important part of West Texas history. (1984) |
| 2653 | 5003002653 | 32.404987 | -102.686867 | Irwin Ranch House | Irwin Ranch House | 7 mi. N on US 385, then 7 mi. W on FM 1967 | Andrews | Andrews | 1967 | From Andrews, take U.S. 385 north about 7 miles, then go west on FM 1967 about 7 miles. | Medallion and Plate | | Only building remaining in old Shafter Lake, first settlement in Andrews County and at one time its largest town.
Built 1908. Concrete blocks, hand pressed from sand of Shafter Lake, are the original frame.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1967 |
| 2683 | 5003002683 | 0 | 0 | J. S. Means Ranch House | Means, J. S., Ranch House | 2.5 mi. NE off SH 115; no public access | Andrews | Andrews | 1974 | From Andrews, take SH 115 NE about 2.5 miles. Private | 18" x 28" | N/A | Built in 1900, this is one of the oldest houses in Andrews County. S. H. Purcell, his wife, and two relatives each filed on a section of public land, building this home where section-corners met, so that each individual could fulfill the legal requirement to live on his claim. Soon after proving their claims, they sold out to Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Means, who then (1904) owned 14 sections. Adding much more land, the Means family established a very successful working ranch. It continues to run cattle, even though the range has contained oil fields since the 1920s. (1974) |
| 3361 | 5003003361 | 32.333038 | -102.399443 | Midland and Northwestern Railroad | Midland and Northwestern Railroad | 6 mi. E on FM 176; 0.75 mi. N on FM 1788 | Andrews | Andrews | 1967 | From Andrews, take FM 176 east about 6 miles then go north about 3/4 mile on FM 1788. | 27" x 42" | N/A | Chartered Jan. 16, 1916, by Midland Farms Co., which was owned by David Fasken of Toronto, Canada. The 65 miles of road were completed from Midland to Seminole in 1918. Operated with an engine borrowed from Texas and Pacific Railway until 1920, when its operations ceased.
Fasken purchased the C Ranch in 1912 from estate of Chicago meat packer Nelson Morris. Used part of land for track right-of-way. Developed railroad to ship cattle to markets and encourage settlement. Town of Fasken at peak had one-story depot, hotel, general store, two dwelling houses, schoolhouse and stock pens.
The standard gauge line had one passenger coach, two flatcars, a mail and express car. Had trouble keeping on schedule because equipment was old and needed repairs constantly. Fireman and engineer shot coyotes en route to break monotony. In 1920, M.&N.W. went into receivership, and was sold to T.&P. after flash floods floated crossties away from roadbed.
After approval by the Texas Railroad Commission, M.&N.W. was abandoned in 1923. Line was without prospects of increasing tonnage, was not prudently located, and would have lost money if operated. (1967) |
| 4652 | 5003004652 | 32.394358 | -102.641828 | Shafter Lake Cemetery | Shafter Lake Cemetery | 7 mi. N on SH 385; 3.2 mi. W on FM 1967; 1.6 mi. S on CR NW 2001 | Andrews | Andrews | 1973 | From Andrews, take SH 385 north 7 miles, then go west on FM 1967 about 3.2 miles. Go south on CR NW 2001 about 1.6 mile. | 18" x 28" | Replace | (1.5 miles West)
Established just after turn of the century, on the south bank of Shafter Lake, and two miles south of the extinct settlement of Shafter Lake.
Named for Colonel William R. Shafter (1835-1906), who led military expedition through region in 1875.
It became the resting place for residents of remote ranches and travelers. Oldest legible gravestones are dated 1909; those of Joseph Snively and Mrs. Lucy Woolsey. Several remains have been removed by relatives; site now contains 12 known graves.
The once neglected cemetery is cared for by Andrews County. (1973) |
| 4653 | 5003004653 | 32.404987 | -102.686867 | Shafter Lake Townsite | Shafter Lake Townsite | 7 mi. N on US 385, then 6.76 mi. W on FM 1967 | Andrews | Andrews | 1965 | From Andrews, take US 385 north about 7 miles, then go west on FM 1967 about 6.75 miles. | 18" x 28" | Redo | First town in yet-unorganized Andrews County. Platted 1908.
Named for lake charted in 1875 survey of Col. Wm. R. Shafter, whose maps and victories over powerful Indians opened the Permian Basin to settlement.
Water trough built by John Underwood of Shafter Lake Sand and Gravel is on site then set aside for a courthouse. It was stopping place for ranchers and freighters on way from Jal and Monument, N. Mex., into Texas. Town started to grow around trough. But when vote in 1910 county organization gave county seat to Andrews, town moved there. (1965) |
| 4654 | 5003004654 | 0 | 0 | Shafter's Trail | Shafter's Trail | On median at intersection of SW 1st and S. Main Sts. | Andrews | Andrews | 1965 | On median at corners of S. Main and 300 SW 1st St., Andrews | 18" x 28" | N/A | In 1875, Col. Wm. R. Shafter and a company of soldiers traveled from Fort Concho (where San Angelo is today) to Monument Springs, New Mexico, charting the arid plains, mapping all the vital watering places.
This marker is in the only town of today through which Shafter's Trail passes. Here Col. Shafter, defending his party, chased Indians who ran 12 miles to the northwest. Thus he found the salt lake known ever after by his name. His expedition's maps of this formerly unknown land opened the Permian Basin to settlement. (1965) |
| 5773 | 5003005773 | 0 | 0 | Whalen Lake School | Whalen Lake School | | | Andrews | 1974 | SH 176, 15 miles NW of Andrews. Marker may be missing. | 18" x 28" | N/A | One of the first schools in Andrews County, opened in 1907 near the north edge of Whalen Lake, on land donated by Mrs. M. B. Dillard. The one-room school, built by Joe and Jake Mathis, with materials purchased by Will Gates, served the children of homesteaders "proving up" their claims by living on the property 3 years. Teachers were Miss Grace Stanford, a Mr. Taylor, Miss Mary Lewis, and Earl Lontz, each remaining one year.
The school closed in 1910, and the building was moved, as most of the settlers fulfilled their claim agreements and left.
(1974) |
| 6981 | 5005006981 | 0 | 0 | Angelina County | Angelina County | | Lufkin | Angelina | 1936 | .5 mi. south of Lufkin on US 69 | 1936 Centennial - Highway Marker (pink granite) | | Created and organized in 1846. Originally a part of Nacogdoches County. Bears the name of the river traversing the region. The following towns have served as the county seat: Marion, 1846-1854; Jonesville, 1854-1858; Homer, Feb. 3 - May 17, 1858, when its name was changed to Angelina, 1858 - 1890; Lufkin 1890.
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| 6982 | 5005006982 | 0 | 0 | Angelina County Lumber Company | Angelina County Lumber Company | | Lufkin | Angelina | 1982 | Mill Street, Lufkin | 18" x 28" | not surveyed | One of the first individuals to recognize the economic potential of the east Texas forests was German native Joseph H. Kurth, who came to Angelina County in 1887. He bought a sawmill from charles L. Kelty and in 1890, with Sam Wiener and S. W. Henderson of Corrigan, formed the Angelina County Lumber Company. A leader in innovative forestry, including reforestation and employment of professional foresters, the firm played a vital role in the early growth of Lufkin and area industries. Kurth family members headed the company until it was sold in 1966.
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| 6983 | 5005006983 | 0 | 0 | Burke Methodist Church | Burke Methodist Church | | Burke | Angelina | 1991 | SH 59 at CR 59D, Burke | 18" x 28" | | Founded in 1889 by a small group of Methodists, this church has played an integral role in the history of the community. H. and Nannie Belote donated land to the congregation in 1894, and the first church building was completed in 1901. It was moved to another section of church property in 1920 and was remodeled in 1940 to serve the needs of the growing membership. A new brick sanctuary and educational building were completed in 1957. Burke Methodist Church has served the community with a variety of worship, educational, and outreach programs. (1991)
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| 6984 | 5005006984 | 0 | 0 | Calder (Cotton) Square | Calder Square (Cotton) | | Lufkin | Angelina | 1972 | Cotton Square at Lufkin Avenue | 20" x 20" | | City's hub, 1882- early 1900s, teeming with cotton buying, horse trades, band concerts, political rallies, switching railroad trains. Site of fire station, standpipe, 1933 memorial library named for lumberman J. H. Kurth (1857 - 1930), Square was renamed 1961 for Kurth family friend, Louis Calder (1879 - 1963) of New York.
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| 6985 | 5005006985 | 0 | 0 | Cheeseland | Cheeseland | | Lufkin vicinity | Angelina | 1981 | 9.2 mi. N of Lufkin on US 69, then W 2.3 mi. on SH 7, then N 3.5 mi. on Old Homer-Alto Road | 18" x 28" | | In 1844 Jacob Ferguson Humphrey (d. 1882), a native of Wales, built a log cabin and stockade in this area. The community that grew up near his homesite became known as Cheeseland before the Civil War. The name was chosen because of the special cheese made and sold here by German natives Caroline and Wenzell Hillenkamp. Located on the Old Homer and Alto Road, an early mail route, and the site of a post office, Cheeseland remained an active settlement until the nearby development of wells in the 1880s. A few traces of the pioneer community remain. (1981)
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| 6986 | 5005006986 | 0 | 0 | Clark's Ferry and Clark's Ferry Cemetery, Site of | Clark's Ferry and Clark's Ferry Cemetery | | Diboll vicinity | Angelina | 1996 | US 59 at Clark's Ferry Rd., 3 mi. south of Diboll | 18" x 28" | | Established by I. D. Clark in 1856, this ferry provided an important crossing on the Neches River between Angelina and Polk counties. When Clark died in 1859, his widow, Ann, operated the ferry with the help of two slaves until her own death in 1863. Ownership of the land remained in the Clark family. In 1881 W. B. Clark was issued a license to operate the ferry. A town was platted at the ferry crossing and named Clark's Station, also known as Miami. In 1860 a community cemetery was established north of the town. The ferry was phased out after modern highways were built. (1996) |
| 6987 | 5005006987 | 0 | 0 | Collins-Shotwell House | Collins-Shotwell House | 503 N. Raguet St. | Lufkin | Angelina | 1992 | | Medallion & Plate | | Attorney Chester B. Collins (1888-1960) built this house in the early 1920s with lumber provided by Lillian Knox whom he had successfully defended in a murder case. The 2-story bungalow features corbeled brick piers, wide gables with brackets, a corbeled chimney cap, and unusual window patterns. The Jean Shotwell family, property owners from 1936 to 1974 rented the house in 1937 to the family of Marvin L. Marsh, Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) district commander.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1992 |
| 6988 | 5005006988 | 0 | 0 | Depot Explosion and Mystery | Depot Explosion and Mystery | | Lufkin | Angelina | 1982 | Calder Square - Ellis, Cotton and Angelina streets, Lufkin | 18" x 28" | | On the evening of March 2, 1913, an explosion destroyed the Houston, East & West Texas Railroad depot at this site, disrupting the town's vital source of transportation and trade. Although a body was not discovered, it was presumed a railroad employee had been killed in the mishap. He was later declared legally dead and his stepmother collected on his insurance. In 1916, however, he was returned to Lufkin by Judge E. J. Mantooth, a local attorney acting on behalf of the insurance firms. The railroad employee stood trial for insurance fraud, but was subsequently acquitted. (1982) |
| 6989 | 5005006989 | 0 | 0 | Diboll | Diboll | 400 Kenley | Diboll | Angelina | 1994 | US 59 (Temple St.) at Kenley St. in front of City Hall, Diboll | 18" x 28" | | A sawmill established here in 1894 by T. L. L. Temple gave rise to a town that by 1900 contained a commissary, post office, churches, homes, and schools run by the Southern Pine Lumber Company. The town was named for the Diboll family of New Orleans from whom Temple initially purchased timber rights. Diboll remained a company town until Southern Pine Lumber Company began promoting private ownership of homes and businesses in the 1950s. Diboll was incorporated in 1962 and today boasts a multiethnic citizenry which supports numerous community activities. (1994) |
| 6990 | 5005006990 | 0 | 0 | Don Joaquin Crossing on Bedias Trail | Joaquin, Don, Crossing on Bedias Trail | | Lufkin vicinity | Angelina | 1979 | at Angelina River Bridge, 9 mi. N of Lufkin on US 59 | 18" x 28" | | Used by Indians, explorers, traders and missionaries, this trail ran from Bedias Indian camps on the lower Trinity River to Spanish missions near Nacogdoches. Don Joaquin de Orobio y Basterra, captain of the presidio at La Bahia (present Goliad), led reconnaissance troops along the trail in 1746 and gave his name to the Angelina River crossing. Italian-born trader Vicente Michili owned a large ranch near the crossing before 1800. Bedias Trail was important in Angelina County's development. Railroads and major highways later followed the Trail's route. (1979)
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| 6991 | 5005006991 | 0 | 0 | Equipment Typical of Early Texas Logging | Equipment Typical of Early Texas Logging | 1903 Atkinson Dr. | Lufkin | Angelina | 1972 | Texas Forestry Assn. grounds on SH 103E | 14" x 24" | | One of last ox-drawn or mule-drawn carts skidding logs to railroad from the forests. Built 1950 for W. T. Carter & Brother, a lumber firm, and replaced 1951 by tractor-powered equipment, this slip-tongue, high wheel cart is a relic of early logging methods. (1972) |
| 6992 | 5005006992 | 0 | 0 | Machinery from Early East Texas Logging Railroads | Machinery from Early East Texas Logging Railroads | 1903 Atkinson Dr. | Lufkin | Angelina | 1972 | Texas Forestry Assn. grounds on SH 103E | 18" x 28" | | Steam locomotive and tender No. 3 were bought 1908 by Carter-Kelley Lumber Co., for use in building a sawmill at Manning (about 18 mi. south); then in railroad building, logging, and passenger and freight hauling schedules.
The 1906 wood-burning steam loader was also used by Carter-Kelley in building Manning Mill, and later served on "portable" logging railroads. Its cables could skid logs to tracks from distances of 300 to 500 feet.
Carter-Kelley merged (1930s) with w. T. Carter & Brother. This equipment was retired in 1950s. (1972)
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| 6993 | 5005006993 | 0 | 0 | Emporia | Emporia | | Diboll | Angelina | 1996 | NE corner of Booker and Maynard St., Diboll | 18" x 28" | | Emporia Lumber Company co-owners S. F. Carter and M. T. Jones purchased over 5,000 acres of land in south Angelina County and established a company town named Emporia in 1893. The town included sawmill facilities, a railroad spur to ship lumber, logging camps, company houses, schools, churches, stores and a cemetery. In 1906 the sawmill burned and was not rebuilt. Although the company ceased operations, people continued to live in Emporia. Eventually the town was absorbed within the city of Diboll. (1996) |
| 6994 | 5005006994 | 0 | 0 | Ewing | Ewing | | Lufkin vicinity | Angelina | 1997 | 17 mi. east of Lufkin on SH 103 | 18" x 28" | Fair | The boom town of Ewing stood for two decades on the west bank of the Angelina River. Named for plantation owner James A. Ewing, the town was located near a rail line and virgin hardwood forests. In 1919 H. G. Bohlssen purchased a 100-acre tract of land and built a sawmill. A company town, Ewing grew rapidly and at its peak contained a post office, commissary, church/school, boarding house, and a population of 850. After many men left to serve in world War II or in war-related industries, the mill closed in December 1944. (1997) |
| 6995 | 5005006995 | 0 | 0 | Fairview School | Fairview School | | Burke vicinity | Angelina | 1997 | FM 2108, 3 mi. east of Burke | 27" x 42" | | The Angelina County School Board created Fairview Common School District Number 69 in the late 1800s. A one-room schoolhouse was built that served students from a wide rural area. The first school term, in 1898, was five months long.
Fairview School students met at Fairview Baptist Church from about 1905 until 1913, when the county school board reorganized the common school districts. In 1915 land was purchased for a school site. A two-room schoolhouse was constructed in 1917 and enlarged with the additions of a cafeteria and an auditorium in the 1940s.
The school became a community center for area residents. It served as a voting place and was the focus of social activities and holiday events. County-wide sporting events were held on the grounds.
The Fairview School not only provided quality education for grades one through seven, but also hosted programs that benefited farmers. Government advisors gave instruction on agricultural techniques to increase production of cattle and the local crops of peanuts, corn, and cotton. The school closed in 1963 and was consolidated with the Lufkin School District. (1997) |
| 6996 | 5005006996 | 0 | 0 | First Baptist Church of Lufkin | First Baptist Church of Lufkin | 312 N. First St. | Lufkin | Angelina | 1985 | | 18" x 28" | Fair | Chartered with nine members, the Lufkin Baptist Church began conducting worship services soon after rail lines reached the townsite in the early 1880s. The Houston, East & West Texas Railroad donated land at this site to Joseph Kerr, E. H. F. McMullen, and W. L. Denman, church trustees. The first sanctuary was built in 1893, during the pastorate of the Rev. W. C. Manning. A leader in mission development and in the support of Christian education, the First Baptist Church has played an important role in the growth of Lufkin since the earliest days of the town. (1985) |
| 6997 | 5005006997 | 0 | 0 | First Christian Church of Lufkin | First Christian Church of Lufkin | 1300 S. First St. | Lufkin | Angelina | 1996 | | 27" x 42" | | A Christian church was organized in Angelina County about 1884 in Homer, the county seat. When the railroad line from Houston to Shreveport was built about 5 miles from Homer, the town of Lufkin was built around the depot. Many citizens of Homer moved to Lufkin, including a majority of the church members. The Lufkin Christian Church was formally organized by the Rev. R. E. Jackson in 1894.
Visiting ministers served the congregation for many years. Worship services were held in local halls until the school building was established as the first permanent home for the church. In 1903 the school was donated by Judge E. J. Mantooth and later remodeled into a church edifice. Two residences were purchased in 1912 in downtown Lufkin and converted into a place of worship and a parsonage, but were later torn down. In 1920 the church building constructed by the congregation was dedicated. The congregation bought six acres of land in 1949 at South Raguet and South First streets and new church buildings were completed in June 1954. Several additions were made to house the growing programs of the church. The First Christian Church of Lufkin continues to serve the community as it has for more than 100 years. (1996) |
| 6998 | 5005006998 | 0 | 0 | First Methodist Church of Diboll | First Methodist Church of Diboll | 401 Hines St. | Diboll | Angelina | 1991 | Hines St. at Church St. | 18" x 28" | | This congregation was founded about 1897, soon after Diboll was established as a sawmill town. Early worship services were held in a local schoolhouse and in a two-story structure shared with the local Baptist congregation and fraternal organizations. Church leaders acquired this site by lease in 1914 and built their first sanctuary that year. The land was deeded to the congregation in 1922, and additional facilities were later built to accommodate the growing membership. The church still counts among its members descendants of some of its founding families. (1991) |
| 6999 | 5005006999 | 0 | 0 | The Gann House | Gann House, The | | Lufkin vicinity | Angelina | 1970 | near Hwy. 94, 7.5 mi west of Lufkin | Medallion & Plate | | Early Texas double log cabin built of interlocking hewn pine logs. Originally had a "dog trot" (open center hall). Erected before 1860 by John D. Gann, first district clerk of Angelina County. Sold to W. H. Bonner in 1864. Remodeled in 1955 by L. F. Bonner, owner.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1970 |
| 7000 | 5005007000 | 0 | 0 | Manning | Manning | | Huntington vicinity | Angelina | 1980 | FM 844, 10 mi. south of Huntington | 18" x 28" | | The community of Manning grew up around the operations of the Carter-Kelley Lumber Company, established here about 1906. The town was named for D. W. W. Manning (b. 1820) who started a sawmill here in 1867. By 1929 Manning had a population of 1300 and included a movie theater, a school, stores, churches, a post office, and a railroad depot. The town began to decline after a fire destroyed the mill in the mid-1930s, and operations were moved to Camden (30 mi. W). The townsite is now marked by homes, sawmill ruins, and a cemetery. (1980, 1995)
Supplemental plaque:
This house and what was left of Manning after the mill fire of 1936 were bought by Morgan M. Flournoy. Here he and his wife Ruby raised five children. |
| 7001 | 5005007001 | 0 | 0 | Gibbs House | Gibbs House | | Huntington vicinity | Angelina | 1993 | 10 miles south of Huntington on FM 844 | Medallion & Plate | | W. M. Gibbs came to the town of Manning in 1904 as a sawmill manager for the Carter-Kelly Lumber Company. Gibbs (1876 - 1938) and his wife, Leannah, were the first occupants of this c. 1904 house, and here they reared their four children. Enlarged in 1927, the house is an American foursquare design with Craftsman influences. It remained in the Gibbs family until 1942 and is one of the few remaining physical reminders of the Manning community.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1993 |
| 7003 | 5005007003 | 0 | 0 | Joseph Herrington | Herrington, Joseph | | Huntington vicinity | Angelina | 1982 | Herrington Cemetery, FM 2109, 10 mi. SE of Huntington | 18" x 28" | | When Angelina County was organized in 1846, Alabama native Joseph Herrington (1823 - 89) was one of six men appointed by the legislature who set boundary lines and selected Marion as the first seat of government. That same year, at the age of 22, he was elected the county's first chief justice (county judge). His accomplishments during five terms in the office, including improved trade routes and the establishment of county school districts, were vital to the area's growth. An active Mason, he was buried here in the Herrington Family Cemetery. (1982)
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| 7004 | 5005007004 | 0 | 0 | Site of the Town of Homer | Homer, Site of the Town of | | Lufkin | Angelina | 1936 | 10 mi. S of Lufkin on US 69, 1/10 mi. S on FM 326 | 1936 Centennial - Subject Marker (gray granite) | | Also known as Angelina, third county seat of Angelina County, 1858 - 1890.
(6 mi. SE Lufkin, US Hwy. 69) |
| 7005 | 5005007005 | 0 | 0 | Site of Rehearsal Hall for The Hoo Hoo Band | Hoo Hoo Band, Site of Rehearsal Hall for | | Lufkin | Angelina | 1982 | Perry Building, Lufkin Ave. and Cotton Square, Lufkin | 18" x 28" | | At the turn of the century, a group of Lufkin men organized a town brass band. It later became known as the Hoo Hoo Band after representing Texas at a national convention of the Order of Hoo Hoo, an organization of American and Canadian lumbermen. In addition to concerts in nearby Cotton (Calder) Square, the band performed at various events and also directed such civic projects as the formation of the town's fire department. Inactive by the 1920s when school bands became popular, the Hoo Hoo Band remans a symbol of Lufkin's early civic pride and quality of life. (1982) |
| 7006 | 5005007006 | 0 | 0 | Homer Cemetery | Homer Cemetery | | Lufkin vicinity | Angelina | 1997 | 4 mi. southeast of Lufkin on SH 69, .7 mi. south on FM 326 to Homer Cemetery Rd., .25 mi. north to cemetery and marker | 27" x 42" | | In 1854 W. W. Manning established a drugstore and sawmill in this area, and named the community after his former home in Homer, Louisiana. In 1856 Homer was chosen as Angelina County seat, following a mandate from the Texas Legislature to locate a permanent seat of government near the geographic center of each county.
County surveyor William G. Lang platted the town of Homer in 1857. The town included a central courthouse surrounded by 24 blocks and 132 lots. Homer Cemetery was located southeast of the courthouse square. The first recorded grave in the cemetery is that of Margaret Patterson McMullen in 1861. Two of McMullen's sons served in the Civil War, and both are also buried here. Among other veterans from the Civil War to the Vietnam War
Homer remained the county seat until 1892 and included several businesses, public and private schools, churches, and a newspaper. Due to its prominence in the county, many county officials are buried here. Governed by a board of trustees, Homer Cemetery contains 270 burials, and continues to serve the community. (1997) |
| 7007 | 5005007007 | 0 | 0 | Hoshall | Hoshall | | Lufkin vicinity | Angelina | 1995 | 2.75 mi. south of Lufkin on FM 324 | 18" x 28" | | The Houston East and West Texas (HE&WT) Railroad came through Angelina County in 1882 and a community named Bitterweed Flat developed here. In 1913 W. E. Hoshall purchased land and timber rights in the area and began shipping logs from Hoshall Switch on the HE&WT in Bitterweed Flat. In 1917 Luke E. Wright established a sawmill and town with churches, schools, and a commissary at the switch site. The company town was named Hoshall and consisted of Anglo and African American citizens. The sawmills closed and by 1940 all that remained was the cemetery and the mill pond.
Sesquicentennial of Texas Statehood 1845 - 1995 |
| 7008 | 5005007008 | 0 | 0 | Site of the Town of Jonesville | Jonesville, Site of the Town of | | Lufkin vicinity | Angelina | 1936 | 12 mi. SE of Lufkin on US 69 | 1936 Centennial - Subject Marker (gray granite) | | Site of the town of Jonesville, second county seat of Angelina County, August 22, 1854 - May 19, 1858. |
| 7009 | 5005007009 | 0 | 0 | Kerr's Inc. | Kerr's Inc. | 1114 N. Raguet St. | Lufkin | Angelina | 1981 | | 18" x 28" | | Regarded as the oldest Angelina County business in continuous operation, Kerr's began in 1870 as a general store in the early county seat of Homer (5 mi. SE). It was started by Civil War veteran Capt. Joseph Kerr (B. 1828), a native of South Carolina. The operation was moved to Lufkin in the 1880s, soon after the railroad town was founded. An active business, civic, and political leader, Kerr was later succeeded in the firm by his sons. Started in the early days of the county and later operated as a tin shop, Kerr's Inc. is now a leader in steel fabrication. (1981)
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| 8707 | 5005008707 | 0 | 0 | Kurth Home | Kurth Home | | Lufkin vicinity | Angelina | 1964 | on US 69 in Keltys, one mile north of Lufkin | Medallion | | (medallion only - no plate)
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| 8708 | 5005008708 | 0 | 0 | Lindsey Springs Logging Camp | Lindsey Springs Logging Camp | | Lufkin vicinity | Angelina | 1993 | 6 mi. south of Lufkin or 2.3 mi. south of the intersection of FM 2108 and FM 58 on FM 58 | 18" x 28" | | The naturally occurring Lindsey Springs, located approximately 3/4 of a mile northeast of this location, became the site in 1899 of the Southern Pine Lumber Company's first logging camp. the springs provided an important water source for this vital camp, which by 1900 included company housing for about 110 people, a store, school, and a church. A narrow gauge railroad transported logs from Lindsey Springs to the mill in nearby Diboll. The area's marketable timber had been cut by 1906, resulting in the camps relocation to an area west of Diboll in Trinity County. (1993)
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| 8709 | 5005008709 | 0 | 0 | City of Lufkin | Lufkin | | Lufkin | Angelina | 1970 | Kiwanis Park - US Business 59S at Tulane St. | 24" x 18" | Fair | Founded 1882. Soon became a thriving sawmill community. Named for E. P. Lufkin, chief of crew that surveyed railroad through town. Has been county seat of Angelina County since 1892. Now a regional manufacturing and commerce center. Products include paper and wood products, oilfield pumps, trailers, and foundry castings. (1970) |
| 8710 | 5005008710 | 0 | 0 | Lufkin CCC Camp | Lufkin CCC Camp | | Lufkin | Angelina | 1984 | intersection of Frank (SH 94) and Ellis St., Lufkin | 18" x 28" | | Created by President Franklin Roosevelt and approved by an Act of Congress in 1933, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) provided youth employment programs during the Great Depression. The Lufkin CCC Camp, located near this site from 1933 until 1942, was administered by the Texas Forest Service. Young men helped to build roads and bridges, string telephone lines, and plant trees. The Lufkin CCC Camp proved to be instrumental in relieving unemployment but also helped revive the East Texas forest industry through its use of progressive forestry techniques. (1984)
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| 8711 | 5005008711 | 31.332875 | -94.731326 | Lufkin Foundry and Machine Company | Lufkin Foundry and Machine Company | 610 S. Raguet | Lufkin | Angelina | 1983 | | 18" x 28" | | Chartered in 1902 as a repair shop and parts supply house for local sawmills, Lufkin Foundry & Machine Company was begun by J. H. Kurth, Frank Kavanaugh, Sr., Frank Kavanaugh, Jr., Eli Wiener and Simon Henderson. Later, under the leadership of W. C. Trout, the company ventured into the oil industry and manufactured the first enclosed geared pumping unit. In 1926, Trout patented a counterbalanced crank that improved the pumping unit and made a name for the company worldwide. In 1939 the company added industrial gears and truck trailers to its product lines. (1983)
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| 8712 | 5005008712 | 0 | 0 | Site of the Town of Marion | Marion, Site of the Town of | | Huntington vicinity | Angelina | 1936 | 12 miles east of Huntington on SH 103, 2.5 miles north on CR (difficult to find) | 1936 Centennial - Subject Marker (gray granite) | | Site of the town of Marion, known as early as 1828 as McNeill's Landing. In 1831 it consisted of over 200 buildings. First county seat of Angelina County, 1846 - 1854. |
| 8713 | 5005008713 | 0 | 0 | Site of Martin Wagon Company | Martin Wagon Company, Site of | | Lufkin | Angelina | 1980 | Lufkin Ave. at Fourth St. (NE corner), Lufkin | 18" x 28" | Fair | Daniel Webster Martin (d. 1916) and his two sons opened a small wagon shop here in 1908. An inventor and designer, Martin developed various wagons for use in the lumber industry. In partnership with B. L. Zeagler, he incorporated the operation as the Martin Wagon Company in 1910. The business continued to prosper until the 1930s, when the Depression caused decreases in the demand for timber related products. Later acquired by the Lufkin Foundry and Machine Co., renamed Lufkin Industries in 1970, it became the basis of the company's trailer division. (1980)
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| 8714 | 5005008714 | 0 | 0 | Mount Calvary Baptist Church | Mount Calvary Baptist Church | 208 Calvary St. | Lufkin | Angelina | 1996 | | 18" x 28" | not surveyed | Mount Calvary Baptist Church was founded in 1892 when Ellen Grimes asked her employer for the use of a house as a church for African Americans in Keltys. The church's first pastor was the Rev. J. James. The congregation has occupied four different buildings. In 1948 the Angelina County Lumber Company deeded land for the church site. The congregation supports many community outreach programs and mission work in Africa. The Mount Calvary Baptist Church continues to serve the Lufkin area as it has for more than 100 years. (1996) |
| 8715 | 5005008715 | 0 | 0 | Old Diboll Library | Diboll Library, Old | 116 N. First St. | Diboll | Angelina | 1990 | 116 N. First St., at railroad tracks | 18" x 28" | | Built about 1908 by T. L. L. Temple for his Southern Pine Lumber Company employees, this building served for many years as a community library and recreation hall. While the lower floor included a reading room and recreational facilities, the upper floor contained living quarters used at various times by the Temple family, single male employees, and schoolteachers. The building was used as a Red Cross sewing room during World War I and as a food distribution point for needy families during the Depression. It later served as a residence and office. (1990)
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| 8716 | 5005008716 | 0 | 0 | Pine Grove Missionary Baptist Church | Pine Grove Missionary Baptist Church | | Diboll vicinity | Angelina | 1972 | 7 mi. east of Diboll on FM 1818 | 14" x 24" | | Organized 1872 by ten members from Lambert's Chapel. First pastor, J. S. Lambert; David Allbritton, clerk. Angelina Missionary Baptist Association was founded here, 1875. Veteran pastors: C. B. George, serving 25 years; O. P. Meadows, 15. (1972)
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| 8717 | 5005008717 | 0 | 0 | Pollok Baptist Church | Pollok Baptist Church | | Pollok | Angelina | 1996 | Paul Townsend Rd. (CR 4A) and SH 7, Pollock | 18" x 28" | | Founded as Warren Chapel Baptist Church in 1891, this congregation became known as Pollok Baptist Church in 1896. The first meeting place was shared by the Methodist and Presbyterian churches. Land acquired in 1906 by the Baptists was the site of the first church building. Early baptisms were performed in the Angelina River. Services were held once or twice monthly until 1945 when the first full-time pastor was called. Fire destroyed three church buildings in 1932, 1955, and 1960; the congregation rebuilt each time and continued to serve the area. (1996)
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| 8718 | 5005008718 | 0 | 0 | Prairie Grove | Prairie Grove | | Diboll vicinity | Angelina | 1996 | 5 mi. east of Diboll at intersection of FM 1818 and CR 263 | 18" x 28" | | The community of Prairie Grove began in 1845 and became a place for early settlers to gather. A cemetery began in 1849 when the young daughter of John M. and Caroline Stovall died. In the 1880s a school/church building was erected near the cemetery, and became the heart of the community. The church became the Prairie Grove Missionary Baptist Church in 1921, and a new schoolhouse was built that served the area until 1948 when the school was disbanded. The church and cemetery continue to serve the area after more than a century. (1996)
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| 8719 | 5005008719 | 0 | 0 | Redland Baptist Church | Redland Baptist Church | | Lufkin vicinity | Angelina | 1994 | 4 mi north of Lufkin on US 59, just south of the intersection of FM 2021 | 18" x 28" | | Liberty Baptist Church, established in the Redland community in 1859, became Redland Baptist Church after reorganizing in 1895. Worship services were held in a local schoolhouse until 1924 when the congregation built its first sanctuary. A new church building was erected in 1939, and in 1942 the first full-time pastor was called. Growth in church membership resulted in the construction of new facilities in 1960 and a larger sanctuary at this site in 1976. Redland Baptist serves the community with a variety of programs and supports a wide range of missionary work. (1994)
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| 8720 | 5005008720 | 0 | 0 | Ryan Chapel | Ryan Chapel | | Diboll vicinity | Angelina | 1964 | from Diboll, take US 59 1 mi. to FM 2497; go NW 1.1 mi. to church at intersection with FM 304 | 14" x 24" | | Founded 1866, after new settler, Rev. Isaac Ryan, had Methodist revival in home before occupying it. His brother John was one of 19 charter members. L. H. D. and Sallie Guinn gave 7.5 acres for church and cemetery. First 16 by 20-ft. church had puncheon seats and floor. First pastor, Rev. Henry Wright, was paid in bacon, corn, syrup. (1964)
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| 8721 | 5005008721 | 0 | 0 | Original Site of St. Cyprian's Episcopal Church | St. Cyprian's Episcopal Church, Original Site of | Second and Paul Streets | Lufkin | Angelina | 1983 | | 18" x 28" | | The first Episcopal service in Lufkin was held in 1893 by the Rev. George L. Crocket for the W. G. Garron and R. B. Shearer families. St. Mary's Mission was established in 1895 by the Rev. C. M. Beckwith, but the congregation did not have a permanent church building until 1906 when the structure on this site was erected and the name St. Cyprian's was adopted. The building was bricked in 1929 and later gutted by fire, after which the congregation moved to another location. St. Cyprian's original sanctuary stands today as Lufkin's oldest existing church building. (1983) |
| 9223 | 5021009223 | 29.965427 | -97.471647 | Rockne | Rockne | FM 535 | Rockne | Bastrop | 2006 | Sacred Heart Church in Rockne. | 27" x 42" | 2006 marker replaced 1988 marker. | Beginning as a farming community, Rockne traces its roots to German settlers who came to the area in the 1840s. In November 1846, the Daniel and Mortiz Lehman families arrived at Indianola, Texas from Schlesien, Prussia. They soon settled in this vicinity on Walnut Creek. Later, Andreas and Franz Meuth arrived from Wurges, Germany and settled on Sandy Creek. Also from Wurges, John Wilhelm, John Wolf, John Hartman and Philip Goertz arrived in 1856 and established farms along Walnut Creek.
In 1876, Philip Goertz and Michael Wolf donated land to area settlers to build the first Catholic church, Ascension of Christ Church. The building was destroyed by an arsonist's fire in 1891. The next year, on land donated by John T. Lehman, local residents established the Sacred Heart Church and Cemetery.
During its long history, the community has been known by many names. First called Walnut Creek because of its proximity to the stream, it was known as Lehman when a store and post office was established in 1900 with Martin Lehman as postmaster. The settlement later came to be called Hilbigville after William Hilbig and his sons opened a general store.
In 1931, the children of Sacred Heart School renamed the town in honor of Knute Rockne, renowned coach of Notre Dame University, who had died in a plane crash earlier that year.
Rockne continues to be a rural community, with Sacred Heart Catholic Church at its center. (2006) |
| 1669 | 5007001669 | 0 | 0 | First Baptist Church of Rockport | First Baptist Church of Rockport | 1515 N. Live Oak | Rockport | Aransas | 1991 | | 18" x 28" | Refinish | Organized in 1873, the First Baptist Church of Rockport originally was located on S. Church Street. L. D. Young served as the first pastor. The hurricane of 1919 destroyed the first church building, but the members built a new structure at the corner of Live Oak and Main Streets the following year. They joined with Rockport's Methodist and Episcopal congregations to form an ecumenical Sunday School. Throughout its history, the First Baptist Church of Rockport has served the community with a variety of worship, educational, and outreach programs. (1991) |
| 1767 | 5007001767 | 0 | 0 | First Methodist Church of Rockport | First Methodist Church of Rockport | 801 E. Main Street | Rockport | Aransas | 1991 | | 18" x 28" | None | The Methodist Church has been in existence in Rockport since about 1870. The Rev. H. G. Horton was assigned as pastor of the Rockport church in 1872. The original Methodist church building, erected at the corner of Live Oak and Bay Streets, was used by a number of other congregations until their own facilities were completed. The Methodists relocated to this site in 1914 and later built new structures to meet the needs of the growing membership. With an emphasis on educational programs, this church continues to be an integral part of the community. (1991) |
| 1799 | 5007001799 | 0 | 0 | First National Bank of Rockport | First National Bank of Rockport | | Rockport | Aransas | 1990 | Corner of Austin and Liberty Streets, Rockport. | 18" x 28" | Refinish | Chartered on October 8, 1890, the First National Bank of Aransas Pass (now Rockport) was organized by a group of businessmen led by John H. Traylor, James M. Hoopes, George W. Fulton, Jr., James C. Fulton, and Richard H. Wood. Located at Main and Water streets, the bank played a vital role in Rockport's growth and development. Its name was changed to First National Bank of Rockport in 1903. After surviving both the 1919 storm and the Great Depression, the bank moved to new quarters across the street from its first location in 1958, and to this site in 1974. (1990) |
| 1846 | 5007001846 | 0 | 0 | First Presbyterian Church of Rockport | First Presbyterian Church of Rockport | 514 N. Live Oak Street | Rockport | Aransas | 1991 | 514 N. Live Oak Street, Rockport. | 18" x 28" | None | This congregation traces its history to 1869. Although deactivated in 1879, it was reorganized with twenty charter members in 1889. The members met in facilities provided by other churches until their first house of worship was completed at Market and S. Magnolia streets about 1906-07. After surviving several hurricanes, the church moved to this site in 1949. An integral part of local history for over a century, First Presbyterian Church counts among its members many community leaders and descendants of its founding families. (1991) |
| 2080 | 5007002080 | 28.064838 | -97.040798 | Fulton | Fulton | Fulton City Hall, 205 N. 7th Street | Fulton | Aransas | 1988 | Fulton City Hall, 205 N. Seventh Street, Fulton. | 18" x 28" | Refinish/local effort | Located on Aransas Bay, the city of Fulton has a history closely associated with the fishing and shipping industry. The town was founded in 1867 by George Ware Fulton, whose mansion is an important local landmark. Schools, churches, and businesses were quickly established in the town. A one-room schoolhouse, built in 1886, was relocated and adapted for use as a city hall. In recent years tourism and commercial fishing and shrimping have become the city's most important economic pursuits. The city of Fulton was incorporated in 1978. (1988) |
| 4536 | 5015004536 | 0 | 0 | San Felipe de Austin | San Felipe de Austin | | San Felipe | Austin | 1964 | FM 1458 right-of-way, San Felipe | 27" x 42" | Refinish | First Anglo-American capital of Texas. Came into being on July 26, 1828, as capital of the Austin Colony, by decree of the Mexican government. Father of Texas Stephen F. Austin had begun under the 1821 grant from Mexico the settlement of more than 1,000 families. The original colony ran from the coast on the south to the old San Antonio Road on the north, and from the Lavaca River on the west to the San Jacinto River on the east. In this first American town in Texas lived Austin, William Barret Travis, Sam Houston, David G. Burnet and Jane Long. All settlers crossed its threshold for land grants.
After the organization of other colonies, this continued to be the recognized center of Texas. It was capital of the Mexican Department of Brazos, site of the Conventions of 1832 and 1833 and the Consultation of 1835 where Texans aired grievances and tried to reach understanding with Mexico. The provisional government created with Henry Smith as governor in 1835 functioned here until it gave way to the convention declaring Texas independent of Mexico on March 2, 1836. (1964) |
| 4537 | 5015004537 | 0 | 0 | San Felipe de Austin Cemetery | San Felipe de Austin Cemetery | 3830 Campo Santos St. | San Felipe | Austin | 1993 | | 27" x 42" | None | San Felipe de Austin was established in 1824 as the community and administrative headquarters of Stephen F. Austin's original Anglo American colony in Texas. The site for the township was chosen by Austin and the Baron Felipe Enrique Neri de Bastrop.
The original 1824 Mexican charter for San Felipe de Austin contains a survey which set aside this site for cemetery purposes. Although the earliest documented interment is that of Elisebath J. Eidman in 1846, historical references to earlier deaths in the community suggest burials here prior to that year.
The cemetery consists of a fenced Anglo section containing about 370 grave sites and an adjacent, separately fenced, African American section containing an estimated 200 grave sites, at least three of which are known to be those of former slaves.
From the time of its establishment in 1824 San Felipe de Austin Cemetery was maintained by the town of San Felipe de Austin until 1966. Since that year the town has added land to the cemetery and transferred its ownership and care to two community cemetery associations comprised of descendants of persons interred here. Many of this area's early pioneers and leaders are buried here. (1993) |
| 4623 | 5015004623 | 0 | 0 | Sealy | Sealy | 415 Main St. | Sealy | Austin | 1991 | | 27" x 42" | None | Founded in 1879 on the route of the Gulf, Colorado, and Santa Fe Railroad, Sealy was named for Galveston businessman and railroad president George Sealy (1835-1901). By January 1880 a depot was established here, and both freight and passenger service were inaugurated. Sealy became a main division point between Galveston and Temple, and the railroad was the town's principal employer.
In addition to the depot, Sealy was the site of a roundhouse, wooden turntable, and machine shops. By August 1880 two passenger trains and two freight trains passed through the town daily. Sealy soon boasted numerous homes and businesses, including hotels, retail stores, factories, cotton gins, and grist mills. The citizens organized a public school and a number of churches.
By 1899 the Santa Fe Railroad division point was moved to Bellville, causing Sealy's economic base to shift to agriculture. The Missouri, Kansas, and Texas (Katy) Railroad had built a line through here in 1892, however, and the Cane Belt Railroad, linking Sealy to Matagorda, began operations in 1903. Diversified businesses kept the town thriving, and in 1949 the citizens of Sealy voted to incorporate. (1991) |
| 4624 | 5015004624 | 0 | 0 | Sealy Cemetery | Sealy Cemetery | | Sealy | Austin | 1993 | Main Street, West End, Sealy | 27" x 42" | None | In 1879 Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway Company agent George Sealy purchased 11,635 acres at this location from the township of San Felipe de Austin for the purpose of establishing a railroad depot. The village of Sealy soon developed around the depot and on July 5, 1883, it recorded its first burial here, that of the infant Annie Fowlkes.
Families that settled in Sealy purchased cemetery plots directly from the railroad until the company donated the land to cemetery trustees C.H. Ruff, R.P. Josey, and John Hackbarth in 1887.
The Sealy Cemetery Association was founded sometime prior to 1898 and officially chartered in 1924. The laides of the cemetery society, organized in 1904, helped the association cultivate community support to upgrade and maintain the cemetery. Two notable society members, Mrs. J.W. (Vera) Ripple and Mrs. Paul (Mahala) Hackbarth helped organize a Christmas bazaar fundraising event in the 1930's that developed into an important annual social affair in the community.
Among the more than 2,400 grave sites are those of many of Sealy's early residents. The cemetery boasts a variety of gravestones and statuary and includes two mausoleums. (1993) |
| 4666 | 5015004666 | 0 | 0 | Shelburne-Reinecker House | Shelburne-Reinecker House | 402 S. Masonic St. | Bellville | Austin | 1994 | | Medallion and Plate | None | This house began as a one story residence built in 1882 by prominent lawyer, stage legislator, and merchant James Henry Shelburne (1845-1904) and his wife Mary Ann Perkins. Their heirs sold the house to William and Bertha Reinecker in 1912. The Reineckers added a second story, wraparound porch, and indoor plumbing in 1913, transforming the farm house into a prairie school design-influenced bungalow. The house remained in the Reinecker family until 1981.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1994 |
| 4668 | 5015004668 | 0 | 0 | David Shelby | Shelby, David | | Industry vicinity | Austin | 1936 | 10 miles northwest of Industry via SH 159 and FM 1457, on Old Shelby Farm | 1936 Centennial Marker (gray granite) | N/A | Came to Texas in 1822 with Austin's first colony born in Pennsylvania April 19, 1799, died March 1, 1872. |
| 5384 | 5017005384 | 0 | 0 | The Mule | Mule | | Muleshoe | Bailey | 1965 | north side of US 84 between Main & 1st Street | 18" x 28" | slightly faded; refinish | Without ancestral pride or hope for offspring, the mule -- along with buffalo, hound and longhorn -- made Texas history. In war he carried cannon on his back. Because he was available to haul freight, forts rose on frontiers. Indians ate horses hitched to cart or coach, but let tough mule meat go by.
His small hooves scaled rock and steep untrod by horse or ox, but big ears endangered him in lake or river. He went fast, endured much, ate sparingly.
Since beginning of Christian era, has helped all over world to bear burdens of mankind. (1965) |
| 5456 | 5017005456 | 0 | 0 | XIT Ranch South Line | XIT Ranch South Line | | Muleshoe vicinity | Bailey | 1970 | from Muleshoe take SH 214, about 3.2 miles to marker site | 18" x 28" | slightly faded; repaint | (About 100 feet south of this marker)
One of most famous boundaries in Texas. Marked edge of XIT -- ranch empire bartered away by Texas for its Capitol building.
The 16th Legislature in 1879 designated a 3,000,000-acre tract to be used in payment for the Capitol. The grant extended 200 miles north from line here. Besides portion in this county, it included lands in counties of Castro, Cochran, Dallam, Deaf Smith, Hartley, Hockley, Lamb, Oldham, and Parmer. Heading the investors who built the Capitol were wealthy Chicago merchants, John V. and C. B. Farwell. Their surveying was begun in 1886. (1970) |
| 11719 | 5017011719 | 0 | 0 | Bailey County Cemetery | Bailey County Cemetery | | Muleshoe vicinity | Bailey | 1999 | 3 mi. NW of Muleshoe on US 84; 2.5 mi. W on FM 2079 | 18" x 28" | | When Mariah "Aunt Rye" Long died in 1918, Emil and Anna Wellsandt offered a parcel of their land on this site for use as a public burial ground. Several others were buried in 1918, most of them victims of the influenza epidemic. The Bailey County Cemetery Association was formed that year. The cemetery served primarily the northern part of the county. The "hill-top" area of the cemetery was established in 1950 for the burial of indigents. Many early Bailey County settlers are interred in this cemetery, as are a number of war veterans. Neglect and vandalism spurred the defunct cemetery association to reorganize in 1996. The Bailey County Cemetery remains a chronicle of the area's pioneer settlers and their descendants. (1999) |
| 290 | 5019000290 | 0 | 0 | Bandera County | Bandera County | | Bandera | Bandera | 1936 | From Bandera, take Highway 16 West about .8 miles to roadside marker. | 1936 Centennial - Highway Marker (pink granite) | Refinish plaque. | A strategic Indian point in early days. Rangers and Comanches struggled here in 1843. In 1854 Elder Lyman Wight settled Mormon Colony. In 1855 Poles settled here. From early days a part of Bexar County, created and organized in 1856. Bandera, the County Seat founded by John James, Charles de Montel and John Herndon in 1853. |
| 291 | 5019000291 | 0 | 0 | Bandera County Courthouse | Bandera County Courthouse | 504 Main St. | | Bandera | 1972 | 504 Main Street (Highway 16) | Medallion and Plate | None | First permanent courthouse for county, which was organized in 1856, but used makeshift quarters for offices and courtrooms until this building was erected 1890-91. Style is local version of the Second Renaissance Revival. White limestone for the structure was quarried locally. B.F. Trester of San Antonio drew the plans--for $5. Contractors: Ed Braden & Sons. Interior was remodeled and a wing added in 1966.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1972. |
| 4492 | 5027004492 | 0 | 0 | Salado Church of Christ | Salado Church of Christ | | Salado | Bell | 1988 | Blacksmith Road and Stagecoach Road, Salado. | 18" x 28" | None | Founded in March 1859, this congregation first met in a brush arbor on the north bank of Salado Creek. The first two elders were James Anderson and J.W. Vickrey, both of whom were instrumental in the organization of Salado College. A frame sanctuary, erected on North Main Street in 1875, was destroyed by fire in 1908. A second frame structure served the congregation until 1961, when it was replaced by a brick sanctuary. A new building was erected in 1988. This church has served the people of Salado for over a century. (1988) |
| 4493 | 5027004493 | 0 | 0 | Salado Creek | Salado Creek | | Salado | Bell | 1967 | south end of Salado Bridge on Main St., Salado. | 18" x 28" | Refinish | Gushing limestone springs, abundant fish, flowers, and trees have long made the banks of Salado Creek a good home site. Indians camped beside stream; Spanish explorers named it; the first Anglo-American settler was Archibald Willingham, 1851. College and town of Salado were built on creek, 1860. Stream once had 8 mills, thus was county industrial center. Chisholm Cattle Trail crossed it, as did Dallas-San Antonio Stage Line. The 35-mile creek is one of many which rise at the Balcones Fault--an outstanding North American region of springs.
Recorded Texas Natural Landmark - 1967 |
| 4494 | 5027004494 | 0 | 0 | Salado Methodist Church | Salado Methodist Church | | Salado | Bell | 1969 | NE corner of Stage Coach and Church Streets, Salado. | Medallion & Plate | None. | Building erected 1890 for a congregation organized 1854 at site on Salado Creek. Circuit riders serving congregation included the Rev. J.E. Ferguson, father of a Texas governor. Building committee for this church: J.L. Bailey, W.H. Cawthon, J.M. Porter. Charlie Bailey and Wallie Harkey drove wagons to haul the lumber from Austin, about 50 miles to the south. Original members' families still worship here.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1969 |
| 4562 | 5027004562 | 0 | 0 | Sanderford Log Cabin | Sanderford Log Cabin | | Belton | Bell | 1967 | 5 miles W. of Belton, Texas on old Killeen Highway | 18" x 28" | N/A | One of earliest homes in Nolan Valley community. Built when he moved to Texas in 1867 by John Rice Sanderford (1841-1923), a veteran of the Civil War.
Birthplace, 1895, of John Roy Sanderford, State Senator from this district from 1933 to 1937.
Settler John Rice Sanderford was father of 12 children. First wife, Elvira Keith, for whom he built this cabin of hand-hewn Oak Logs, died in 1884; his second wife was Emily Viola Lacy. The descendants are area leaders in civic and business life.
Cabin restored by youngest son, Judge T.E. Sanderford, 1964.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1967. |
| 4578 | 5027004578 | 0 | 0 | Santa Fe Depot | Santa Fe Depot | 1 Santa Fe Plaza | Killeen | Bell | 1990 | Between N. 4th and N. Gray Sts. on Santa Fe Plaza St. | 18" x 28" | None | Founded in 1882 as a shipping point on the Gulf, Colorado, and Santa Fe Railroad, Killeen was named for railroad official Frank P. Killeen. After the first depot was destroyed by fire, Santa Fe workers used standard plans to build this structure in 1913. The presence of the rail line was instrumental in the U.S. Army's decision to build camp Hood (later Fort Hood) during World War II. After the railroad took the depot out of active service, the city acquired it in 1982 and moved it to this site 350 feet west and 130 feet north of its original location. (1990) |
| 4384 | 5029004384 | 29.464153 | -98.466835 | Ruiz House | Ruiz House | | San Antonio | Bexar | 1962 | Brackenridge Park at the Witte Musuem, Broadway, San Antonio | Medallion Only | N/A | N/A |
| 4385 | 5029004385 | 29.417146 | -98.511096 | Colonel Jose Francisco Ruiz | Ruiz, Col. Jose Francisco | | | Bexar | 1963 | At Ruiz Family cemtery, in San Fernando Cemetery no. 1, Vera Cruz St., San Antonio | 1936 Centennial Marker (gray granite) | straighten/local effort | Col. Jose Francisco Ruiz, officer in the Mexican Army, 1831; signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence, 1836; senator of the first Congress of the Republic, 1836-37. Born in San Antonio January 29, 1783; died January 20, 1840. |
| 4386 | 5029004386 | 29.42591 | -98.494116 | Jose Francisco Ruiz | Ruiz, Jose Francisco | | San Antonio | Bexar | 1973 | Delorosa St., S. Side of Military Plaza, San Antonio | 27" x 42" | refinish | Jose Francisco Ruiz (January 29, 1783-January 20, 1840) One of two native Texans who signed declaration of Independence and helped found Republic of Texas. Ruiz, born in San Antonio, son of a wealthy rancher, was educator in Spain. Upon returning home, he was appointed school teacher by order of the cabildo (city government). He marred Josepha Hernandez, of one of city's founding families; had two children. Ruiz became an officer in the revolutionary Army of the Mexican people opposing Spanish rule, 1811-1815; shared in defeat; and had to flee for his life to the United States. After freedom was won, he and his family returned (1822) and he became an officer in the republican army. Assumption of dictorial powers by Santa Anna (1830s) caused Ruiz to join other Texans in opposition. He was elected delegate from Bexar to the March 1836 convention at Washington-on-the-Brazos. There he became one of the three men of Spanish blood to sign the Texas Declaration of Independence. Late in 1836 he was seated in the first Congress of the Republic of Texas as first Senator from Bexar District. In tribute to Ruiz, the state of Texas has marked his gravesite and moved his house from Dolorosa street for preservation on grounds of Witte Museum. |
| 4387 | 5029004387 | 29.273839 | -98.610683 | Ruiz-Herrara Cemetery | Ruiz-Herrara Cemetery | | | Bexar | 1967 | From San Antonio, take I-35 south exit Somersett road and follow under 410 to Fisher-Howard intersection. Go left on Quesenberry and proceed until about 300yards before dead end. | 14" x 24" | none | Started in 1840's still used by founding families. Graves include those of Texas patriots Francisco Antonio Ruiz, 1836 acting mayor, whos father and uncle signed declaration in Independence; and Blas Herrera, who alerted the Alamo defenders to Santa Anna's approach. |
| 2828 | 5031002828 | 0 | 0 | L. B. J. Boyhood Home | J., L. B., Boyhood Home | | Johnson City | Blanco | 1965 | 9th and G Sts. in Johnson City | 18" x 28" | Refinish | Sam Ealy Johnson Jr. (1877-1937) and his wife Rebekah Baines Johnson (1881-1958) bought this residence in 1913. Sam, an educator and six-term Texas legislator, and Rebekah, an educator and journalist, raised five children here. The frame house was built in 1901, with simple Classical details and decorative bargeboards of milled wood. Each wing is one room deep for light and ventilation. Various porches, open and enclosed, indicate additions over the years. In 1937, the Johnson's eldest son, Lyndon (1908-1973), launched his first campaign for Congress, and his ascent to the U.S. presidency, from the east porch.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1965. |
| 2829 | 5031002829 | 0 | 0 | James Polk Johnson Building | Johnson, James Polk, Building | | Johnson City | Blanco | 1992 | 7th Street and Nugent Avenue in Johnson City | 18" x 28" | none | Built by Johnson City founder James Polk Johnson (1845-1885), this structure has housed a variety of businesses and served as a community gathering place. In addition to serving as a community hall, opera house, and meeting place for churches and community groups, the structure was occupied by such commercial enterprises as banks, general stores, hotels, restaurants, and business offices. When the Blanco County seat moved to Johnson City in 1890 this building became a temporary county courthouse and jail. Former president Lyndon Johnson maintained an office here for a short time. (1992) |
| 2835 | 5031002835 | 0 | 0 | James Polk Johnson | Johnson, James Polk | | Johnson City | Blanco | 1989 | 7th Street and Avenue L in Johnson city (Johnson Family Cemetery) | 18" x 28" | Refinish | (August 24, 1845-October 20, 1885)
A native of Georgia, James Polk Johnson came to Texas with his family and grew up in DeWitt County. Following his service in the Confederate army during the Civil War, he moved to Blanco County to join his uncles in the cattle business. He bought the business in 1871 and became successful in his own right. In 1879 he founded a new town, Johnson City, on the Pedernales River and was instrumental in its development. His dream of making Johnson City the seat of Blanco County was not realized until 1891, six years after his death. (1989) |
| 3231 | 5031003231 | 0 | 0 | Elitha Smith Martin | Martin, Elitha Smith | | Round Mountain | Blanco | 1974 | from Round Mountain, 1/10 mile east of US 281 on RR 962; marker is on right off highway in front of white building | 18" x 28" | None | (Jan. 30, 1830-Aug. 10, 1899)
Prominent local businesswoman; born in Patrick County, Virginia, she married John Martin (1826-69) on June 27, 1848. The couple came to Texas in 1856 with 4 children and settled in Llano County, where 5 more children were born. After John Martin's death, Mrs. Martin and the younger children moved here and built a 2-story hotel (100 yards east), a livery stable, and a general mercantile store.
On December 4, 1879, Mrs. Martin was appointed postmaster and served in that position until May 16, 1896, keeping the post office in the store. She was buried beside her husband in Llano County. (1974) |
| 3284 | 5031003284 | 0 | 0 | Jesse L. McCrocklin | McCrocklin, Jesse L. | | Blanco | Blanco | 1972 | Blanco Cemetery, located at Callaghan and Chandler Street, grave is directly behind brick building on Callaghan Street, in Blanco | Grave Marker | None | (November 8, 1800-March 22, 1888)
Born in Kentucky. Moved to Texas in 1833. In Texas Revolution he fought in Siege of Bexar (1835) and Battle of San Jacinto (1836). In 1842 took part in Somervell Expedition against Mexico.
Resided at Washington-on-the Brazos, present Kendall County; finally settled on his land grant in Blanco County. Worked as stock raiser, farmer, and blacksmith. Was member of the Masonic Order.
Married Isabella Harris (1812-1902). They had four or more children.
Recorded - 1972 |
| 12984 | 5035012984 | 0 | 0 | Site of Clifton Mill | Clifton Mill, Site of | SH 6 at Riverside | Clifton | Bosque | 2003 | N on SH 6, then E 0.6 mi. on Riverside | 27" x 42" | | In 1857, R.G. Grant of Coryell County built a wooden mill at this site, using the waters of the Bosque River to power his operation. Two years later, the property transferred to J.H. Stinnett, and the mill building was used as a commissary and storehouse for the Confederate Army during the Civil War, 1861-1865. Stinnett sold the mill to William L. Kemp in 1867, and Kemp tore down the mill and built a new one of stone.
Kemp's mill supplied flour and cornmeal to Texas frontier settlements. Ox carts hauling the flour and meal traveled in groups to places like Brownwood, Camp San Saba or forts Concho, McKavett, Mason, Griffin and Chadbourne. In the late 1870s and early 1880s, former U.S. senator and governor of Texas Richard Coke had an interest in the mill. He and his partners sold their interest in 1883.
From 1890 to 1901, the mill operated under the name of Clifton Steam and Water. Renovations during this time added to its picturesque quality, including a third story above the unusual S-curve Mansard roof, as well as a cupola housing the grain elevator.
The water-powered mill had an auxiliary steam plant for power during low stages of the river and dry seasons. In 1909, the Clifton Electric Light Company purchased the mill and converted it to an electric power plant, but they sold it in 1911. The mill sat vacant until it was purchased and demolished in 1915. The City of Clifton bought the site in the 1960s.
Despite its demolition in the early 20th century, the mill building survives in memory and photographs. Here, early settlers used the power of the river to feed and power Texas' burgeoning frontier.
(2003) |
| 13078 | 5035013078 | #N/A | #N/A | Graves-Payne House | Graves-Payne House | SH 174, CR 1140 | Morgan | Bosque | 2004 | 5.3 mi. NE on SH 174, then right on CR 1140 | Medallion & Plate | | This home dates to the ownership of the Aaron S. Graves family, who lived in Kentucky and Missouri before settling here in the Union Hill community of Bosque County by the 1870s. A carved limestone brick in the fireplace indicates the house was built in 1876. From 1940 to 1973, it was home to the family of Shelton Payne, a Georgia native who farmed the land. The vernacular stone structure, typical of pioneer homes of the area, features gabled dormers, a hipped roof, a double-pen floor plan, low windows with segmented arches above and a chimney. The farmstead includes a windmill, a cistern and storeroom, and a well.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2004 |
| 13086 | 5035013086 | #N/A | #N/A | Iredell First United Methodist Church | Iredell First United Methodist Church | 301 Eastland St | Iredell | Bosque | 2004 | 301 Eastland St | 18" x 28" | | In 1869, Methodists in the Iredell area began worshipping at Hester Schoolhouse, a building used by both Baptists and Methodists for services. The Rev. Peter W. Gravis served as pastor. Two years later, the Methodist congregation moved toe Wills Chapel, a half mile east of present Iredell, on land donated by Dr. J.S. Wills for a church and campground. In the late 1870s, members moved the Wills chapel to a site in town. The growing Methodist Church increased in membership and in facilities throughout the next 100 years. Members also established programs and groups to support the congregation and the local community. (2004) |
| 9469 | 5037009469 | 0 | 0 | Bowie County | Bowie County | | New Boston vicinity | Bowie | 1936 | 2 mi. east of New Boston on US 82 in roadside park | 1936 Centennial - Highway Marker (pink granite) | not surveyed | Original text (1936): In 1836 a part of Red River County. Created December 17, 1840; organized February 1, 1841.
Named in honor of James Bowie, 1785-1836; member of Long's Expedition, defender of Texas liberty, a martyr of the Alamo.
Old Boston, 1841, Texarkana and New Boston have served as county seat.
Replacement text (1971): Named for James Bowie (1799-1836), who fought for Texas freedom from 1819, when he joined the Long Expedition, to 1836-- when he died in defense of the Alamo.
Inhabited before 1800 by agricultural Indians, charted 1819 for Anglo-American settlement, this was Red River County land when Texas Republic was founded in 1836.
Bowie County was created Dec. 18, 1840; organized Feb. 1, 1841. County seats: DeKalb, Old Boston, Texarkana, and Boston.
Forceful citizens joined in beginning railroad construction in 1857. economy is based on agriculture, lumber, manufacturing.
Erected by the State of Texas - 1971 |
| 9471 | 5037009471 | 0 | 0 | Central Christian Church | Central Christian Church | 903 Walnut St. | Texarkana | Bowie | 1987 | | Medallion & Plate | Good | Founded in 1883 with the Rev. J. C. Mason as first pastor, the Central Christian Church congregation built this structure in 1932. Construction was supervised by architect and church member E. C. Seibert (1878-1941), who used carefully placed bricks to achieve a distinctive pattern. Of Tudor Gothic Revival style, the basilica-plan sanctuary with cast-stone details and pointed-arch windows is connected to an educational wing by a pointed-arch arcade.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1987 |
| 9224 | 5021009224 | 0 | 0 | Governor J. D. Sayers | Sayers, J. D., Governor | Fairveiw Cemetery, off SH 95 | Bastrop | Bastrop | 1978 | Fairview Cemetery off SH 95 in Bastrop, near 2nd flag pole | Grave Marker | Poor; Refinish | (September 23, 1841 - May 15, 1929)
Joseph Draper Sayers moved to Bastrop with his father, Dr. David Sayers in 1851. His battlefield valor won him post of adjutant general of the Confederate Army in the Civil War. He married Ada Walton, and after Ada died, Orline (Lena) Walton. He was a Mason, a Methodist layman, a civic leader, and a lawyer. In 1873 he served as state senator from Bastrop. He was lieutenant governor, 1879-81; United States congressman, 1885-99; and governor of Texas, 1899-1903.
Recorded - 1978
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| 9226 | 5021009226 | 0 | 0 | Governor Sayers House | Sayers, Governor, House | 1703 Wilson St. | Bastrop | Bastrop | 1971 | 1703 Wilson St. | Medallion & Plate | Good | This Greek Revival residence was constructed in 1868 by Joseph D. Sayers (1841-1929) for his bride Ada Walton. Sayers had moved to Texas from Mississippi with his father in 1851. After serving in the Civil War as a Confederate officer, he returned to Bastrop to teach school and practice law. An active political leader, Sayers was a state senator, lieutenant governor, and U. S. congressman prior to his two terms as the Governor of Texas, 1899-1903.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1971 |
| 9227 | 5021009227 | 0 | 0 | Sayers - Walton Ranch House | Sayers - Walton Ranch House | 23 mi. SW on Old San Antonio-Nacogdoches Rd. | Bastrop | Bastrop | 1982 | 23 miles southwest of Bastrop, on Old San Antonio-Nacogdoches Rd. | 18" x 28" | not surveyed | Mississippi native Joseph D. Sayers (1841-1929) came to Bastrop County with his family in 1850. After serving in the Civil War, he returned to Bastrop and opened a law office with George W. Jones. An active political leader, Sayers served in a number of elected offices, including state senator, Lt. Governor, U. S. congressman and Governor of Texas. He and his brother-in-law George Walton established a 3998-acre ranching operation here in 1868. The Sayers-Walton Ranch house was built prior to 1880 and served as the Walton home until 1899, when the land was subdivided and sold. (1982) |
| 9228 | 5021009228 | 30.146869 | -97.066893 | Stephen Scallorn | Scallorn, Stephen | 7 mi. W on FM 2571 right-of-way | Smithville | Bastrop | 1981 | 7 mi. west of Smithville on FM 2571 right-of-way near Upton | 27" x 42" | Poor; Refinish | Maryland native Stephen Scallorn (1787-1887) lived in Kentucky and Tennessee, where he practiced medicine and was active in the Primitive Baptist Church, before moving to Texas. He was attracted to the Republic by the favorable accounts of his oldest son John Wesley Scallorn, who had served with the Texas Army at the Battle of San Jacinto.
Stephen Scallorn and his brother William came to Texas with their families in 1837-38 and settled in the vicinity of Plum Creek in Fayette County. There they were instrumental in the formation of the Hopewell Baptist church, an important early church in Texas. Later divided by doctrinal disagreements, the brothers helped form separate fellowships.
Two of Scallorn's sons, John Wesley and Elam, died in defense of the Republic. Members of Capt. Nicholas Dawson's outfit, they were attacked by Mexican forces near San Antonio in 1842 and killed.
Scallorn remained active in church organization and helped establish an Upton congregation at the age of 98. Twice married and the father of 14 children, he lived in Bastrop County with his son Francis. Stephen Scallorn died at the age of 100 and was buried in the nearby Scallorn Family Cemetery. (1981) |
| 905 | 5027000905 | 0 | 0 | Clark House | Clark House | 520 S. Main | Belton | Bell | 1982 | | Medallion and Plate | None | Built in the early 1890s, this house was deeded by prominent Belton businessman Peter Hammersmith to his son, John Peter, as a wedding gift in 1895. The property was sold to Sophie Clark, widow of a Rogers lumberman, in 1899. During World War II, the home was converted to a duplex to help ease the housing shortage at Fort Hood (19 mi.W).
Featuring semi-circular shingle bargeboards, the house remained in the Clark family for over eighty years.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1982 |
| 909 | 5027000909 | 0 | 0 | Claudia Potter, M.D. | Potter, Claudia, M.D. | 1601 N. Main St. | Temple | Bell | 1997 | at burial site in Hillcrest Cemetery | Grave Marker | None | (February 3, 1881-February 2, 1970) Born in Denton County, Claudia Potter was one of eight children of William T. C. and Laura Smith Potter. A graduate of the University of Texas Medical Branch in 1904, Dr. Potter was the first woman doctor at Scott and White Hospital, and was a pioneering physician in the medical specialty of anesthesiology. Dr. Potter excelled at her career and was widely respected. After 41 years at Scott and White, she retired in 1947.
Recorded - 1997 |
| 928 | 5027000928 | 0 | 0 | Cochran, Blair and Potts Department Store | Cochran, Blair and Potts Department Store | 221 E. Central Ave. | Belton | Bell | 1995 | | 27" x 42" | None | Henry Mansfield Cook opened his first store in Centerville, Texas, in 1869, and in 1874 established the firm of H.M. Cook & Company with his son-in-law, Thomas W. Cochran. The firm moved to Buffalo, Texas, in 1876. Their mercantile business stocked dry goods, hardware, drugs, coffins, and included a lumberyard. The firm relocated to Belton in 1883 and opened a store at this site in 1884. Cook's son, Thomas A., joined the firm in 1896 and the business became known as Cook, Cochran, & Company.
In 1904, three years after the death of H.M. Cook, Cochran's son, Harry T., and his son-in-law, Jesse S. Blair, purchased Thomas Cook's interest in the firm and the business became known as T.W. Cochran and Company. T.W. Cochran died in 1910 and his son-in-law, Arthur H. Potts, became a partner in the company. In 1917 the firm became known as Cochran, Blair, & Potts.
Though the firm's inventory was destroyed by fire in 1928 the business reopened in 1929 under the management of J.S. Blair, H.T. Cochran, A.H. Potts, H.E. Blair, and Roy Campbell Potts. The corporation was dissolved in 1938 and the business became a partnership owned by members of the Cochran, Blair, and Potts families. The firm, which became solely owned by descendants of Roy Campbell Potts in 1970, was incorporated in 1977.
Sesquicentennial of Texas Statehood 1845-1995 |
| 990 | 5027000990 | 0 | 0 | Comanche Gap | Comanche Gap | | Nolanville vicinity | Bell | 1967 | At the intersection of Comanche Gap Rd and FM 2410, 2 miles SW of Nolanville | 18" x 28" | N/A | Break in mountain chain from Lampasas River to Nolan Creek. Route to one of oldest Indian trails in Southwest, and escape point for Comanches after last raid in Bell County. On March 14-16, 1859, the Indians killed four settlers, including John and Jane Riggs. They captured Rhoda and Margaret, daughters of the Riggses, but abandoned them here at the gap as they fled from a posse.
Public feeling after this raid led to a campaign against the Comanches, led by Maj. Earl Van Dorn, commanding U.S. Cavalry.
Recorded Texas Historical Landmark, 1967 |
| 1104 | 5027001104 | 0 | 0 | John Robert Craddock | Craddock, John Robert | | Rogers vicinity | Bell | 1988 | From Rogers, take FM 2184 SW about 4.8 miles to County Line Road, go SE on County Line Road about 1.4 mile then go 1 mile south on CR. Cemetery is about 150 yards on west side. | Grave Marker | N/A | John Robert Craddock came to Texas from Kentucky in June 1833. He served in the Republic of Texas Army in 1836 and fought at the Battle of San Jacinto. He settled in this area soon after he arrived in Texas and in 1840 married Amanda Childers. They were the parents of thirteen children, some of whom are buried here in unmarked graves. Craddock ws interred in the family plot in 1891. His wife was buried next to him in 1900.
Recorded - 1988 |
| 463 | 5035000463 | 0 | 0 | Bosque County | Bosque County | | Meridian | Bosque | 1936 | .7 miles west of Meridian on SH 22 | 1936 Centennial - Highway Marker (pink granite) | N/A | Named for the Bosque (Spanish for "woods") River. The territory now part of this county was traversed in 1841 by the Texan-Santa Fe Expedition. Maj. George B. Erath, noted surveyor and soldier, explored the region prior to its settlement. The first colonists established homes in 1850-51. Among the national groups who immigrated here were the English (at Kent), Norwegians (at Norse and elsewhere), and the Germans (in eastern part of county).
Formally created and organized in 1854, Bosque county has traditionally had farming-ranching economy. The Chisholm cattle trail crossed the area in the 1870s.
Erected by the State of Texas - 1973 |
| 464 | 5035000464 | 0 | 0 | Bosque County Courthouse | Bosque County Courthouse | | Meridian | Bosque | 1965 | at courthouse square, SH 22, Meridian | Medallion and Plate | N/A | Limestone quarried from nearby hills. Gothic styling. Clock tower modified, 1935, to strengthen roof. Unique iron stairs and railing remain.
County's fourth courthouse. First, in 1854, was one-room log cabin.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1965. |
| 481 | 5035000481 | 0 | 0 | Boyhood Home of John A. Lomax | Lomax, John A., Boyhood Home of | | Meridian | Bosque | 1970 | from Meridian, take SH 144 north about 1 mile to marker in picnic area. | 18" x 28" | N/A | Only a log kitchen now marks the homesite of John Lomax, one of the foremost collectors of American folksongs. Here, on part of the Chisholm Trail, young Lomax heard cowboys crooning and yodeling to restless herds; Negro servants taught him jig tunes, chants, work songs, and calls; and on winter nights his family sang songs and swapped stories around a blazing fire.
Lomax began to write down this music while still a boy; and when he left Bosque County at age 20, he carried with him a roll of cowboy ballads -- the nucleus of his lifelong work. (1970) |
| 717 | 5035000717 | 0 | 0 | Captain J. J. Cureton, C.S.A. | Cureton, Captain J. J., C.S.A. | | Walnut Springs | Bosque | 1964 | Walnut Springs Park, south side of town on SH 144, Walnut Springs | 18" x 28" | refinish-on highway | (1826-1881) Indian fighter, lawman and rancher. Settled on the Palo Pinto County frontier, 1854. Led neighbors in defending homes during Indian raids.
In 1860 helped rescue Cynthia Ann Parker, who had been taken 24 years before by Comanches.
Captain in frontier troops during Civil War, defending northwest Texas from Indians and northern invasion. Camp Cureton, Archer County C.S.A. outpost, was named for him.
Sheriff of Bosque County, 1876-80. Grave is on Flat Top Ranch, near here. (1964) |
| 775 | 5035000775 | 0 | 0 | Cedron Cemetery and School | Cedron Cemetery and School | | Lakeside Village vicinity | Bosque | 1990 | 5.2 miles south of Lakeside Village on FM 56 | 27" x 42" | N/A | Settlement of northeastern Bosque County began in the 1850s, as people traveling west through the area were attracted to the fertile lands along Cedron Creek. Among the first community projects of the new neighbors was the construction of a school building. A one-room cedar structure, it was also used for church and social gatherings.
The original schoolhouse was replaced in the 1930s by a newer frame structure. Like its predecessor, it also served as a church and community center. The school was consolidated with other area schools in 1938, and the building later was dismantled.
A community cemetery (about one-half miles west) was established on land adjacent to the school building. Although there may have been earlier, undocumented burials, the oldest marked grave is that of school teacher J. T. Hungerford (1844-1880), the apparent victim of tuberculosis. A few days after Hungerford's death, another community resident, Susan J. Arnold (1845-1880) was also buried in the graveyard. Since that time many area citizens have been interred there.
Few residents remain in the Cedron vicinity. The cemetery and school building foundation are the last visible reminders of a once-thriving rural community. (1990) |
| 9599 | 5039009599 | 0 | 0 | Sweeny Home | Sweeny Home | 405 E. Locust | Angleton | Brazoria | 1986 | | Medallion & Plate | Fair | Tennessee native Rees P. Sweeny (1856-1937) constructed this raised Victorian house in 1896, the year Angleton became the seat of government for Brazoria County. The county's tax collector from the early 1890s to 1902, Sweeny moved here as part of the transition from the earlier county seat, Brazoria. The Sweeny home, which features a central hall plan and was sturdily built on high ground, has often been a refuge during local floods and hurricanes.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1986 |
| 9600 | 5039009600 | 0 | 0 | Sweeny Plantation | Sweeny Plantation | | Sweeny vicinity | Brazoria | 1965 | SH 35 about .5 mi. west of Old Ocean, 3 mi. north of Sweeny | 14" x 24" | Fair; local effort | John Sweeny, Jr., after returning from the Texas Revolution, was given this plantation by his father, an extensive landholder. In 1837 slaves built the house, using only brick, nails and wood made on his land. Molasses, cotton, sugar were produced. Still owned by descendants. (1965) |
| 9601 | 5039009601 | 0 | 0 | Sweeny-Waddy Log Cabin | Sweeny - Waddy Log Cabin | | East Columbia | Brazoria | 1983 | South Main Street, behind Ammon Underwood House | Medallion & Plate | | John Sweeny, Sr. (d. 1855) moved his family from Tennessee to Brazoria County, Texas, about 1833. With the help of slaves, he cleared his land and established a large plantation. This log cabin, originally located about 9 miles southwest of this site, was built soon after Sweeny's arrival and housed the slave family that included Mark and Larkin Waddy. The Waddys continued to live in the cabin after they were freed at the end of the Civil War.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1983 |
| 9602 | 5039009602 | 0 | 0 | Titlum-Tatlum | Titlum - Tatlum | | Freeport vicinity | Brazoria | 1965 | 15 miles northeast of Freeport, on San Luis Island at Balboa Blvd. and Beach, in county park | 27" x 42" | Poor; Refinish | Nearby island. Resort for fishermen, hunters, small boats. During the Civil War, 1861-65, used by such captains as H. C. Wedemeyer, a peacetime shipbuilder, as base for operations defying Federal blockade.
Ships loaded with cotton entered waterways around Titlum-Tatlum and hid among willows, out of range of observers with spyglasses on the tall masts of federal blockading ships. On dark nights or in bad weather, blockade-runners would slip out of here to the open seas, hugging shores, sometimes being towed by men on land until water was reached.
Cotton taken overseas by such ships would buy for the Confederacy (hampered by lack of manufacturing facilities) guns, gunpowder, medicines, coffee, cloth, hardware and shoes. Purchases came into Texas by the same route that cotton was freighted out.
Aside from such havens as Titlum-Tatlum, blockade runners needed every advantage over the foe, for they supplied life-blood to the Confederacy. Texas gave them unstinted support: from her coast guard and from infantry and cavalry that would not let Federals land even to get drinking water or wood; so that blockade ships often had to drop duty and take off for New Orleans for supplies and repairs. (1965) |
| 9603 | 5039009603 | 0 | 0 | Varner-Hogg Home (The "Varner") | Varner-Hogg Home (The "Varner") | | West Columbia | Brazoria | 1964 | Varner-Hogg Plantation State Historical Park, north of West Columbia on Park Road | Medallion & Plate | Poor; Refinish - contact park for removal from building | Last home of James Stephen Hogg, first native Texan to be elected governor.
Located on an 1824 Spanish land grant made to Martin Varner. House built by sugar planter C. R. Patton.
Restored 1920. Given to the State, 1958, by Miss Ima Hogg. |
| 872 | 5043000872 | 30.360922 | -103.660251 | City Building | City Building | | | Brewster | 1965 | 205 Ave. E, Alpine | 14" x 9" Plate & Medallion | none/local effort | City Building. Erected in 1893. Oldest public school building standing in Alpine. Abandoned as school in 1910. Later served as a hospital, college dormitory, Border Patrol station and U.S. Agricultural and Soil Conservation Service. Recorded Texas Historical Landmark. 1965. |
| 964 | 5043000964 | 30.208813 | -103.198483 | Colonel Lewis Given Harman (1818-1902) | Harman, Colonel Lewis Given | | Marathon | Brewster | 1964 | From Marathon, take US 90 about 1 mi. east to junction of US 90 with US 385 N. | 18" x 28" | replace | Typical of those who served the South and then moved into new counties of Western Texas. Surveyor, Indian agent, soldier, legislator, Justice of the Peace.
Born in Tennessee. Moved to Texas 1838. Fought in Mexican War. Though 43 when Civil War began, immediately joined 11th Texas Cavalry, in swift 1861 campaign to place Confederate forts in Indian Territory. Was Post Commander, Fort Arbuckle, I.T., June to August 1861.
Civic leader in Marathon after its founding in 1882. Had town's first Masonic funeral. |
| 994 | 5043000994 | 29.742377 | -103.162601 | Comanche Trail | Comanche Trail | | Marathon | Brewster | 1936 | From Marathon, take US 385 S. about 42 mi, to Parsimmon Gap entrance to Big Bend. Marker is in parking lot to entrance station | 18" x 12" | refinish | You are now traveling the Comanche Trail blazed by Comanche Indians, en route from the western plains to Mexico, and traveled later by emigrants and soldiers. It extended south from the Horse Head Crossing of the Pecos by Comanche Springs (Fort Stockton) to the Rio Grande. |
| 1092 | 5043001092 | 30.360105 | -103.663352 | Brewser County Courthouse | Brewster County Courthouse | | Alpine | Brewster | 1965 | 5th St., Alpine | 14" x 9" Plate & Medallion | none | Courthouse Building erected in 1887 when Brewster County was created. Served Buchel and Foley County until these areas where added to Brewster County . Courthouse Square still is community center for various events. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark. 1965.. |
| 2332 | 5057002332 | 28.6384 | -96.617371 | Half Moon Reef Lighthouse | Half Moon Reef Lighthouse | Bay Front Park, west end of causeway on SH 35 | Port Lavaca | Calhoun | 1980 | Bay Front Park, west end of causeway on SH 35, Port Lavaca | 18" x 28" | N/A | Constructed in 1858, this three-story hexagonal lighthouse was originally located in Matagorda Bay, at the southern tip of Half Moon reef. The beacon served as an aid to ships trading in Port Lavaca and the nearby town of Indianola (14 mi. SE). During the Civil War the light was disabled by Confederate troops in an attempt to disrupt federal efforts to capture southern blockade runners. The lighthouse was restored to full operation in 1868 and remained in service until 1943 when it was moved to Point Comfort (7 mi. NE). It was relocated here in 1979. (1980) |
| 2642 | 5057002642 | 28.53169 | -96.510303 | Indianola | Indianola | SH 316 terminus at beach | Indianola | Calhoun | 1963 | SH 316 terminus at beach, Indianola | 27" x 42" | Faded; Redo | Many currents of the mainstream of Texas history flow in this onetime port. Pineda explored the coast in 1519 and La Salle planted a settlement near here in 1685. Once an Indian trading point, it was a major seaport from 1844 to 1875. Texas colonists, including Germans led by Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels, entered through Indianola. "Forty-niners", supplies for frontier forts, and experimental Army camels were landed here landed here.
During the Civil War Indianola and Fort Esperanza, which controlled the gateway to Indianola through Pass Cavallo, were objectives of Federal blockading vessels. Pass Cavallo, ten miles south, was one of several entrances to the inside waterway created by Matagorda Peninsula and the offshore islands extending to the Rio Grande. To deny Confederate use of this waterway for commerce through Mexico the Federals had to seize control of these entrances.
Before Confederate defenses at Fort Esperanza were completed, two Federal steamers slipped through Pass Cavallo to Indianola and on October 31, 1862 demanded the surrender of Lavaca (now Port Lavaca) to the northwest. The Confederate command refused, stood off the naval guns with land batteries, and forced the withdrawal of the Federal ships.
Federal forces attacked Fort Esperanza November 22, 1863. The Confederates withstood the assault of naval and land forces for six days then spiked their guns, destroyed their magazines, and withdrew to the mainland. Indianola then fell December 23. On Christmas Eve, Federal and Confederate forces clashed at Norris Bridge, eight miles north. Two days later Lavaca was occupied and the entire Matagorda-Lavaca Bay area remained in Federal control until the war's end.
Indianola was partially destroyed by a hurricane in 1875 and completely destroyed by another in 1886.
A memorial to Texans who served the Confederacy. (1963) |
| 2643 | 5057002643 | 28.520633 | -96.509572 | Indianola Cemetery | Indianola Cemetery | 15 mi. S on SH 238 to SH 316, then CR 112 to sign | Port Lavaca | Calhoun | 1986 | From Port Lavaca, take FM 238 s/SW 3 miles to FM 316 &fallow about 8.75 miles to Brighton Rd. in Indianola. Fallow Brighton Road NW about 1 mile then go WE on Comal Rd. .5 mile, and then Orleans St. .25 mile to cemetery. | 18" x 28" | Redo/faded | Many of the graves in this cemetery reflect the hardships encountered by residents of Indianola, one of Texas' leading 19th-century ports. The earliest marked grave is that of a child, William Woodward. His death occurred in 1852, a year when cholera and yellow fever epidemics swept through Indianola. During the Civil War, the town was occupied by Confederate and Union soldiers, and men from both sides are buried here. Victims of the 1875 and 1886 hurricanes, which devastated the town, are also interred in this cemetery.
Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986 |
| 2746 | 5057002746 | 28.609446 | -96.62554 | Jefferson Beaumont | Beaumont, Jefferson | | Port Lavaca | Calhoun | 1936 | Port Lavaca Cemetery, S end of S Nueces St., Port Lavaca | 1936 Centennial - Grave Marker (gray granite) | N/A | In whose honor Jefferson County, Texas was named Chief Justice of Calhoun County 1848-1856. Born in Kentucky March 12, 1801 died July 25, 1865. |
| 50 | 5061000050 | 0 | 0 | A.C. Purvis House | Purvis, Albanus Clemens | | | Cameron | 1974 | 441 N. Reagan, San Benito. | 18" x 28" | None | San Benito was a "paper" town with no Anglo-American residents when Albanus Clemens Purvis (1850-1919) came here from Ohio to seek health. He became first Justice of the Peace, sold real estate, and farmed. His daughter Kate (later Mrs. J. Scott Brown) taught first school in 1907; daughter Emma (later Mrs. Asa Agar) was an early Postmaster, in 1911. A former mill owner and a skilled craftsman, Purvis in 1911 built this house for himself, his wife Margaret Ann (householder), and the two youngest of their nine children. The property still remains in the ownership of a descendant. (1974) |
| 132 | 5061000132 | 0 | 0 | Alta Vista Apartments | Alta Vista Apartments | | Port Isabel | Cameron | 1988 | 700 Polk Street, Port Isabel. | Medallion & Plate 16 x 12" | None | Constructed in 1931 for the Gaskill-Hodgson Company, this Mediterranean Style structure is the oldest apartment building in Port Isabel. A survivor of numerous coastal storms and hurricanes, the complex originally consisted of three each one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and efficiency apartments. Prominent features of the two-story stucco building include its asymmetrical massing, arched-entry porches, covered balconies, and red tile roof.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1988 |
| 239 | 5061000239 | 0 | 0 | Augustine Celaya House | Celaya, Augustine, House | | Brownsville | Cameron | 1988 | 500 E. St. Frances Street, Brownsville. | 16" x 12" Plate & Medallion | None | Built in 1904, this Late Victorian home exhibits features of the Italianate and Queen Anne styles of architecture. Owners Augustine and Laura Celaya designed the home, which became prominent in the social and civic life of the city. Features of the house, which remained in the Celaya Family for generations, include polygonal bays, a two-story inset curvilinear porch, a transom over the front door, and hood mouldings over the doors and windows. |
| 275 | 5061000275 | 0 | 0 | Bagdad-Matamoros, C.S.A. | Bagdad-Matamoros, C.S.A. | | Brownsville | Cameron | 1964 | Xeroscape Park, corner of E. Elizabeth Street and International Bridge, Brownsville. | 18" x 28" | N/A | Civil War "Sister Cities", across the river in neutral Mexico. Were linked to Texas by a ferry which landed here. Ferry hauled to Matamoros the Confederate cotton brought from East Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas to Brownsville. In Matamoros, many speculators and agents vied for cotton to ship to Europe, via Havana. They offered in exchange vital goods: guns, ammunition, drugs, shoes, cloth. At Bagdad, on the Gulf, cotton was loaded from small boats onto ships riding the Gulf of Mexico. Goods crossing here were the South's lifeblood. |
| 308 | 5061000308 | 0 | 0 | Barreda House | Barreda House | | Brownsville | Cameron | 1994 | 642 E. Washington Street, Brownsville. | 18" x 28" | None | This house was designed by architect Ben Clark and built in 1928-1929 for the firm of Barnes and Kenny for the family of Celestino Pardo Barreda (1858-1953). A 2-story buff brick Spanish Colonial Revival style house, it features twisted cast stone columns, iron balcony railings, a Mission parapet, and a sunroom with arched wood casement windows. Barreda, a native of Spain who came to Texas in 1872, owned a mercantile business and became an influential area commercial leader involved in banking and agriculture. The house has remained in the Barreda Family for more than 60 years. |
| 8722 | 5005008722 | 0 | 0 | Birthplace of Allan Shivers | Shivers, Allan, Birthplace of | | Lufkin | Angelina | 1971 | Ellis and Kelley St., Lufkin | 18" x 28" | | Born here, in now-razed house, Oct. 5, 1907, to Robert A. and Easter C. Shivers, pioneer East Texas family. As youth, worked at odd jobs to earn own pocket money.
Was State Senator 12 years; Lieutenant Governor for two. A strong, progressive Governor, his term (longest in state history) was marked by reforms in state hospitals and special schools, prison and highway improvement, protection of natural resources and historic sites, and creation of agencies on alcoholism and for higher education.
In private life, one of Texas' outstanding business leaders. (1971)
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| 8723 | 5005008723 | 0 | 0 | Southern Pine Lumber Company Commissary | Southern Pine Lumber Company Commissary | | Diboll | Angelina | 1980 | S. First St. at railroad tracks, just north of Mill St. intersection, Diboll | 18" x 28" | Fair | The original commissary at this site was constructed about 1894 when T. L. L. Temple (1859 - 1935) started the first Southern Pine Lumber Company sawmill here. The store was moved to the present building when it was completed in 1923. The inventory included groceries, medicine, ice, furniture, dry goods, and coffins. Items were purchased with "company checks," special tokens of metal or wax-coated paper. Managed from 1896 to 1938 by W. P. Rutland, the commissary closed in 1953. The building housed company offices until 1979. (1980) |
| 8724 | 5005008724 | 0 | 0 | Southland Paper Mills, Inc. | Southland Paper Mills, Inc. | | Lufkin | Angelina | 1968 | from US 59 in Lufkin, 1 mi. east on FM 103 | 18" x 28" | Poor | First plant to turn southern pines into newsprint. Mill here revolutionized paper industry in the southern United States. Seeking local paper rather than foreign supplies, Southland was incorporated in 1938 and began operations, 1940. Its mills made possible use of southern pine (earlier rejected for newsprint because of its high resin content).
In 1942, additional facilities were built to supply bleached pulp.
Success of this pioneer complex gave Texas an avenue for aiding world in supply of vital paper. (1968)
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| 8725 | 5005008725 | 0 | 0 | Stranger's Rest Cemetery | Stranger's Rest Cemetery | | Lufkin | Angelina | 1995 | corner of Knight & Walter St., Lufkin | 18" x 28" | | R. D. Holland, Sydney Hackney, and S. D. Long, trustees of an Angelina County African American cemetery group, acquired one acre here from the Lufkin Land & Timber Co., in 1905. Recorded burials began in 1901. The graveyard was first known as Frost Cemetery but according to local tradition began to be called Stranger's Rest Cemetery about 1915 because of the large number of drifters buried here. The last recorded interment, that of Norris Patton, took place in 1946. The site fell into disrepair but was reclaimed by members of the local community and county volunteers in 1991-92.
Sesquicentennial of texas Statehood 1845 - 1995 |
| 8726 | 5005008726 | 0 | 0 | Thomas Lewis Latane Temple | Temple, Thomas Lewis Latane | 300 Park St. | Diboll | Angelina | 1994 | at T. L. L. Temple Memorial Library, Diboll | 18" x 28" | | (1859 - 1935)
Virginia native Thomas Lewis Latane Temple, son of Henry W. L. and Susan (Jones) Temple, moved to Texarkana, Texas, in 1877. He married Georgie D. Fowlkes in 1880. In 1893 Temple organized the Southern Pine Lumber Company in Texarkana and began timber operations on lands he purchased here in Angelina County. Temple founded the town of Diboll in 1894 at the site of the company's main sawmill. His legacy of conservation and reforestation practices, and philanthropy towards the Diboll community and his employees was recognized by the Texas State Senate upon his death in 1935. (1994)
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| 11657 | 5005011657 | 0 | 0 | Lufkin Telephone Exchange | Lufkin Telephone Exchange | | Lufkin | Angelina | 1998 | corner of First and Frank streets, Lufkin | 18" x 28" | | Telephone service in Lufkin began in 1898 when Dr. Alexander Madison Denman and his friend Judge Edwin James Mantooth strung telephone wires between their offices. The system was so popular that the pair soon formed the Lufkin Telephone Exchange with partner Eli Wiener, operating from offices on this site. In 1908 they contracted with the Southwestern Telegraph and Telephone Company to provide long distance service. The company grew as rapidly as telephone technology itself, eventually acquiring the telephone exchanges of a large portion of East Texas. In 1985 the corporation was reorganized as the Lufkin-Conroe Telephone Exchange. (1998) |
| 11713 | 5005011713 | 0 | 0 | Huntington | Huntington | | Huntington | Angelina | 2000 | FM 1669 (Main St.) at the South Pacific Railroad, Huntington | 27" x 42" | | Settlers attempted to form a townsite in this area in the 1880s, but it was not until the arrival of the railroad lines that it attracted a thriving population. Carved from virgin forests in the heyday of the southern pine timber industry and established in 1900, Huntington was named for Collis P. Huntington, chairman of the board of the Southern Pacific Railroad. E. A. Blount and W. J. Townsend, Sr., established a townsite and sold lots at a public auction in June 1900. A post office opened in 1900 with R. D. Chapman as postmaster; the Huntington Common School District was created in 1901. Within a year, A. F. Smith built a sawmill outside town. Lumber and agriculture were the area's economic heart. A Baptist church and a Methodist Episcopal church were established in 1901 and 1902. After the Texas & New Orleans rail line from Beaumont to Dallas was built through Huntington in 1902, a permanent railroad station was erected in 1903.
Huntington became a center for lumber shipping and the town soon prospered. A local telephone exchange was established in 1907. A newspaper, The Huntington Messenger, was succeeded by The Huntington Herald in 1911. Huntington also had hotels, drugstores, mercantile and grocery stores, a bank, several saloons, blacksmith shops and cotton gins. Several local physicians provided medical services. Highway 40 (later U.S. Highway 69) was completed to the county line in 1924, and area electrical service began in 1927. The town was incorporated in 1938. The McMullen Memorial Library was dedicated in 1953 as a memorial to the nineteen Huntington men who died in World War II. Huntington grew steadily throughout the remainder of the 20th century and continues to thrive at the dawn of the 21st. (2000)
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| 12377 | 5005012377 | 0 | 0 | Angelina & Neches River Railroad | Angelina & Neches River Railroad | 2225 Spence St. | Lufkin | Angelina | 2000 | | 27" x 42" | | Chartered in August 1900 and headquartered in the sawmill town of Keltys, the Angelina and Neches River (A&NR) Railroad began as a small short line railroad to move logs from the woods of East Texas to the mills of the Angelina County Lumber Company. Principal founding partners Joseph H. Kurth, Sr., S. W. Henderson, Sr., Eli Wiener and Sam Wiener, all officers in the Angelina County Lumber Company, joined the growing trend of lumber company industrialists who branched out into the railroad business about the turn of the 20th century.
The A&NR began with ten miles of track and two wood-burning narrow-gauge steam locomotives. In 1906, the line added 2.54 miles of track, with its eastern terminus at Alco, a logging camp owned by the lumber company. Two new locomotives were purchased to accommodate the conversion of the track from narrow to standard gauge. By 1911, the line extended to Chireno in Nacogdoches County. With the founding of Southland Paper Mills in 1938, made possible largely due to assets of the A&NR, the railroad expanded to haul in pulpwood and ship out newsprint made from southern pine.
In its first 100 years, the Angelina & Neches River's short line service played a key role in the economic development of Lufkin and other communities along the line. It continues as an important part of the history of the East Texas timber industry. (2000)
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| 12642 | 5005012642 | 0 | 0 | U.S. Forest Service in Texas | U.S. Forest Service in Texas | 8 miles SE of Zavalla on Hwy 63 | Zavalla | Angelina | 1968 | 8 mi. SE of Zavalla on Hwy 63 in roadside park in Angelina National Forest | 18" x 28" | | This area--heart of the Piney Woods and the East Texas forest industry--was, in 1933, cutover forests and worked-out farms. That year the Texas Legislature authorized the establishment of National Forests in this state.
Today Angelina, Davy Crockett, Sabine and Sam Houston forests (the 4 National Forests in Texas) include over 658,000 acres.
Under Management, net growth exceeds 175,000,000 board feet with a value of over $7,000,000 yearly. In addition, forests offer extensive recreation areas. U.S. Forest Service offices have been in Lufkin since 1947. |
| 12780 | 5005012780 | 0 | 0 | Central Consolidated School | Central Consolidated School | 7622 US 69N | Pollok | Angelina | 2002 | 7622 US 69N (3.8 mi. SW of Pollok on US 69 ) | 27" x 42" | | Central Consolidated School
This school traces its origin to five small schools in the Pollok-Central area: Union, Durant, Pollok, Clawson and Allentown. An effort to solve the problem of inadequate funding for each of these rural schools led to their consolidation in 1929 as the Central Consolidated Common School District.
A new brick building at this site greeted approximately 200 students in grades one through eleven when it opened in September 1929. With J. W. Dunn presiding as superintendent, Central Consolidated boasted nine teachers and had eight students in its first graduating class.
Over the years, Central Consolidated became the focal point of the community. Its growth led to the construction of separate buildings for primary, elementary, junior high and high school classes, three gymnasiums, a cafetorium, and technology and agricultural buildings. Additional schools, including Cordaway Springs and Simpson, merged with Central Consolidated in 1939-40. In 1955, central converted from a common school district to an independent school district.
Providing a strong educational foundation and extracurricular activities for students in the northwestern part of Angelina County, Central Consolidated has played a significant role in the county's educational history.
(2002)
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| 12819 | 5005012819 | 0 | 0 | Whitehouse Cemetery | Whitehouse Cemetery | Whitehouse Dr., between US 59S and FM 58S | Whitehouse | Angelina | 2002 | Whitehouse Dr., between US 59S and FM 58S | 27" x 42" | | Whitehouse Cemetery
According to local tradition, this cemetery may take its name from the 19th-century Cole family home, a structure whose whitewashed exterior stood out from the majority of other log houses and frame buildings in the area. It lies on what was once a thoroughfare from the former Angelina County Seat of Homer to Crockett, the county seat of neighboring Houston County. Although the oldest marked grave-that of Catherine Wheat Wideman-is from 1893, there are earlier burial sites on the property.
Whitehouse Cemetery contains the burials of people who lived and worked in the central part of the county, including early settlers and residents of the area. Family names on the tombstones reflect many who were influential in shaping and organizing Lufkin and Angelina County government and businesses. Among the most significant were the Ganns, who for many years owned the land on which the cemetery is located.
In 1934, the Whitehouse Cemetery Association was organized to care for the property. It purchased additional land from the Gann family in 1941. Until the 1960s, all graves were kept clear of vegetation in the traditional "scraped-earth" manner.
As a reminder of the people who settled permanently in this part of Angelina County, the Witehouse Cemetery remains a significant part of the area's heritage.
(2002)
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| 12821 | 5005012821 | 0 | 0 | W.C. Trout and the Counter-Balanced Pumping Unit | Trout, W.C., and the Counter-Balanced Pumping Unit | 601 S. Raguet | Lufkin | Angelina | 2002 | 601 S. Raguet | 18" x 28" | | W.C. Trout and the Counter-Balanced Pumping Unit
The son of an early industrial engineer, W.C. Trout (1874-1947) came to Lufkin in 1905 and joined
Lufkin Foundry & Machine Co. as a shareholder and company secretary. Already a successful inventor, Trout led the diversification of the shop from equipment repair to production and sales. In 1926, he patented a design for a counter-balanced pumping unit that became a standard in the oil business worldwide and contributed significantly to the success of the Texas oil and gas industry. Eventually holding more than 30 patents for his innovative designs, Trout served as company president from 1931 until his death in 1947, a period of marked expansion for the business.
(2002)
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| 179 | 5007000179 | 0 | 0 | Aransas County | Aransas County | 301 N. Live Oak | Rockport | Aransas | 1990 | Aransas County Courthouse grounds | 18" x 28" | None | Created out of the coastal portion of Refugio County in 1871, Aransas County is the second smallest county in Texas. Within its boundaries are three bays of the Gulf of Mexico: Copano, St. Charles, and Aransas. The area was the site of early Indian inhabitation and Spanish exploration, as well as Anglo colonization efforts of the 1830s and 1840s. Aransas County communities are supported by such industries as fishing, agriculture, off-shore oil production, bird watching, and tourism. The county is home to the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, created in 1937. (1990) |
| 180 | 5007000180 | 0 | 0 | Aransas County | Aransas County | on SH 35, northern city limits | Rockport | Aransas | 1936 | Northern city limits, Business 35, Rockport | 1936 Centennial - Highway Marker (pink granite) | None | Created September 18, 1871 from Refugio County, organized in 1871 with Rockport as the county seat.
Named for the river Nuestra Senora de Aranzazu. (1936) |
| 183 | 5007000183 | 0 | 0 | Site of Aransas Hotel | Aransas Hotel, Site of | Austin and Main St. | Rockport | Aransas | 1996 | Austin and Main Street, Rockport | 18" x 28" | None | Built in 1889 by civic leader and politician John H. Traylor, the Aransas Hotel covered this city block. The three-story structure, a major tourist attraction in Rockport, had about 100 rooms and a massive open dining room with a 200 person capacity. Guests were entertained by orchestras, plays, a mounted bird display, and beach facilities. They could also cruise in Traylor's yacht, or tour in surreys from the livery stable. Remodeled and named the Del Mar in the mid-1890s, it was sold in 1910. Deteriorated by 1906 and unused during World War I, the hotel was destroyed by fire in 1919. (1996) |
| 184 | 5007000184 | 0 | 0 | Aransas Pass Light Station | Aransas Pass Light Station | On Harbor Island, 2 mi. NE of east end of island, private and accessible only by boat | Port Aransas | Aransas | 1973 | About 2 miles NE of E end of Port Aransas (on island), private and only accessible by boat | 18" x 28" | None | Construction of 67-foot tower was started in 1855. The French lens was lighted in 1856, to mark natural Gulf pass to Aransas and Corpus Christi Bays by way of Lydia Ann Channel -- named for the daughter of the first keeper. During Civil War, Confederates (in 1863) buried lens for safety before damaging tower to avert use of light by Federal forces. The auxiliary structures were rebuilt after 1919 hurricane. One of original Texas stations of U.S. Lighthouse Service (merged into the Coast Guard in 1939), this light was decommissioned in 1952 after pass shifted southward. (1973)
INCISE ON BASE: Lighthouse not open to public.
INCISE ON BACK OF MARKER: Restored in 1972 by Charles C. Butt |
| 343 | 5007000343 | 0 | 0 | Baylor-Norvell House | Baylor-Norvell House | 617 S. Water Street | Rockport | Aransas | 1991 | | 18" x 28" | None | Located on the waterfront in a community that has survived many hurricanes, this house was built about 1868 by Dr. John W. Baylor. In addition to his medical practice Dr. Baylor owned a local meat packing business, ranched, and worked to bring a railroad to the county. Schoolteachers Elisha (1857-1933) and Irene (1865-1944) Norvell moved to Rockport from Goliad in 1888 and rented the house before buying it in 1890. Elisha also worked as an agent for the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad and was a realtor. Irene, a musician, sold the house in 1935.
(1991) |
| 1041 | 5007001041 | 0 | 0 | Connie Hagar | Hagar, Connie | east of SH 35/Broadway St. "Y", facing Connie Hagar Wildlife Sanctuary | Rockport | Aransas | 1990 | E. of SH 35/Broadway Street "Y"; city waterfront property facing Connie Hagar Wildlife Sanctuary, Rockport. | 18" x 28" | Refinish | (June 14, 1886 - November 29, 1973)
Born Conger Neblett in Corsicana, and married to Jack Hagar in 1926, Connie Hagar received early training as a musician. She and her sister became interested in birds and worked as volunteers with the U.S. Biological Survey. The Hagars moved to Rockport in 1935, shortly after Connie made her first visit here. She became a self-taught authority on Texas birds, and her expertise was sought by professionals and amateur ornithologists from around the world. In 1945 the Texas Legislature designated this waterfront property as the Connie Hagar Wildlife Sanctuary. (1990) |
| 1547 | 5007001547 | 0 | 0 | John Fagan | Fagan, John | Old Lamar Cemetery, 7 mi. N on SH 35 to Goose Island State Park, follow P-13 east, then northeast 2.5 miles | Rockport | Aransas | 1962 | Located in Lamar Cemetery. From Rockport, take Highway 35 north about 7 miles to Goose Island State Park (just north of causeway). Follow P-13 E then NE about 2.5 miles to cemetery, Lamar. | Civil War Memorials - (pink granite) | None | Soldier in the Texas War for Independence at Goliad, 1835-1836.
Erected by the State of Texas, 1962. |
| 2081 | 5007002081 | 0 | 0 | Fulton Cemetery | Fulton Cemetery | 3 blocks east of SH 35 at 5th and Myrtle Sts. | Fulton | Aransas | 1989 | 3 blocks east of SH 35, at 5th and Myrtle Streets, Fulton. | 18" x 28" | None | Land for this community graveyard was set aside when the town of Fulton was platted by George Ware Fulton in 1868. The earliest documented burial is that of a child, Louis L. I. Greenough (1868-1869). The large number of children's graves attests to the often harsh conditions of pioneer life. Also interred here are European immigrant settlers, prominent local citizens, and veterans of the Civil War, World War I, World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. A brush fire in 1947 destroyed many of the early wooden markers, leaving some unmarked graves. (1989) |
| 2083 | 5007002083 | 0 | 0 | Fulton Mansion | Fulton Mansion | corner of Henderson and Fulton Beach Road, | Fulton | Aransas | 1964 | Corner of Henderson and Fulton Beach Road, Fulton | 16" x 12" Plate & Medallion | None | Built between 1874 and 1877 by George Ware Fulton (1810-1893) and his wife, Harriet Smith Fulton (1823-1910), this imposing residence was named "Oakhurst." The three-story French Second Empire style home is of plank wall construction, with a shell aggregate concrete basement and characteristic mansard roof. The house featured modern heating, ventilation, and plumbing systems and gas lighting. The Fulton family lived here until 1895.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1964 |
| 2084 | 5007002084 | 0 | 0 | Fulton-Bruhl House | Fulton-Bruhl House | 409 N. Broadway | Rockport | Aransas | 1988 | 409 N. Broadway, Rockport. | 16" x 12" Plate & Medallion | None | Built about 1868, this vernacular early Texas home was purchased in 1872 by James C. Fulton, a noted early business and civic leader. Fulton sold the home in 1907 to his son-in-law, Albert L. Bruhl, a pharmacist and civic leader who served three terms as mayor of Rockport. The home exhibits Greek Revival elements and features Italianate porch supports, a five-bay entrance, and oversized dormers. It has remained in the Bruhl family for over eight decades.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1988 |
| 2427 | 5007002427 | 0 | 0 | Site of Heldenfels Shipyard | Heldenfels Shipyard | 1800 S. Church Street (SH 70) | Rockport | Aransas | 1996 | 1800 S. Church Street (SH 70), Rockport. | 18" x 28" | None | Shipping industries flourished on the Rockport waterfront by the 1880s. Heldenfels Shipyard was established here on 12.9 acres in October 1917. Four 281-foot wooden cargo vessels were to be built for military use in World War I; the "Baychester" was launched on July 31, 1919, and the "Zuniga" on September 9, 1919. At the height of construction, over 900 men were employed at the shipyard. The need for ships fell as the war ended. Despite hurricane damage to the shipyard on September 14, 1919, the "Jasper" and the "Manchester" were completed as barges in 1920, ending this vital war contract. (1996) |
| 2537 | 5007002537 | 28.058662 | -97.034308 | Home of George W. Fulton | Fulton, George W., Home of | corner of Henderson and Fulton Beach Road | Fulton | Aransas | 1936 | Corner of Henderson and Fulton Beach Road, Fulton. | 1936 Centennial Marker (gray granite) | None | Born at Philadelphia, June 8, 1810; served in the Texan Army in 1836. A pioneer resident of Refugio County. After an engineering career of distinction elsewhere he returned to Texas and became a cattle baron. Died October 31, 1893. The town of Fulton bears his name. |
| 2557 | 5007002557 | 0 | 0 | Hoopes-Smith House | Hoopes-Smith House | 417 N. Broadway | Rockport | Aransas | 1989 | 417 N. Broadway, Rockport. | 16" x 12" Plate & Medallion | Refinish. | Prominent local businessman and land developer James M. Hoopes (1839-1931) had this home built between 1890 and 1892. The home later served as a hotel and boardinghouse between 1894 and 1930. It was sold in 1934 to T. Noah Smith, Sr. (1881-1955), a prominent oilman and shipbuilder. Features of the Late Victorian Queen Anne home include milled woodwork, roof cresting, a turret, and stained glass windows. It is regarded as a local landmark.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1989 |
| 2733 | 5007002733 | 0 | 0 | Site of One of the Homes of James Power | Power, James, Site of One of the Homes of | 4 mi. N on SH 35, c. 1/8 mi. S of causeway | Rockport | Aransas | 1936 | From Rockport, take SH 35 north about 4 miles, about 1/8 mile south of causeway. | 1936 Centennial Marker (gray granite) | None | Born in Ireland, 1789; Died in Live Oak Point, Texas, 1852. With James Hewetson, he was granted authority January 11, 1828 to settle 200 families in Texas. Served Texas under three flags as empresario, soldier, statesman. Signed the Texas Declaration of Independence. Ever a loyal son of his adopted country; Honored and loved by his people. |
| 3018 | 5007003018 | 0 | 0 | Site of the Town of Lamar | Lamar | 10 mi. N on SH 35, 1/8 mi. N of causeway | Rockport | Aransas | 1936 | 10 miles north of Rockport on SH 35, 1/8 mile north of causeway, (1/8 mile south of P 13) | 1936 Centennial Marker (gray granite) | None | Named for Mirabeau B. Lamar 1798-1859, President of the Republic of Texas 1838-1841. Established in 1838; made a port of entry in 1839. Sacked by Union troops Feb. 11, 1864. Survived until 1914 but never flourished. |
| 3213 | 5007003213 | 0 | 0 | Site of Marion Packing Co. | Marion Packing Co., Site of | Fulton Beach Rd. and Chaparral St. | Fulton | Aransas | 1976 | Fulton Beach Road and Chaparral Street, Fulton. | 18" x 28" | Refinish | The ruins of this rendering vat mark the location of the Marion Packing Co. (spelled "Meriam" in some records), one of the dozen or more meat packing plants built in the Rockport-Fulton area in the 1860s and 1870s to process the huge herds of range cattle that roamed Texas after the Civil War. Here beef was dried, salted, or pickled before shipping. The by-products such as tallow, hides, horns, and bones were sent to eastern factories. Like most of the coastal plants, Marion Packing Co. flourished until about 1880, when shipping cattle to northern markets proved more profitable. (1976) |
| 3256 | 5007003256 | 0 | 0 | Mathis House | Mathis House | 621 S. Church Street | Rockport | Aransas | 1989 | 621 S. Church Street, Rockport. | Medallion & Plate | Refinish | John M. Mathis (1831-1922) had this home built for his family in 1868-69. Instrumental in platting the town of Rockport, he served as its first mayor in 1870. In 1880 he deeded the house to his cousin, Thomas H. Mathis (1834-1899), a leading rancher, shipper, and banker. Exhibiting Italianate, Classical, and Greek Revival details, the raised cottage features a center passage plan, arcaded basement, and entry portico with paired fluted columns.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1989 |
| 4073 | 5007004073 | 0 | 0 | Port Bay Hunting and Fishing Club | Port Bay Hunting and Fishing Club | 4 mi. SW on FM 881 right-of-way at Port Bay Rd. | Rockport | Aransas | 1991 | From Rockport, take FM 881 4 miles southwest to intersection with Port Bay Road. | 18" x 28" | None | Danish native Andrew Sorenson (1864-1941), established a reputation as a hunting and fishing guide in this area in the early 20th century. He bought 240 acres of land (.5 mi. W) in 1909 and in 1912 incorporated the private Port Bay Hunting and Fishing Club. Charter members included prominent citizens from Texas and the U.S. Adjacent waters teem with ducks and geese in season. Despite hurricane damage to club structures over the years and a reduction in size to 46 acres of land, the club continues to attract members who embrace the traditions of conservation and sportsmanship. (1991) |
| 4325 | 5007004325 | 0 | 0 | Rockport | Rockport | on Orleans St., between N and S lanes of SH 35 | Rockport | Aransas | 1988 | Orleans Street and SH 35, Center Island, Rockport. | 18" x 28" | None | The town of Rockport was founded by cattlemen J. M. and T. H. Mathis in 1867. Originally a part of Refugio County, it became county seat of newly formed Aransas County in 1871. Shipping and fishing provided the primary economic base of the town in its early years. The railroad arrived in 1888 and with it came a decline in the shipping industry, although shipyards were in operation during World War I and World War II. Rockport has been a popular recreation center over the years, and tourism continues to be important to the local economy. (1988) |
| 4326 | 5007004326 | 0 | 0 | Rockport Cemetery | Rockport Cemetery | Tule Park Rd. | Rockport | Aransas | 1988 | Tule Park Road, 1.25 mi. E of SH 35 | 18" x 28" | Refinish | This cemetery has served the citizens of Rockport and Fulton for over a century. The oldest marked grave is that of Emma Fulton (d. 1876), granddaughter of George Ware Fulton, who was instrumental in the development of the area and was interred in the cemetery in 1893. A large number of burials took place here in 1918, the year of a devastating influenza epidemic. The cemetery contains the graves of veterans of the Texas Revolution, Civil War, World War I, World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. The Rockport Cemetery Association maintains the historic graveyard. (1988) |
| 4327 | 5007004327 | 0 | 0 | The Rockport Pilot | Rockport Pilot | 1002 Wharf Street | Rockport | Aransas | 1990 | 1002 Wharf Street, Rockport. | 18" x 28" | Refinish | The earliest newspaper in this area was "The Vaquero," published by Charles F. Bailey and Geraldo A. Beeman in St. Mary's in 1868. In 1869 Bailey moved to Rockport and founded "The Transcript," which continued in operation until 1886. Two years later "The Rockport Enterprise" began, and in 1916 it merged with the new "Rockport Pilot." Other local newspapers existed for short periods, but since its beginning "The Pilot" has been the area's primary news source, focusing on Aransas County issues and events. (1990) |
| 4428 | 5007004428 | 0 | 0 | Sacred Heart Catholic Church | Sacred Heart Catholic Church | 704 Cornwall Street at Church St. | Rockport | Aransas | 1991 | 704 Cornwall Street, Rockport (corner of Church Street and Cornwall). | 18" x 28" | Refinish | Roman Catholic priests visited the Rockport area as early as 1838. The first Mass in the town of Rockport was celebrated in the home of County Judge John Hynes in 1860, and services continued there for a number of years. Although property was deeded to the church in 1871, the first church building was not erected until 1889. It was destroyed in a storm that same year and was replaced by another structure which served the congregation until 1954. In addition to its parochial school, Sacred Heart Church has served the community with many outreach programs. (1991) |
| 4522 | 5007004522 | 0 | 0 | The San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad in Rockport | San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad in Rockport, The | 105 S. Magnolia Street | Rockport | Aransas | 1994 | 105 S. Magnolia, Rockport. | 18" x 28" | None | During its early years Rockport relied on Gulf shipping for goods and services. After the arrival of the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad in 1888, however, the town's economic focus changed to include rail shipping and a burgeoning tourism industry. The town's population grew from 600 in 1888 to 2,500 by 1890. Businesses and hotels were built to serve the new tourism trade, and four trains arrived at the Rockport Depot daily. By the 1940s passenger rail service to Rockport ended. Freight service continued until 1985, when highway trucking replaced railroad service. (1994) |
| 5078 | 5007005078 | 0 | 0 | St. Peter's Episcopal Church | St. Peter's Episcopal Church | 412 N. Live Oak Street | Rockport | Aransas | 1991 | 412 N. Live Oak Street, Rockport. | 18" x 28" | Refinish | The Rt. Rev. Alexander Gregg, Bishop of the Diocese of Texas, officiated at the dedication of St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Rockport on November 30, 1871. Led by lay ministers for much of its early history, St. Peter's first was located at the corner of Live Oak and Wharf Streets near the railroad depot, where services often were halted due to the noise of arriving and departing trains. Relocated to this site in 1954, St. Peter's became a self-sustaining parish ten years later. It continues to serve the community with a variety of programs. (1991) |
| 5103 | 5007005103 | 0 | 0 | Stella Maris Chapel | Stella Maris Chapel | 7 mi. N on SH 35 to Goose Island State Park, then follow P13 east, then NE to Lamar Cemetery | Lamar | Aransas | 1986 | From Rockport, take SH 35 north about 7 miles to Goose Island State Park (just north of causeway). Then follow P13 east then NE to Lamar Cemetery | 18" x 28" | None | Irish immigrant James W. Byrne (1787-1865), a veteran of the Texas Revolution, was an early settler of this area. He established the town of Lamar and, with his wife Harriet, sold land on Aransas Bay to the Catholic church for a chapel site. Byrne engaged a French architect to design the structure, which was completed in 1858. Called Stella Maris (Star of the Sea) Chapel, it was built of shellcrete, a shell-aggregate masonry. An important link with the area's early Roman Catholic heritage, the chapel was moved to this site in 1986. (1986) |
| 5368 | 5007005368 | 0 | 0 | The Lamar Cemetery | Lamar Cemetery, The | 7 mi. N on SH 35 to Goose Island State Park, then east and northeast on P-13 2.5 mi. to cemetery | Lamar | Aransas | 1981 | From Rockport take SH 35 north about 7 miles to Goose Island State Park. Go east then NE about 2.5 miles to cemetery, Lamar. | 18" x 28" | Refinish/local effort | This burial ground originally served pioneer settlers of the Lamar community. Founded by James W. Byrne (d. 1865), a native of Ireland and a veteran of the Texas Revolution, it was named for his friend Mirabeau B. Lamar, former president of the Republic of Texas. The earliest grave is that of Patrick O'Connor (1822-54), a bookkeeper for Byrne's business operations in New Orleans. The town of Lamar ceased to exist by 1915 and the cemetery was neglected until the 1940s when it was restored through efforts by the family of John Henry Kroeger, Jr. (d. 1944). (1981)
Incise in base: Donated by the Lamar Woman's Club |
| 11685 | 5007011685 | 0 | 0 | Frandolig Island | Frandolig Island | 1797 Bayshore Dr. | Rockport | Aransas | 1999 | 1797 Bayshore Dr., Rockport | 18" x 28" | | Dubbed "Nine Mile Point" by early settlers, this island was first used commercially by the Cushman Meat Packing Company in the late 1860s. Austrian Franz Joseph Frandolig, a horseman who had delivered cattle to Cushman & Co., homesteaded property at this site when the company vacated the land in 1878. Frandolig and his family established a large fig orchard. They sold the fruits and vegetables in Rockport and Fulton. Frandolig also kept a vineyard, where he produced and sold wine by the barrel, and built a salt works. The Frandolig family sold the property between 1901 and 1903. The severe hurricane of 1919 returned the island to its natural and uninhabited state. In 1958 the local navigation district began to offer it for development. (1999) |
| 11686 | 5007011686 | 0 | 0 | Cementerio San Antonio de Padua | Cementerio San Antonio de Padua | | Aransas Pass | Aransas | 1998 | 0.9 mi. N of Aransas Pass on Bus. SH 35 | 18" x 28" | | According to local lore, George Lewis (1859-1895) donated one-half acre of land at this site to the Hispanic citizens of the area for use as a cemetery, provided that he be buried in the center of the land. Handmade stones indicate burials dating from the 19th century; the first recorded deed was signed in 1933. Years of wind and rain have rendered many stones illegible. A number of children who died in an influenza epidemic in 1940 and many veterans of U.S. and international conflicts are interred here. A statue of San Antonio holding a child, crafted in Mexico, was brought across the border by the local priest for placement in an open chapel on the cemetery grounds. It is revered by the families of those interred here. (1998) |
| 12429 | 5007012429 | 0 | 0 | Aransas County Airport | Aransas County Airport | 421 John Wendell Rd. | Rockport | Aransas | 2001 | | 18" x 28" | | This aviation facility developed out of a need during World War II for additional air training sites for U.S. Navy pilots. In 1942 the Aransas County commissioners court offered the Civil Aeronautics Administration the use of land in the county for an auxiliary military landing field. Voters approved a bond issue and accompanying tax to build the airport, and the county subsequently purchased 700 acres of land for that purpose. For the duration of the war, the site was leased to the Navy, which practiced landing operations out of its regional air stations at Beeville, Kingsville and Corpus Christi. The airport since that time has served both military and public purposes. (2001)
|
| 44 | 5009000044 | 33.596546 | -98.625541 | A Jesse James Hideout | James, Jesse, A Hideout | | Archer City | Archer | 1972 | Courthouse lawn, Highway 79, Center Street, Archer City. | 18" x 28" | Refinish | Jesse James, celebrated 1860s-1882 Missouri outlaw, used to visit in Archer City in house built by Stone Land and Cattle Company for its manager, Allen H. Parmer (1848-1927), his Confederate comrade of the Civil War and husband of his sister Susan (1849-89). With Frank James, his brother and aide, the outlaw chief hid at the Parmers' when hunted for train and bank robberies or on other occasions. Jesse James was killed in 1882; Frank and his wife continued to visit at Parmer's house, which was later moved from original site. Parmer brought up a family of respected, upright citizens.
Erected by Archer County Historical Survey Committee. House is shown only by appointment, 1972. |
| 109 | 5009000109 | 0 | 0 | Alex Albright | Albright, Alex | 1 mi. E on US 82/277 | Dundee | Archer | 1971 | From Dundee, go one mile east on US 82/277. | 18" x 28" | Refinish. | (September 22, 1861 - April 8, 1937) A pioneer American karakul breeder. Born in Nebraska; grew up in cattle business. In 1890 came to Dundee; opened a general store. Built Elm Lodge Ranch (1400 acres on Holliday Creek, 4 mi. SE). At first raised purebred Lincoln sheep. In 1910, with help of U.S. ex-President Theodore Roosevelt and the Czar of Russia, he imported valuable karakul sheep from Asia. Later his upbred flock of 1200 took prizes all over the world. Albright's first wife, Dorothy Jane Duncan, died in 1900. Second wife, Marie Sahores, assisted him in ranching business. Daughters were Zella, Ester, and Marie. (1971)
Erected by Mrs. Jake Webb (Zella Albright) and Archer County Historical Survey Committee. (1971) |
| 188 | 5009000188 | 0 | 0 | Archer City Methodist Church | Archer City Methodist Church | 224 S. Center | Archer City | Archer | 1985 | 224 South Center, Archer City. | 18" x 28" | Refinish. | This congregation began as a mission in 1880, the same year Archer City was organized. The earliest pastors, including the Rev. D. D. Duncan and the Rev. I. N. Crutchfield, were circuit riders who also served neighboring counties. Members of Archer City Methodist Church constructed their first sanctuary in 1889 and built new facilities in later years as they grew in numbers. The church became a full-time, self-supporting member of the North Texas Conference in 1912. Throughout its history the congregation has provided significant service to the community. (1985) |
| 189 | 5009000189 | 0 | 0 | Archer County | Archer County | 6 mi. S on SH 79 | Archer City | Archer | 1936 | From Archer City, take US 79 South about 6 miles. | 1936 Centennial - Highway Marker (pink granite) | Polish/local effort. | A part of the Peters Grant, 1841; Created January 22, 1858; Organized July 27, 1880; Named in honor of Dr. Branch Tanner Archer 1790-1856; Texas Commissioner to the United States, 1835, Member of Congress, Secretary of War of the Republic of Texas. First permanent settlement, 1874; First railroad, 1890; Archer City, the county seat. (1936, 1986) |
| 190 | 5009000190 | 0 | 0 | Archer County Copper Mines | Archer County Copper Mines | 4.5 mi. NW on SH 25 | Archer City | Archer | 1971 | From Archer City, take SH 25 northwest about 4.5 miles | 27" x 42" | Replace. | The civilized world first heard of copper in this area from Texas Rangers after an 1860 campaign against Comanches on the Pease River, about 100 miles to the northwest. The Ranger Captain, Lawrence S. ("Sul") Ross, later to serve Texas as governor, had nuggets picked off the surface of the ground and hauled to Austin. In 1861, Assistant State Geologist S. B. Buckley charted the mineral site. The Rangers' ore haul was processed and used in gun caps for Confederate forces during the Civil War. To get more of the needed metal, the Texas Copper Mining & Manufacturing Company was founded on May 28, 1864, but wartime shortage of men apparently prevented recovery of copper at that time. The T.C.M.&M. Co., based in Dallas, sent W. F. Cummings to Archer County in 1880 to open mining sites. Although the Texas Commissioner of Agriculture and Statistics reported in 1882 that no mining had commenced, ore eventually was hauled out and shipped to smelters in the east. No central vein or deposit could be found. The Boston & Texas Copper Company of Tucson, Ariz., leased the mine site here in 1899. It produced some copper ore which was processed in El Paso, but again the project failed to meet expectations. (1971) |
| 191 | 5009000191 | 0 | 0 | Archer County Courthouse | Archer County Courthouse | SH 79 and Center St. | Archer City | Archer | 1963 | Archer County Courthouse, Highway 79, Center Street, Archer City. | Medallion & Plate | | Courthouse, Archer County, 1891. Besides government, housed many pioneer social affairs. Dome, cupola removed, 1925.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1965. |
| 192 | 5009000192 | 33.596546 | -98.625541 | Archer County Discovery Well | Archer County Discovery Well | Courthouse lawn, SH 79 and Center St. | Archer City | Archer | 1967 | Courthouse lawn, SH 79 and Center Street, Archer City. | 18" x 28" | Refinish | M. P. Andrews No. 1, drilled in 1911, reached oil sands at 920 feet. Well first flowed oil, March, 1912, at rate of 10 barrels a day. Production in this shallow sand development area fell off when oil prices dropped, but rose after other pools in the region were tapped from 1916 to 1921. Since then, Archer County has become one of the state's most productive. The Hull-Silk-Sikes Well, 1939, opened a major field. More than 333 million barrels of crude oil have been produced by the county since 1911, with Andrews No. 1 still pumping.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1967. |
| 193 | 5009000193 | 33.59795 | -98.62436 | Archer County Jail | Archer County Jail | 100 N. Sycamore | Archer City | Archer | 1985 | 100 North Sycamore, Archer City. | 18" x 28" | | By 1909 Archer County had outgrown its original jail, a 16-foot square frame building. Construction on this larger facility was completed in Sept. 1910. The sandstone structure was designed with living quarters for the sheriff and his family on the ground floor. The second and third floors had cells and a hanging gallows which was never used. The first prisoner held in this jail was arrested for stealing a horse. More than 8,000 prisoners were jailed here until the county opened a new facility in 1974. (1985) |
| 334 | 5009000334 | 0 | 0 | Battle of the Little Wichita | Little Wichita, Battle of the | | Archer City | Archer | 1974 | from Archer City, take FM 25 North about 2 miles to roadside park. | 18" x 28" | Replace pole. | In reaction to an Indian attack on a mail stage, Capt. Curwen B. McLellan set out on July 6, 1870, from Fort Richardson with 56 men of the 6th Cavalry. On July 12, McLellan's command encountered a war party of 250 Kiowas led by "Kicking Bird" near the north fork of the Little Wichita (6 miles NW). After a brief skirmish, McLellan ordered his troops into retreat, fighting a defensive battle across the middle and south forks of the Little Wichita. The Indians gave up the chase on the 13th. Corporal John Given and Private George Blume were killed; 13 Medals of Honor were awarded for heroism. (1974) |
| 475 | 5009000475 | 0 | 0 | Bowman Cemetery | Bowman Cemetery | 0.8 mi. N of SH 79/FN 1954 intersection | Lakeside City | Archer | 1986 | .8 miles north of SH 79/FM 1954 Intersection, Lakeside City. | 18" x 28" | did not see marker | Land for this cemetery was donated in 1885 by W. A. Bacon to the Evangelical Missionary Society of North America. The first burial, that of Christina Schmith (b. 1857), took place the same year. The unique sandstone mausoleum on the south side of the cemetery was built about the turn of the century by A. F. Decker (d. 1927) for his parents. Many of the burials are those of German immigrants, reflecting the influence of the German culture in this area. A cemetery association was organized in 1940 to care for the graveyard.
Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986. |
| 510 | 5009000510 | 33.481685 | -98.446407 | Bridwell Park | Bridwell Park | US 281 roadside park, 5 mi. S | Windthorst | Archer | 1972 | from Windthorst, take Highway 281 South about 5 miles to roadside park. | 18" x 28" | Replace. | Donated to his countrymen by conservationist-philanthropist Joseph Sterling Bridwell (1885-1966), Missourian who moved to Texas in 1909. Drilling his first well in 1921 on W. T. Waggoner estate, in 1927 he formed Bridwell Oil Co., which ultimately produced 50 million barrels of petroleum. In 1932 he bought local ranch (with headquarters 5 mi. to NW), where he bred famous herd sire Larry Domino and other fine Herefords. A founder and president (1940), West Texas Chamber of Commerce, Bridwell gave nation the site for Sheppard Air Force Base. He and wife had 2 daughters. (1972) |
| 659 | 5009000659 | 33.596546 | -98.625541 | Camp Cureton, C.S.A. | Camp Cureton, C.S.A. | west side of courthouse square, SH 79 at Center St. | Archer City | Archer | 1963 | Courthouse lawn, Highway 79, Center Street, Archer City. | Civil War Memorials - (pink granite) | None | Star and Wreath
Strategically established during Civil War on defense line Red River to Rio Grande where Gainesville-Fort Belknap Road crossed west fork Trinity River about 10 miles south, 4 miles east of Archer City. Texas Frontier Regiment patrolled area frequently to check Comanche raids. Poorly fed, lacking horses and ammunition, these rugged Confederates more effectively curbed Indians than U.S. had, protected supply trains, guarded against Union action. Named for Capt. Jack Cureton, Camp Commander, veteran Mexican, Indian Wars.
A Memorial to Texans who served the Confederacy; Erected by the State of Texas 1963. |
| 679 | 5009000679 | 33.788888 | -98.686675 | Camp Stonewall Jackson | Camp Stonewall Jackson | Entrance to Park, 2 mi. SE on FM 368 | Holliday | Archer | 1967 | From Holliday, take FM 368 South about 2 miles. | 14" x 24" | | 106 acres of land bought 1898 by United Confederate Veterans of Archer County for reunion grounds. Meetings lasting 3 days were held annually until 1935. Approximately 500 people attended each year. Activities included ball games, dancing, visiting, contests, shows and rodeos.
Erected by the Archer County Historical Survey Committee. (1967) |
| 722 | 5009000722 | 33.83318 | -98.672118 | Captain John Holliday | Holliday, Captain John | | Holliday | Archer | 1973 | From Holliday, take US 82 north about 1 mile. | 18" x 28" | Refinish | (Dec. 8, 1811 - Aug. 19, 1842)
Born Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania; came to Texas about 1835, joined Texian Army, and was one of 24 survivors of the Goliad Massacre, March 27, 1836. Joined Texian-Santa Fe Expedition, and en route to New Mexico, Aug. 4, 1841, carved his name on a tree in this vicinity. After reaching Santa Fe, the party was arrested and marched to Perote Prison near Mexico City. In Aug. 1842, Holliday was released, but he died of yellow fever aboard ship two days from Galveston, and was buried at sea. Nearby Holliday Creek and the town of Holliday were named for the carving on the tree. (1973) |
| 1155 | 5009001155 | 33.748656 | -98.688289 | Dad's Corner | Dad's Corner | | Holliday | Archer | 1986 | From Holliday, take FM 368 about 5 miles south. | 18" x 28" | None | The result of a 1923 oil boom, development of a town at this site included some twenty-two businesses, including a food stand operated by a man with the nickname "Dad", which provided a name for the settlement. Located at this crossroads were a hotel, cafe, school, stores, ice house, and more. Early residents remembered tales of lawlessness and Texas Ranger patrols. The county's largest oil field was one-half mile southeast, and many area residents changed from cowboys to oil field workers. After the boom, Dad's Corner became a ghost town.
Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986. |
| 1520 | 5009001520 | 0 | 0 | Extinct Town of Anarene | Anarene, Extinct Town of | | Archer City | Archer | 1976 | On SH 79, 8 miles south of Archer City. | 18" x 28" | Refinish | Landowner Charles E. Graham (1872-1937) in 1908 granted the Wichita Falls and Southern Railroad a route across his property and platted a town at this site. Anarene was named for his wife Annie Lawrence Graham, daughter of pioneer cattleman J. Marion Keen. Graham built a hotel and obtained a post office, cattle pens, dipping vat and other facilities. The town schoolhouse was used for religious services. In 1921 oil was discovered nearby. A refinery was built in 1938. When oil production ceased and the trains stopped running in 1954, Anarene quickly declined. (1976) |
| 1608 | 5009001608 | 33.595993 | -98.627343 | First Baptist Church of Archer City | First Baptist Church of Archer City | 238 South Oak St. | Archer City | Archer | 1980 | 238 South Oak Street, Archer City. | 18" x 28" | None | Soon after Archer City was laid out in 1879, a building intended for a saloon was bought by residents for use as a schoolhouse. In February 1880, eight members organized First Baptist Church in the school building and worshiped there until a meetinghouse was erected in 1890. The structure was destroyed in a storm and rebuilt. The Rev. Joe B. (Uncle Joe) Benson, the first pastor, also preached in nearby communities. The Sunday School began in 1899. Westfork, Baxter, and New Bethel Community Baptist Churches joined this fellowship. Sanctuaries were erected in 1929 and in 1972. (1980) |
| 1759 | 5009001759 | 31.218578 | -101.21338 | First Methodist Church of Holliday | First Methodist Church of Holliday | 123 Myrtle St. | Holliday | Archer | 1986 | 123 Myrtle Street, Holliday | 18" x 28" | | Although records of the congregation date to 1892, Methodist circuit-riding ministers were serving this area as early as 1889. R. P. McElwreath was the first pastor of the Holliday church. Ten acres of land were deeded to the church, and the plot was known as the Holliday Campground. The first church building was erected about 1900, largely due to the efforts of church member James Madison Taylor (1836-1921). The wooden frame church was razed in the 1920s, and a new brick structure was built in 1927 during the pastorate of S.M. Dunham.
Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986. |
| 2172 | 5009002172 | 33.713973 | -98.709352 | Geraldine | Geraldine | | Holliday | Archer | 1973 | from Holliday take FM 368 South about 8 miles. | 18" x 28" | None | In 1901, after failing to locate suitable land in Oklahoma, the American Tribune New Colony Company of Indianapolis acquired over 59,000 acres in this area for an immigration project. A post office was established in March 1902, and by grand opening, May 20, 1902, Geraldine had been surveyed, 2 water wells drilled, 75 buildings erected, and 125 farm families settled. A severe drought and lack of ground water caused all but 20 families to leave by Jan. 1903. In 1905 County Court sold the tract to former owner Luke F. Wilson, and Geraldine was vacated. (1973) |
| 2627 | 5009002627 | 33.600568 | -98.672785 | In Vicinity of French Trading Area (4.5 Miles West) | French Trading Area, In Vicinity of | | Archer City | Archer | 1969 | from Archer City, take FM 25 North about 2 miles to roadside park at intersection with FM 210 | 18" x 28" | None | In the mid-1700s, Indians of this region met at a trading ground near this site with Frenchmen who brought them manufactured goods, sometimes including guns and ammunition--products denied them by the Spanish who held sovereignty, but could not prevent intrusions from Louisiana. The Spanish explorer Jose Mares on a road-mapping expedition here in 1787 saw evidences of the French. Among noted early-day visitors were Captain R. B. Marcy of the U.S. Army and Indian agent R. S. Neighbors, who camped nearby in 1854 while seeking a good site for an Indian reservation. (1974) |
| 2677 | 5009002677 | 0 | 0 | J. H. Meurer Home | Meurer, J. H. | | Scotland | Archer | 1982 | West side of U.S. 281, Scotland. | 18" x 28" | None | German native John H. Meurer (b. 1850) settled his family in this area about 1900 when he became a land agent for H. J. Scott of the Clark and Plumb Company. In selling over 60,000 acres of land, Meurer helped to establish the towns of Windthorst (6 mi. S) and Scotland (named for H. J. Scott), both primarily German Catholic settlements. Meurer had this one-and-a-half story home built in 1911. The 11-room house with wraparound porch remained in the Meurer family until 1941 when Saint Boniface Catholic Church purchased it to serve as a residence for parish priests. (1982) |
| 3207 | 5009003207 | 0 | 0 | Marcy Trail | Marcy Trail | | Windthorst | Archer | 1967 | From Windthorst, take U.S.281 south about 4.5 miles. | 14" x 24" | Stolen | Mapped 1849 by U.S. Army Capt. Randolph B. Marcy. Used for California gold rush; export of buffalo hides; West Texas settlers; cattle drives; 1859 Indian exodus from Texas. Route connected Texas Ranger frontier posts. Wagon ruts, water stops visible 3 miles to west.
Erected by the Archer County Historical Survey Committee, 1967. |
| 3695 | 5009003695 | 0 | 0 | Old Buffalo Road | Buffalo Road, Old | 15 mi. NE on SH 79 | Archer City | Archer | 1973 | from Archer City, take US Highway 79 northeast about 15 miles. | 14" x 24" | | Named for traffic in buffalo hides and bones, road from plains hunting grounds crossed this site. Hunters hauled thousands of hides to market in 1870s. The first settlers in late 1870s-80s sold bones for fertilizer and bought supplies to sustain life during hard times.
Erected by Archer County Historical Survey Committee, 1973. |
| 3861 | 5009003861 | 33.452963 | -98.92779 | On Route of the Comanche Exodus | Comanche Exodus, On Route of the | SH 114, adjacent to city park | Megargel | Archer | 1971 | SH 114, City Park, Megargel. | 18" x 28" | None | After living 1854-58 on the reservation set aside by State of Texas near Camp Cooper (30 mi. SW), the Comanche Indians with their goods were removed to Oklahoma. Near this spot on a head branch of Kickapoo Creek (so named, 1830) the exodus camped on Aug. 3, 1859, with its escort, a company of 1st United States Infantry under Capt. C. C. Gilbert, along with the Indian agent Matthew Leeper. At same time (25 mi. E), Maj. George H. Thomas escorted the supervising Indian agent, Maj. R. S. Neighbors, and 1059 Lower Brazos Reserve Indians to Oklahoma reservation. Megargel was founded here, 1910.
Erected by Archer County Historical Survey Committee. (1971) |
| 4465 | 5009004465 | 0 | 0 | St. Mary's Catholic Church | St. Mary's Catholic Church | | | Archer | 1974 | Just off US 281 on St. Mary's Street, Windthorst. | 18" x 28" | Refinish | Obtaining 75,000 acres of Archer County land for a farm colony in 1891, German-American Catholics planted cross here and laid off Windthorst around a 20-acre site for church, school, and rectory. Ernest Hoff built town's first structure, a home. There on Jan. 1, 1892, Father Joseph F. Reisdorf celebrated the first Mass in Windthorst, before 10 parishioners. The first church was dedicated in 1893, second in 1904. The present one, third for the parish, was completed in 1925. Two members of parish have become priests. St. Mary's Church continues to be the center of community life. (1974) |
| 4672 | 5009004672 | 33.596546 | -98.625541 | Sheriff E. Harrison Ikard | Ikard, Sheriff E. Harrison | | Archer City | Archer | 1925 | west side of courthouse lawn, Highway 79, Center Street, Archer City. | State-approved marker | None | This stone is erected to the memory of Sheriff E. Harrison Ikard by the Commissioner's Court, American Legion and local friends in recognition of a man who holding sacred a public trust answered duties call; fearless unto death, September 22, 1925. |
| 4775 | 5009004775 | 0 | 0 | Site of Early Bowman Church | Bowman Church, Site of Early | FM 1954, 4 mi. W | Holliday | Archer | 1970 | From Holliday, take FM 368 South 1 mile to FM 1954 and follow FM 1954 about 4 miles east. | 18" x 28" | | Organized as "Wichita Class" in Stringtown (now Bowman) by settlers from northern U.S. For years German and English services were held in 1888. A parsonage was built beside the schoolhouse where members worshipped. In 1893 congregation was named "Bowman" in honor of Bishop Thomas Bowman. A church building was erected in 1897. In 1901 both church and parsonage were moved one mile south of town to this site. The church played host to 5 annual church conferences, 1900-1920. In 1932 it merged with First Church of Wichita Falls. (1970)
Erected by Walter Ford annd Bowman Community. |
| 5313 | 5009005313 | 33.411372 | -98.735089 | The Confluence of the Brazos, Trinity, and Red River Watersheds | Confluence of the Brazos, Trinity, and Red River Watersheds, The | SH 79 | Olney | Archer | 1976 | From Olney, 3 mi. N on SH 79. | 18" x 28" | Refinish | The Trinity, a major Texas river rises 250 yards west of this 1250-foot mound. South of this site water drains to the Brazos, and north and west to the Red. This high point has been important in Texas history. It guided Capt. Diego Parilla to battle Indians on the Red in 1759 and aided Capt. R. B. Marcy in mapping a California trail in 1849. Marcy and Maj. R. S. Neighbors used it as a beacon point in finding a site for an Indian reservation in 1854. It also was on U.S. Cavalry maps for 1870s Indian campaigns.
(1976) |
| 5319 | 5009005319 | 33.783878 | -98.797004 | The D. S. Dudley Show | Dudley, The D. S. Show | | Mankins | Archer | 1974 | On US 82, Mankins | 18" x 28" | Refinish | Founded in late 19th or early 20th century as a wild west circus, the D. S. Dudley Show has been chief industry in Mankins for over half a century. Dick "Cheyenne" Dudley (born in 1896), a prize-winning bronc rider, bought the show in 1914, interrupted his career to serve overseas in the U.S. Army in World War I, came back and married Ruth Wolf of Mankins. Together they toured the Southwest with the show 8 months of the year, employing as many as 250 people, wintering here with their exotic animals. Younger generations of their family continue with the show.
(1974) |
| 5432 | 5009005432 | 0 | 0 | The Stone Houses | Stone Houses, The | | Windthorst | Archer | 1970 | from Windthorst, take US 281 5 miles south, then 5 miles south on Highway 16 | 18" x 28" | None | Named for shapes resembling teepees; an Indian ceremonial ground, yielding war paint. In famed "Battle of Stone Houses," Nov. 10, 1837, Lt. A. Van Benthousen and 18 Rangers (hunting stolen horses) were attacked 1.5 miles west of here by 150 Keechis. Ten Rangers and 50 Indians died in 3-hour battle. Indians fired the grass. Rangers lost their horses but escaped through a ravine and walked back to settlements. In 1874, area's first permanent home was built near the stone houses (and 5 mi. W of here) by English-born Dr. R. O. Prideaux (1844-1930), who helped organize this county.
Erected by Archer County Historical Survey Committee, 1970. |
| 12809 | 5009012809 | 0 | 0 | West Fork School | West Fork School | 9 mi. S of Windthorst on SH 16 at Prideaux Rd. | Windthorst | Archer | 2002 | 9 mi. S of Windthorst on SH 16 at Prideaux Rd. | 18" x 28" | | West Fork School
Begun in the early 1880s as the Baggett School, taught by landowner Silas Baggett, the West Fork School served students in this rural region for more than 60 years. In order to remain in the center of a dispersed agricultural community, the two-room school building was moved twice: once in 1886, when it was renamed New Hope, and again in the 1920s to this site, where it was called West Fork. By 1944, enrollment had declined to six children, and the school was closed. Students were reassigned to school in Antelope. The building was relocated to Archer City, where it served as a residence until it burned some years later. (2002) |
| 12946 | 5009012946 | 0 | 0 | Megargel | Megargel | Cedar St. at 3rd St. | Megargel | Archer | 2004 | on block bounded by 3rd St., Elm St., Cedar St./3rd Ave., and 1st St. | 27" x 42" | | In 1910, thirty years after the Texas Legislature created Archer County, the Gulf, Texas & Western Railroad began extending its track from Jacksboro to Seymour. That year the trinity townsite company laid out a new town along the tracks on land purchased from the prominent Meade family. The company named the town Megargel for the rail company president, Roy C. Megargel.
Within a few months of its founding, Megargel had almost two dozen stores, a hotel, a bank and a post office. Town residents soon organized a school district, served initially by three teachers. The population continued to grow and in 1914, the Megargel Times began its run as the city paper. In 1917, Megargel residents built a new schoolhouse; the first graduating class, in 1918, consisted of five students.
A second population boom began in 1923 with the opening of the nearby Swastika oilfield. Although Megargel suffered a disastrous downtown fire in 1925, it continued to grow rapidly as a result of regional oil production. By 1926, there were approximately 350 operating wells in the vicinity. During that time, the town's first theater opened. The school district, also growing, created one of Texas' earliest high school bands in 1927.
Although the area continued to produce oil, the Great Depression and other factors caused a decline in population. During World War II, the railroad was abandoned and many residents left for military service or to work in wartime industries. Today, in addition to oil, agriculture is an important part of the economy. The Megargel Cemetery and other historic resources help preserve the link to the town's history and boom era.
(2004) |
| 13079 | 5009013079 | #N/A | #N/A | Megargel Cemetery | Megargel Cemetery | SH 114, RR 1285 | Megargel | Archer | 2004 | W of Megargel at intersection of SH 114 and RR 1285 | Historic Texas Cemetery | | Residents of this part of Archer County in the 1880s included Irish native James Colgan and his wife, Nancy. Most other area families were of Bohemian descent, with names including Kulhanek, Bohac, Kunkel and Pechacek. The GT&W Railroad came in 1910, and the town of Megargel was established. That same year, Dr. W.T. Webb buried his two-day-old son, Arza, the first interred at what became the community cemetery. Others buried here include military veterans of conflicts dating to the Civil War. An association maintains the cemetery, preserving the link to the area's rich history.
Historic Texas Cemetery - 2003 |
| 13107 | 5009013107 | #N/A | #N/A | Lake Creek Cemetery | Lake Creek Cemetery | Lake Creek Rd, US 281 | Scotland | Archer | 2002 | 6 mi. N of Scotland on US 281, then E on Lake Creek Rd | Historic Texas Cemetery | | In the late 1800s, this part of Texas was open range. After the U.S. government removed Native American tribes to Indian Territory (Oklahoma), new settlers began arriving as early as 1874. Disputes between ranchers, who favored the open range, and homesteading farmers divided the settlers, but Archer County organized in 1880, despite opposition.
Early farmers in what became the Lake Creek community included the Gant, Edgin and Presley families, as well as Edward A. and Fannie McDonald, who, c. 1900, buried a visiting relative, known today only as Grandma Crisp, on their land. Hers is the first marked grave at this location, which the McDonalds donated to the county for use as a community cemetery in 1908. A school and church later developed, and residents maintained the burial ground and held Decoration Day services.
In 1981, descendants of those buried here joined others from the community to form a cemetery association. Four years later, the county conveyed the property to the group, which continues to preserve the cemetery, the final resting place of military veterans and generations of area residents.
Historic Texas Cemetery - 2002 |
| 11 | 5011000011 | 0 | 0 | Claude News | Claude News | 130 Trice Street | Claude | Armstrong | 1969 | | 18" x 28" | Refinish | Established as the "Argus," Jan. 1, 1890, in the new railroad town of Claude. Later it merged with "Goodnight News" to become "Claude News." First publisher, W. S. Decker, sold paper to B. F. Hines, who sold to J. H. Hamner, in 1892. His daughter Laura V., later a foremost historian of the early great ranches of Texas Panhandle, edited the paper in this period. About 1913 Hamner sold to Spurgeon and Marvin Bishop. On Jan. 1, 1916, Thos. T. Waggoner, founder of 4 Oklahoma weeklies, bought the "News." After his death, his sons Wm. J. B. and Cecil acquired ownership, in 1950. (1969) |
| 202 | 5011000202 | 0 | 0 | Armstrong County | Armstrong County | | Claude | Armstrong | 1969 | Courthouse lawn, northwest corner of US 287 and Trice St., Claude | 14" x 24" | Refinish | Created 1876. Name honors several Texas pioneers named Armstrong. Ranching became the chief industry when huge JA Ranch was established here in 1876. Farming was introduced after the railroad came through, 1887. County was organized in 1890. Present courthouse was built 1912. (1969) |
| 203 | 5011000203 | 0 | 0 | Armstrong County Jail | Armstrong County Jail | | Claude | Armstrong | 1969 | On US 287, one block west of Courthouse Square, Claude. | 18" x 28" | None | Erected in 1953, this building is constructed of stone used to build the first masonry jail in Armstrong County, 1894. Stone for the structure (which replaced a primitive, frame "calaboose") was quarried 14 miles south at Dripping Springs in Palo Duro Canyon and then hauled here in wagons driven by local citizens. The rock was cut at this site. The 1894 building had two stories, topped by a dome, and 20-inch walls. So sturdy was it that dangerous convicts from other counties were kept here. Old-timers remember that only three prisoners ever escaped. (1969) |
| 478 | 5011000478 | 0 | 0 | Boy Scout Troop No. 17 | Boy Scout Troop No. 17 | | Claude | Armstrong | 1975 | Courthouse Square, northwest corner of US 287 and Trice Street, Claude. | 18" x 28" | Refinish | One of the oldest Scout troops west of the Mississippi River, this group was organized in May 1912 by pioneer physician Dr. W. A. Warner (1864-1934). The first troop of about 30 boys met in a room above Dr. Warner's drugstore and office. Because of his foresight, many of Claude's civic leaders were influenced in their youth by ideals of scouting. Dr. Warner served as the first scoutmaster, followed by John W. McClure, Bert C. Wooldridge, Cecil Waggoner, and J.L. McFarland. Troop No. 17, also called the "Lone Star Pioneers," is governed by the Scouts through their Junior Council. (1975) |
| 813 | 5011000813 | 0 | 0 | Charles Goodnight | Goodnight, Charles | | Goodnight | Armstrong | 1964 | US 287, east city limits, Goodnight | 18" x 28" | Refinish. | (1836-1929).
Illinois-born, came to Texas in 1845. At 19, on way to gold field, saw ranching possibilities, and started herd in Palo Pinto area. In the Civil War scouted for the frontier regiment in northwest Texas, New Mexico and Indian Territory. With Oliver Loving, pioneered Goodnight-Loving Trail across deserts and Indian lands, 1866. Established in 1876 the first Texas Panhandle ranch, in Palo Duro Canyon, longtime winter shelter of Plains Indians. Later with Irish partner, expanded into the great JA Ranch. Founded old Goodnight College. (1964) |
| 817 | 5011000817 | 0 | 0 | Charles H. Roan | Roan, Charles H. | | | Armstrong | 1970 | In the Claude Cemetery; from Claude, take US 287 about .5 miles northwest, then take first County Road about 1 mile north to cemetery. | Grave marker (16x12) | None | (Aug. 16, 1923-Sept. 18, 1944). Winner, Congressional Medal of Honor for heroism during the Allied Forces' invasion of Peleliu in the western Pacific, in World War II. On July 21, 1945, he was decorated posthumously by presentation of his medal to his mother, Armstrong County Treasurer, Mrs. Lillabel Roan, in Claude. A Navy destroyer in 1946 was christened with his name. Private Roan's grave is in the Marine Cemetery, Peleliu Island. Recorded - 1970 |
| 818 | 5011000818 | 0 | 0 | Charles Howard Roan | Roan, Charles Howard | | Claude | Armstrong | 1994 | Courthouse Square, northwest corner of US 287 and Trice Street, Claude. | 18" x 28" | Refinish | (August 16, 1923 - September 18, 1944)
Claude native Charles H. Roan volunteered for World War II service in the U.S. Marine Corps in December 1942. On active duty in the Pacific, he was killed in battle on Peleliu Island when he threw himself on a Japanese grenade, thereby saving the lives of four fellow Marines. For his heroic action he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. The medal was presented to his mother, Armstrong County Treasurer Lillabel Roan, in ceremonies here at the courthouse in July 1945. A U.S. Navy destroyer built in 1946 was christened the USS Charles H. Roan DD-853. (1994) |
| 906 | 5011000906 | 0 | 0 | Claude Cemetery | Claude Cemetery | | Claude | Armstrong | 1973 | From Claude, take US 287 about .5 miles northwest, then take first County Road about 1 mile north to cemetery. | 18" x 28" | None | (Established 1890) Dan Cavanagh settled here in 1885 and bought this land in 1888. In 1890 he gave a grave site for railroad worker Neal DeBerry. Settler C.C. Bates was buried in 1890, and early burials from the Fort Worth & Denver Railroad right-of-way were later moved here. James and Harriet Grimes deeded the cemetery land to the public in 1905. A cemetery association was organized in 1912, and perpetual care began in 1936 with a $10,000 gift from Jim Hill. Also interred here are veterans of the Civil War, the Spanish American War, World Wars I and II, Korea, and Vietnam. (1973, 1990) |
| 908 | 5011000908 | 0 | 0 | Claude Monroe Ayers | Ayers, Claude Monroe | | Claude | Armstrong | 1971 | in Claude Cemetery, 0.5 miles northwest of Claude on US 287, then take first County Road about 1 mile north to cemetery | Grave Marker | None | Claude Monroe Ayers (1854-1915). Locomotive engineer piloting the first Fort Worth & Denver passenger train to reach here, 1887. Town was given his name.
Recorded - 1971. |
| 1284 | 5011001284 | 0 | 0 | Dr. and Mrs. Wm. A. Warner | Warner, William | | Claude | Armstrong | 1969 | Courthouse square, northwest corner of US 287 and Trice Street, Claude. | 18" x 28" | Refinish. | Two of the most admired and beloved pioneer citizens of Armstrong County, Dr. Warner (1864-1934) was a country physician and his wife Phebe (Kerrick) (1866-1935) was an ardent humanitarian. Natives of Illinois, they were married in Claude in 1898. During his 35-year practice here, Dr. Warner made numerous calls by buggy and delivered over 2,000 babies, many in dug-outs. Affectionately called "The Little Brown Wren" for her busy, cheerful manner, Mrs. Warner originated women's clubs in the Panhandle and continually worked to improve rural life. (1969) |
| 1295 | 5011001295 | 0 | 0 | Dugout of W. M. Dye | Dye, W. M., Dugout of | | | Armstrong | 1983 | From Claude, take SH 207 about 13 miles south, then take FM 2227 about 3.5 miles east to roadside marker. | 18" x 28" | Refinish. | William Miles Dye was born in Kentucky in 1864 and moved to Texas with his parents in 1870. He settled in this area in 1891, one year after the organization of Armstrong County. By hauling rock from Palo Duro Canyon, Dye helped in the construction of the first county jail in Claude (13 mi. N). Still visible (10 yds. N) is the lower portion of the dugout he built for his family. Dugouts often were constructed in areas, such as the Texas Panhandle, where building materials were in short supply. (1983) |
| 1354 | 5011001354 | 0 | 0 | Early Sheriffs of Armstrong County, 1890-1926 | Early Sheriffs of Armstrong County, 1890-1926 | | | Armstrong | 1971 | Courthouse Square, in front of jail, Claude | 18" x 28" | None | Inheriting peacekeeping duty from 1874-90 ranchers, the early sheriffs of Armstrong County (organized 1890) won great public regard. With their families, these men lived in jail quarters and fed the prisoners. There was no salary; fees were earned in civil and criminal process serving. Arrests were made for rustling and various other crimes. The earliest sheriffs were: John F. Wilson, 1890-92; Vince S. Terry, 1892-96; Pat H. Lynch, 1896-1904, 1919-24; Jeff D. Martin, 1904-06; W.A. (Bill) Davis, 1906-10; Ranzil C. Rodgers, 1910-14; James D. Woodburn, 1914-19, 1924-26. (1971) |
| 1622 | 5011001622 | 0 | 0 | First Baptist Church of Claude | First Baptist Church of Claude | 300 Parks | Claude | Armstrong | 1975 | 300 Parks, Claude. | 18" x 28" | None | Organized on May 18, 1890, by 19 charter members, with the Rev. B. E. Hure as moderator. The Rev. Count C. Storts was the first resident pastor. The congregation worshipped in the Presbyterian church building until 1899, when a frame sanctuary was built (1/2 block south) on property donated by L. P. Greer. A second structure, of brick, was erected on this site in 1918. The present facility was constructed and dedicated in 1971. In a pioneer environment, this church body served as an uplifting force to settlers of Claude and surrounding ranches and farms. |
| 2225 | 5011002225 | 0 | 0 | Site of Old Goodnight College | Goodnight College, Site of Old | | Goodnight | Armstrong | 1971 | at community building on FM 294 just north of intersection with US 287, Goodnight. | 18" x 28" | Replace. | (1898-1917) Founded by first permanent Texas Panhandle ranchers, Col. and Mrs. Charles Goodnight. With 20 students, classes began in the Methodist church while donors' funds were being used to erect 3-story administration building, two dormitories, and dining hall. Enrolment grew to 200; school had good athletic program. College in 1905 became a Baptist-supported academy; a junior college, 1913. Presidents were: Dr. Marshall McIlhaney, C. H. Webb, the Rev. J. P. Reynolds, Dr. D. T. Sutherland, the Rev. A. H. Thornton, E. B. Moore, and R. B. Morgan. In World War I era the useful pioneer school closed. (1971) |
| 2263 | 5011002263 | 0 | 0 | Great Panhandle Indian Scare of 1891 | Great Panhandle Indian Scare of 1891 | | Claude | Armstrong | 1983 | Courthouse Square, northwest corner of US 287 and Trice Street, Claude. | 18" x 28" | Refinish. | Although most Indians had left the Texas Panhandle by the 1880s, fear of Indian attacks was still prevalent among settlers who arrived in the next decade. On Jan. 29, 1891, rumors of approaching Indians spread throughout the entire region. For three days settlers barricaded their homes and communities and prepared to defend themselves. Later it was discovered that the rumored Indian war cries and smoke signals were actually cowboys in pursuit of a steer they finally caught and cooked over an open fire. (1983) |
| 3749 | 5011003749 | 0 | 0 | Old Home Ranch | Old Home Ranch | | Claude | Armstrong | 1970 | At Harrell Ranch Headquarters, 27.5 miles SW of Claude on FM 1288 | 18" x 28" | N/A | First ranch in the Panhandle, established in 1876 by Charles Goodnight (1836-1929). The original ranch headquarters, located on the south side of the Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River (7 miles SE), was built by Goodnight in the fall of 1876. In June 1877, Goodnight entered a partnership with Irishman John G. Adair and founded the "JA" Ranch. Adair died in 1885, and his wife, Cornelia Ritchie Adair, assumed the partnership with Goodnight until its dissolution in 1887. The Old Home Ranch headquarters burned in 1904. Edward Harrell purchased 35,000 acres of the "JA" in 1917, including the old ranch. (1970) |
| 4284 | 5011004284 | 0 | 0 | Roadside Park on Hamblen Drive | Hamblen Drive, Roadside Park on | | | Armstrong | 1968 | From Wayside, take SH 207 8 miles northeast to roadside park. | 18" x 28" | Refinish | Named for Will H. Hamblen (1878-1952), who in 1890's pioneered a crude road (about 6 mi. N) into Palo Duro Canyon along old Indian trails. This cut 120 miles off settlers' trips to courthouse in Claude, but was steep and dangerous. Hamblen and his wife, Ada (1883-1955) ranched near Wayside after 1905. He worked unceasingly to get a passable road through Palo Duro. Elected county commissioner in 1928, he at last had a graded road built. By decision of the commissioners' court, road was dedicated in 1930 as Hamblen Drive. With its paving in 1954, a dream of a lifetime was realized. (1968) |
| 4366 | 5011004366 | 0 | 0 | Route of Coronado Expedition | Coronado Expedition, Route of | | Claude | Armstrong | 1969 | Courthouse Square, northwest corner of US 287 and Trice Street, Claude | 18" x 28" | Refinish | Led by Francisco Vazquez de Coronado, this trail-blazing expedition set out from Mexico City in 1541 in search of Cibola, fabled 7 Cities of Gold. Finding only Indian pueblos, Coronado changed his course for Quivira, a supposedly wealthy Indian kingdom. This quest brought the entourage across the Panhandle plains to present Tule Canyon. Then with 30 men, Coronado went north by "Needle Point" -- a route taking in Palo Duro Canyon and present Armstrong County, via Claude. He next continued into Kansas, but failing to find riches, returned to Mexico in 1542. (1969) |
| 4401 | 5011004401 | 0 | 0 | S. P. Hamblen Family | Hamblen, S. P., Family | | | Armstrong | 1970 | From Claude, take SH 207 about 17.5 miles south to roadside park inside Palo Duro Canyon Grounds. | 27" x 42" | Replace. | Pioneered at this site, in dugout to the west. S.P. Hamblen (1846-1930) and wife Virginia Ann (1861-1950) settled in Lakeview area (9 mi. S of Claude) in 1889. Hamblen helped establish Lakeview School, 1890. He engaged in farming and stockraising, and also dealt in cedar posts cut in Palo Duro Canyon and sold in Amarillo at 3 cents each. Hauls over the old Indian trail were made with such great effort that W.H. Hamblen (oldest son, who helped his father) longed for good roads and later was designer of Hamblen Drive. Mrs. Hamblen, at home with her children, tended the ranch, courageously protecting family from the prevalent rattlesnakes, and repulsing vicious lobo wolves that attacked the young cattle. The Hamblens lived at this site, known as Mesquite Flat, in 1901-1902. The father and older sons, W.H., David and Claude, put up corrals and a barn, and then built the rockwalled 24 x 36-foot dugout. The tenth child of the family, Luther Ray Hamblen, was born in the Mesquite Flat dugout on March 3, 1902. Moving from this place, the Hamblens sought the best location for educating their children, who in the tradition of their parents became respected citizens of the west. (1970) |
| 4850 | 5011004850 | 0 | 0 | Site of Old Goodnight Ranch | Goodnight Ranch, Site of Old | | Goodnight | Armstrong | 1936 | near intersection of US 287 and FM 294, 1 mile east of Goodnight. | 1936 Centennial Marker | N/A | First ranch in the Texas Panhandle; established in 1876 by Charles Goodnight 1836-1929; noted scout, Indian fighter, trail blazer and rancher; The Burbank of the Range. |
| 4911 | 5011004911 | 0 | 0 | Site of Warner Building | Warner Building | | Claude | Armstrong | 1991 | 101 North Trice Street, Claude. | 18" x 28" | None | Erected at this site in 1909 by civic leaders Dr. William A. (1864-1934) and Phebe K. (1866-1935) Warner, the Warner Building played an important role in Claude's development. Designed by the Amarillo architectural firm of Heckman and Hartley, the building housed Dr. Warner's medical office, the Warners' Gate City Drugstore, public rest rooms, a barber shop, the "Claude News" newspaper office, a public reading room, a lodge hall, and rental office space. After a fire destroyed the building in 1915, the Warners reopened their drugstore at another location. |
| 5524 | 5011005524 | 0 | 0 | Town of Claude | Claude, Town of | | Claude | Armstrong | 1971 | Courthouse Square, northwest corner of US 287 and Trice Street, Claude. | 18" x 28" | Refinish | Founded when Fort Worth & Denver Railroad built into area (1887). Claude Ayers, engineer on first passenger train through here, suggested town be named for him -- and citizens agreed. Jerry Cavanaugh, first resident, gave land for town. Post office was granted in 1888, with E.H. Trice, postmaster. Claude won a close race for county seat, 1890. Tie-breaking vote was cast by famous rancher Chas. Goodnight. Churches were established in 1890 and a school built in 1891. Noted Panhandle historian Laura V. Hamner was an early teacher. Town was incorporated in 1909. (1971) |
| 5528 | 5011005528 | 0 | 0 | Town of Goodnight | Goodnight, Town of | | Goodnight | Armstrong | 1936 | Roadside Park on US 287 at eastern city limits of Goodnight | Pink granite highway marker | Replace star and wreath, polish. | Named in honor of Charles Goodnight, 1836-1929, noted scout, Indian fighter and trail blazer who established the first ranch in the Texas Panhandle in 1876 and is also known as the Burbank of the Range. |
| 5539 | 5011005539 | 0 | 0 | Town of Washburn | Washburn | | Washburn | Armstrong | 1970 | On US 287, at western city limits, Washburn. | 18" x 28" | Refinish. | Planned by R. E. Montgomery, son-in-law of Fort Worth & Denver City Railway Builder-President Gen. G. M. Dodge. Named for family friend. Promoted 1887, Washburn for a time was F.W. & D.C. Line's terminus. It had first newspaper on Plains-- "Armstrong County Record". Also had general store, lumber yard, 2 hotels, 2 saloons. Became junction point, branch line connecting F.W. & D.C. with Santa Fe Railway at Panhandle. Remaining as town dwindled: Judge Jas. Logue, donor cemetery site and founder Washburn State Bank, 1908; H. E. White, owner of store, lumber yard and elevators. (1970) |
| 5720 | 5011005720 | 0 | 0 | Warner Memorial Community Center | Warner Memorial Community Center | 400 Vine Street | Claude | Armstrong | 1962 | 400 Vine Street, Claude. | Medallion and Plate | None | Frame structure, built about 1912 as Llano School (15 mi. SW of Claude), was vacated in 1930, used as rural community center, then moved 1939 to this site donated by Mr. and Mrs. J.T. Christian. Volunteers applied stucco and remodeled interior, using funds raised by the Armstrong County Federation of Women's Clubs. The center name honors Dr. and Mrs. Wm. A. Warner, pioneer leaders in social progress and culture.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1962 |
| 5816 | 5011005816 | 0 | 0 | Park Named for William A. Carroll, M.D. | Carroll, William A., M.D., Park named for | | Claude | Armstrong | 1973 | Corner of Trice Street and Fifth Street, in Municipal Park, Claude. | 18" x 28" | Refinish. | (April 13, 1875-April 22, 1960) Born in Chester County, Tenn., son of Joseph Cyrus and Emily Kirk Carroll. Married Claudia Haltom, 1900. Graduated 1901 from University of Tennessee. Moved to Claude, 1914. In career of 54 years, delivered over 2500 babies. A staunch Democrat; a Mason and a Shriner; charter member, Claude Lions Club; director, First State Bank of Claude; president, Potter County Medical Association, he was honored, 1950, when city of Claude named this park for him. Dr. and Mrs. Carroll had four children: Kirk, Ralph, Perry, and Roberta. The son Ralph became a physician in Amarillo. (1973) |
| 12005 | 5011012005 | 0 | 0 | First Battle of the Palo Duro | First Battle of the Palo Duro | SH 207, RR 285 | Wayside | Armstrong | 1971 | from Wayside, take SH 207 8 miles north to roadside park | 18" x 28" | stolen or destroyed | |
| 61 | 5013000061 | 29.24059 | -98.800372 | Atascosa Lodge No. 379, A.F. and A.M. | Atascosa Lodge No. 379, A.F. and A.M. | 19004 Somerset Road | Lytle | Atascosa | 1970 | 19004 Somerset Road at intersection with Laredo Road in Lytle | 20" x 20" | NONE | Organized by eleven Master Masons in Benton City in 1872 and chartered June 9, 1873, by Grand Lodge of Texas. First hall, erected of stone in 1876, provided space for public school. The lodge, which has furnished social and cultural leadership to this locality, was moved to Lytle on May 20, 1909. (1970)
Marker in appreciation for Masons past and present. |
| 155 | 5013000155 | 0 | 0 | Amphion and Amphion Cemetery | Amphion and Amphion Cemetery | | Poteet | Atascosa | 1992 | From Poteet, take FM 476 West about .5 miles, then go South as FM 2146 about 4 miles, make a left onto County Road at Amphion Community. Cemetery will be on left. | 27" x 42" | None | Amphion traces its beginning to the establishment of Atascosa County's first courthouse which is believed to have been constructed near this site at the county seat of Navatasco in 1857. Amphion, thought to have been named after a figure in Greek mythology, was located within the 17,000-acre ranch of Jose Antonio Navarro, a prominent local rancher and signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence. Amphion was at one time a thriving community with several general stores, a hotel, post office, blacksmith shop, cotton gin, tannery, churches, fraternal lodges and a school. Amphion Cemetery was established about 1870 at this site on land donated by Roy Jenkins and Frank Lozano. Although the earliest recorded gravesite is that of Laura Underwood (d.1891) there is a gravestone with the year 1800 inscribed on its surface that local tradition claims marks the grave of a young boy killed by indians. This cemetery contains the graves of at least two veterans of the American Civil War. When railroad lines were built through Atascosa County in 1907 and 1927 along routes that bypassed Amphion, business activity declined and the community eventually dissolved. Virtually all that remains of the former town of Amphion is this cemetery. (1992)
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| 223 | 5013000223 | 0 | 0 | Atascosa County | Atascosa County | | Jourdanton | Atascosa | 1936 | rom Jourdanton, take SH 97 about 3 miles northeast to roadside park | 1936 Centennial - Highway Marker (gray granite) | None | As early as 1722 El Camino Real (The King's Highway) from the Rio Grande to San Antonio was well established in this area. The Spanish word "Atascosa," denoting boggy ground that hindered travel, gave region its name. The County was created in 1856 from land formerly in Bexar County. Jose Antonio Navarro, whose 1831 claim was the first grant recorded in area, gave land in 1857 for first county seat, Navatasco. County seat moved to Pleasanton in 1858, to Jourdanton in 1911. Livestock, oil, gas and strawberries are well-known products of the county. |
| 224 | 5013000224 | 28.921186 | -98.54593 | Atascosa County Courthouse | Atascosa County Courthouse | | Jourdanton | Atascosa | 1986 | Courthouse Circle Drive, Jourdanton | 27" x 42" | Refinish | Atascosa County was created from Bexar County in 1856. The first county seat was at Navatasco, on land donated by Jose Antonio Navarro, and the county's first courthouse was a log cabin. The county seat was moved to Pleasanton in 1858, and a frame courthouse was erected. A second courthouse was built in 1868, followed by a third, a red rock structure in 1885. When a special election resulted in the relocation of the county seat to Jourdanton in 1910, the county officers were first housed in rented quarters. The following year the Gordon-Jones Company began construction on a new courthouse. Completed in 1912, the building was designed by San Antonio architect Henry T. Phelps (1881-1945), who would also design the Atascosa County Jail in 1915. The two-story brick building has identical entries at each side. Mission Revival-style detail includes curvilinear parapets and occasional Renaissance motifs, accomplished with cast-stone highlights, metal balustrades, and tile roofing. The corners of the building are turned with three-story tower bays, each topped by an open belvedere. Later alterations to the courthouse replaced original windows and installed an elevator opposite the original stairwell.
Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986. |
| 225 | 5013000225 | 28.920057 | -98.545709 | Atascosa County Courthouse | Atascosa County Courthouse | | Jourdanton | Atascosa | 1964 | At intersection of SH97 and Highway 16, across from the courthouse, Jordanton | 18" x 28" | Refinish | This log cabin is a replica of first courthouse built 1856 near Amphion (Navatasco) 9 miles to the orthwest, on site given by Jose Antonio Navarro out of his 1828 grant from Coahuila and Texas. A signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence, he helped organize this county. First court term, 1857. First officials: Sheriff, James H. French; Chief Justice, Marcellus French; District Clerk, Edward Walker; County Clerk, Daniel Tobin; Tax Assessor-Collector, Thomas R. Brite; County Treasurer, Baylor Winn; District Attorney, James Paul; District Judge, E.F. Buckner. (1964) |
| 373 | 5013000373 | 29.208364 | -98.781042 | Benton City Cemetery | Benton City Cemetery | | Lytle | Atascosa | 1970 | From Lytle, take FM 3175 about 1.9 miles southeast to Cemetery. | 18" x 28" | Refinish | Benton City Cemetery (Established 1870). First public cemetery in this community, which was famous in early days for its outstanding school, aggressive businesses, and newspaper, the Benton City "Era." Site was given by James M. Jones, farmer-livestock raiser and leading citizen, whose rock house stood nearby. Jones and family moved here in 1869, when Atascosa County (with Amphion the county seat) was a frontier region of south Texas. Interred here are pioneers and veterans of Indian warfare, the Civil War, World War I, World War II, and other conflicts. |
| 637 | 5013000637 | 28.481694 | -98.348663 | Calliham | Calliham | | Calliham | McMullen | 1966 | Enter Choke Canyon Lake Park off of Highway 72, 2 miles west of McMullen County line and follow Park Road to Park Gym/Store, "Calliham Shore"; marker is in front of store - in Calliham. | 24" x 18" | None. | In 1918 had a post office, Guffeyola, in store of H.H. McGuffey. After oil and gas discoveries, 1917-1922, was tent city, then town of shotgun houses. Piped first natural gas to San Antonio. Name was changed 1923 to honor J.T. Calliham, rancher and townsite owner. Still produces oil and exports fine rocks and petrified wood. |
| 3687 | 5013003687 | 28.922283 | -98.547095 | Old Atascosa County Jail | Atascosa County Jail | 711 Broadway | Jourdanton | Atascosa | 1986 | 711 Broadway, Jourdanton | 27" x 42" | Refinish | County officials rented a small Jourdanton house for a jail in 1911 after the county seat was moved here from Pleasanton in 1910. A proposal to build a new jail with cells from the old Pleasanton structure was rejected and this reinforced-concrete, brick-clad building with new steel cells was authorized in 1915. This site was purchased that year from W.M. Abernethy (1851-1931), who had served as County Judge from 1901 to 1912. The architect of the 1912 Courthouse, Henry T. Phelps (1881-1945) of San Antonio, was chosen to supervise erection of the jail. The Southern Structural Steel Company of San Antonio was awarded the $20,000 construction contract. An electic blend of architectural elements was highlighted with crenelated towers and hood molds outlining the windows. The first floor housed offices and living quarters for Sheriffs and their families, provided from 1916 to 1959. A gallows room was built on the second floor, though its trap door was never sprung for execution. Standard and specialized cells were partitioned on the second and third floors. Additions were built in 1974, with bricks and detailing carefully matching original patterns. A new jail was built to replace this building in 1982.
Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986. |
| 3795 | 5013003795 | 0 | 0 | Old Rock Baptist Church | Rock Baptist Church, Old | | Lytle | Atascosa | 1971 | From Lytle, take FM 3175 about 7.5 miles southeast, then go north on FM 476 about .75 miles, and make a right (eastward) onto Old Rossville Road. Follow .25 miles to church and cemetery. | 27" x 42" | None | Organized as Medina Baptist Church in April 1857 at Mann's Crossing, near Macdona. Until 1866, when members built an arbor here near Old Somerset, the services were held in homes or in a schoolhouse.
Site for meetinghouse and cemetery (2.5 acres here) was bought for ten dollars in 1867 by committeemen F. M. Avent, Elisha A. Briggs, and W. D. Johnson on behalf of Medina Church. This committee also drew the plans; Briggs, a settler from Massachusetts and a stonemason, did much of the construction. Worship began here in 1869 as soon as house had roof and walls--although door and window spaces were empty and there was no floor except bare ground. In those early days, four ordained ministers took turns as unpaid pastors. Avent was clerk and sexton. Medina Church membership was racially integrated. Some of the Negro members lie buried in honored graves in the cemetery.
In 1892 Medina Church relocated at Bexar. Cemetery maintenance was continued here; "Old Rock" was used at times for funerals or worship. In 1921, after local petroleum discoveries, Grayburg Oil Company and some of its employees helped renovate the meetinghouse. Congregation renamed itself for the Old Rock Church and regular worship has continued here ever since.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1971
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| 3797 | 5013003797 | 0 | 0 | Old Rock Schoolhouse | Rock Schoolhouse, Old | 201 College Street | Pleasanton | Atascosa | 1991 | | 27" x 42" | None | Constructed of locally quarried red sandstone, the Old Rock Schoolhouse was built in 1874 with funds pledged by citizens of Pleasanton. Once completed, the building was deeded to the county for free public school purposes. In addition to its educational function, the schoolhouse also served as a place of worship for the First Baptist Church from 1875 to 1883.
A storm cellar in the school yard served as a sanctuary against Comanche Indian raids on many occasions. Children attended classes six months of the year at no charge, but paid tuition for the remaining three months of the term. The Pleasanton Normal School, a training institute for teachers, operated in the schoolhouse during the summer months.
After the city built a new public school on Main Street about 1913, the Old Rock Schoolhouse was closed. It later served as a store, a private residence, and an apartment building. Purchased by the First Baptist Church in 1986, it later was renovated to serve once again as an educational facility. Known for many years to local residents as the "Red Rock Schoolhouse," its original sandstone exterior was concealed under a coat of plaster and paint. (1991) |
| 4056 | 5013004056 | 0 | 0 | Pleasanton | Pleasanton | 114 Goodwin St. | Pleasanton | Atascosa | 1973 | at City Hall grounds, on island of intersection of Main Street and Goodwin | 27" x 42" | Refinish | (Founded 1858) Named for early Texas settler John Pleasants, by John Bowen (d.1867), San Antonio's first Anglo-American postmaster. Bowen, assisted financially by associate Henry L. Radaz, in Sept. 1858 founded this town at the juncture of Atascosa River and Bonita Creek as the county seat of Atascosa County. The first courthouse in Pleasanton (second in county) stood on this site.
Men from this and surrounding counties met here in Civil War (1862) to form Co. E, 32nd Texas Volunteer Cavalry, Confederate Army, under Captain Lewis Maverick.
In an area thick with Longhorns since Spanish and Indian days, Pleasanton became a cattlemen's capital. Beginning in 1860s, the Stock Raisers' Association of Western Texas often convened here. This was place of publication of "Western Stock Journal," founded 1873. Here gathered the hardiest and most skillful cowboys, including those driving herds from Mexican border to shipping points in Kansas. In spring of 1873 they drove 43,000 Atascosa county cattle up the trail.
Pleasanton was county seat until 1911, and still grows. In 1961 it absorbed North Pleasanton (founded 1912 as site for San Antonio, Uvalde and Gulf Railroad shops). County's largest town, it is famous for liveoak trees, and commerce in beef, peanuts, and petroleum. (1973) |
| 4057 | 5013004057 | 0 | 0 | Pleasanton First United Methodist Church | Pleasanton First United Methodist Church | 420 N. Main Street | Pleasanton | Atascosa | 1984 | | 27" x 42" | Refinish/Local effort | This congregation was organized in 1857, one year before the city of Pleasanton was founded. The church was established largely through the efforts of early Methodist circuit preachers such as John Wesley DeVilbliss and Augustus C. Fairman, who later was elected County Judge and settled in Pleasanton.
The Rev. Thomas B. Ferguson was appointed first pastor to the Methodist congregation in 1858. Early worship services were held outdoors, in private homes, in the log courthouse, and in the first schoolhouse. The fellowship erected its first sanctuary during the 1860s. A second, built during the 1880s at 421 North Main, today is used for the parsonage. The first church building at this site was constructed in 1912-14. The current sanctuary was completed in 1959.
In 1969, Pleasanton First United Methodist Church merged with Jacob's Chapel United Methodist Church, a black congregation organized during the 1870s. The Pleasanton church continues to uphold the ideals and traditions of its founders as it provides significant service and leadership to the community. Many descendants of its pioneer members continue to worship here. (1984) |
| 4092 | 5013004092 | 0 | 0 | Poteet | Poteet | | Poteet | Atascosa | 1989 | In front of Post office at 4th Street and Avenue I intersection, Poteet | 27" x 42" | None | The town of Poteet traces its history to the 1880s, when Francis Marion Poteet (1833-1907) established a mercantile store northeast of this area. A blacksmith and farmer as well as a merchant, Poteet began providing mail service to his customers.
Poteet sold his business to Henry T. Mumme (1870-1947) before 1900. Mumme continued to offer postal service at the store, and in 1910 he and his wife Ida (1869-1942) donated 400 acres of land for a new townsite. Since the area had been referred to as Poteet as a result of the early mail service, the new town was named in honor of Francis Marion Poteet. Mumme moved his store to the new townsite in 1911.
Mumme drilled the town's first artesian water well and is credited with introducing the cultivation of strawberries here. The artesian water, together with the sandy soil of the region, proved ideal for growing the berries. Known statewide for its superior quality strawberries, Poteet has been nicknamed the "Strawberry Capital of Texas." The town grew steadily after 1910, with the establishment of schools, churches, homes, and businesses. It was incorporated in 1926. (1989) |
| 4355 | 5013004355 | 0 | 0 | Rossville | Rossville | | Rossville | Atascosa | 1969 | On east side of FM 2504 about 1 mile south of intersection with FM 476, Rossville | 18" x 28" | None | First Scottish community in southwest Texas. Founded 1873 by brothers William F.M. Ross and John C. Ross. Born in north Scotland, they came to Texas in 1867. Here they were awarded a contract to carry U.S. Mail. On the route, they noticed fertile soil and plentiful game of this region. They soon settled here and persuaded other Scottish families to join them.
Rossville came to have a one-room school, cotton gin, post office (established 1877), two grocery stores, a bakery and a saloon; but it declined after being by passed by the railroad. (1969) |
| 4356 | 5013004356 | 0 | 0 | Rossville Cemetery | Rossville Cemetery | | Rossville | Atascosa | 1986 | At intersection of FM 476 and FM 2504, take County Road west to cemetery about 200 yards, Rossville. | 27" x 42" | None | Texas statesman Jose Antonio Navarro (1795-1871) transferred land here along the Atascosa River to his eldest son Jose Antonio George Navarro. J.A.G. Navarro (b.1819) then gave 160 acres here to his daughter Maria Antonia Navarro (1845-1922) in 1870, on the occasion of her marriage in San Antonio to Scotsman John C. Ross (1839-1925). One acre at this site was reserved for a cemetery. Ross and his brother William subsequently founded the community of Rossville here after 1873.
The first burial was that of Juana Chaves Navarro (1820-1874), wife of J.A.G. Navarro. Other pioneers who lived in this area before the founding of Rossville are buried here. Their family names include Alvarez, Bergara, Castanon, Cruz, Galindo, Gonzales, Tabberer, Tober, Riojas, and Stokes. Confederate veteran Clemente Galindo (1844-1881) and his wife Martha Goins Galindo (1845-1903) are buried here along with many of their descendants.
By the 1920s the road to the graveyard was often impassable, so John Ross was buried in the family plot at the Episcopal Church Cemetery (1 mi. E). His wife Maria Antonia is buried here, near their home site. Other Navarro, Chaves, and Ross descendants are also buried here, including Texas Ranger Captain Tom Ross (1871-1946), son of John and Maria Antonia Ross. (1986)
Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986. |
| 4559 | 5013004559 | 0 | 0 | Sand Branch Baptist Church | Sand Branch Baptist Church | | Rossville | Atascosa | 1982 | From Rossville take FM 2504 south about 8 miles. Church is on west side of FM 2504. | 27" x 42" | Refinish | Organized under a tree near this site on August 27, 1882, the pioneer Sand Branch Baptist Church began with twelve members from the surrounding rural area. Elder C.B. Hukill served as the congregation's first pastor. Early worship services, conducted once a month, were held under a brush arbor and later in the community schoolhouse, located nearby.
By the early 1900s the schoolhouse was no longer adequate for the growing congregation and plans were initiated for the construction of a separate sanctuary. Built by the members, it was completed in 1904 at this location. The land was conveyed by member W.W. Davidson, who had earlier deeded the adjacent cemetery site. New church facilities were constructed here later.
For over a century the Sand Branch Baptist Church has played a significant role in the development of the area. Church facilities have been used for a variety of civic activities and members of the congregation have served as prominent leaders of the Sand Branch community. In addition, as an early member of the Rio Grande Baptist Association, later renamed the Frio River Baptist Association, the church has been active in area missionary work. (1982) |
| 4681 | 5013004681 | 0 | 0 | Shiloh Cemetery | Shiloh Cemetery | | Leming | Atascosa | 1985 | From Leming, take FM 1470 about 2 miles west, turn south onto Shiloh Road and follow about .5 miles to cemetery. | 27" x 42" | None | The first burial in this graveyard, that of fourteen-year-old John Uzell, took place in 1857. The land at that time belonged to Isaac H. Cavender, Sr., who was related to Uzell. Cavender allowed other burials on his property and soon the graveyard became known as the Shiloh Cemetery, taking its name from the surrounding community.
For many years the cemetery was associated with an adjacent schoolhouse that also was used for Baptist church services. The log cabin, built in 1868, served the Baptist Church until the congregation built its own sanctuary in 1898. The Shiloh community also was served until the end of the nineteenth century by a general store that was operated by Robert M. Long. Many of the graves in the Shiloh Cemetery date from the 1800s. Some of the family names appearing on the tombstones include Kennard, Williams, McAda, Cavender, Black, Young, Musgrave, May, Coble, and Johnson. Many of the descendants of these pioneer families still live in the area.
The Shiloh Cemetery, which contains both marked and unmarked grave sites, is cared for by the Shiloh Cemetery Association. (1985) |
| 4819 | 5013004819 | 0 | 0 | Site of Jose Antonio Navarro Ranch Headquarters | Navarro, Jose Antonio, Site of Ranch Headquarters | | Poteet | Atascosa | 1986 | From Poteet, take FM 476 west about 3.4 miles, then go south on FM 1333 about 2.2 miles. | 27" x 42" | None | This land had once been allocated in the 1700s as a ranch for Mission San Jose in San Antonio (20 mi. N), but in the 1820s was left unsettled. In 1828 prominent San Antonio resident Jose Antonio Navarro (1795-1871) beseeched the Governor of the Mexican state to grant him four leagues of land for pasture. Navarro officially received his grant for this land on the Atascosa River in 1831, though he might have occupied the ranch earlier.
In 1836, Navarro signed the Texas Declaration of Independence, and in the following years was occupied by business and politics elsewhere. By 1853 he had concentrated his ranching interests here and spent the summers in a log house overlooking the Atascosa River. He registered his cattle brand in Atascosa County in 1856, and donated land for a county seat in 1857, though the seat was moved to Pleasanton in 1858.
The 1860 census listed 400 cattle, 200 swine, 35 horses, and 12 oxen on the ranch of almost 18,000 acres. Oil was noted on this land as early as 1867. Navarro turned the ranch over to his sons after the Civil War, and following his death in 1871 in San Antonio, the land was divided among his five children. This acreage remained in the family until his son Sixto Eusebio Navarro (b.1833) sold the old ranch home in 1894. (1986)
Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986 |
| 4882 | 5013004882 | 0 | 0 | Site of San Augustine Church | San Augustine Church, Site of | | Pleasanton | Atascosa | 1985 | 4 miles east of Pleasanton on SH 97, then 2.3 miles north on IH 37 right of way | 27" x 42" | N/A | Between 1850 and 1860, Manuel, Enrique, and Francisco Esparza brought their families to settle in what is now Atascosa County. The brothers, along with their sister and mother, were within the walls of the Alamo when it fell to the Mexicans in March 1836. Their father, Gregorio, died in that battle.
The Esparza brothers farmed and ranched the open land near this site. Almost immediately after arriving, Enrique and Manuel constructed a small chapel for family worship. In 1869, Enrique and his wife, Gertrudes, donated five acres of their land to the Roman Catholic Church. About the same time, the Esparzas constructed a larger church building of native stone. The small mission church was named San Augustine.
A storm damaged the church building in 1940 and services were discontinued, although San Augustine was not formally closed until 1942. By the late 1960s, only three exterior rock walls remained, and these were later razed.
Many settlements in Texas sprang from the activities of mission churches such as San Augustine that were located at river crossings or ranch headquarters. Although many have disappeared or have been forgotten, they are an important part of the state's heritage.
Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986 |
| 5179 | 5013005179 | 29.208364 | -98.781042 | The Benton City Institute | Benton City Institute, The | | Lytle | Atascosa | 1971 | From Lytle, take FM 3175 3 miles southeast. Site is burned; marker is gone | 18" x 28" | NONE | Structure was built in 1875. Atascosa Lodge 379, A.F. and A.M., bought top floor, 1876. School was owned by educators: first, Col. John D. Morrison, later B.C. Hendrix. A faculty member was Isaac Wood of Benton City. The institute operated under a Texas law distributing state funds to supplement private tuition; had basic courses plus accounting, law, music, and surveying. Later fully tax-supported, it had an influential career until 1919 and consolidation of school district with Lytle. Building was used at times until 1934. |
| 11697 | 5013011697 | 0 | 0 | Verdi | Verdi | | Pleasanton | Atascosa | 2000 | 5.8 miles east of Pleasanton on SH 97, then 3 miles north on FM 1784 | 27" x 42" | | By 1855, settlers primarily from Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee, as well as some of Spanish origin, were making their homes in this area and calling themselves Lucas Community because of their proximity to Lucas Creek. In 1858 a Church of Christ was organized, followed by a Methodist church in 1859. Lucas Schoolhouse, located on this site, became a county polling place in 1860. A Roman Catholic congregation established St. Augustine Church in 1870. St. Augustine and Liberty schools were established before 1888. Friendship Baptist Church was organized that year. Lucas Community was home to a farming and ranching population. They grew and raised their own produce, grains, dairy and meats. Cotton was the chief crop. In 1890, Sydney S. Smith applied for a U. S. post office in Lucas. The name Lucas already was in use elsewhere. According to local legend, French settler Joseph Peynagrosse chose the name Verdi for a river in his homeland. By the early 20th century, Verdi boasted schools, churches, a store, a post office, a blacksmith shop and cotton gins serving a large rural population. The Lucas school had 101 students in 1904. In 1913 it was called the Verdi school and had 113 students and five teachers. The Verdi post office closed in 1916. The first high school senior class graduated in 1933. In 1954 the school was annexed to Pleasanton and the community declined. It was revived in 1979, when Verdi Community Center was established and became another focal point for the community. The story of the Verdi community is a vital part of Atascosa County's heritage and Texas history. (2000)
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| 11698 | 5013011698 | 0 | 0 | Coughran | Coughran | | Pleasanton | Atascosa | 1998 | from Pleasanton, take exit 106 off IH-35 and then travel 1.5 miles east on Coughran Road | 18" x 28" | | Established on land purchased in 1901, the town of Coughran was named for founder and early settler W. A. "Abe" Coughran. He persuaded the San Antonio, Uvalde and Gulf Raildroad to build tracks through his property. The town was platted in 1913; by 1914, Coughran boasted a cotton gin, a post office, a school and creamery, a general store, a hotel, a bank, a weekly newspaper, and a railroad station. The town thrived until about 1918. Coughran's fortunes dwindled in the early 1920s but the town recovered and prospered until another decline following World War II. Postal and rail service were discontinued in 1945, and in 1956 the school was closed. (1998) |
| 12533 | 5013012533 | 0 | 0 | Pleasanton City Cemetery | Pleasanton City Cemetery | | Pleasanton | Atascosa | 2001 | W. Adams St. at N. Bryant St. | 27" x 42" | | Begun in 1865 as a family burial ground, the Pleasanton City Cemetery is a reflection of the history of the community from its earliest days. The first burial was that of three-year-old Gustave B. Doak, whose parents, Jonathan and Mary Elizabeth (Zumwalt) Doak, buried him on their property, which was then on the western outskirts of Pleasanton. Friends and relatives of the Doak family came to use the cemetery, which first appeared in county deed records when Jonathan Doak sold his property in 1884 to George Washington Marion Duck, reserving one acre for the cemetery. Additional donations of land over the years enlarged the acreage of the cemetery. Burials in the Pleasanton City Cemetery include a number of infants and children in the older section, reflecting the harshness of pioneer life in the community's early years. Also buried here are Dr. James H. Lyons (1805-1881), who served in the second Texas legislature, was a Mexican war veteran and twice mayor of San Antonio; Mexican War veteran captain Hartwell Coleman Fountain (1810-1886); Graves Peeler (1886-1977), who is credited with helping save the Longhorn cattle breed in the 1930s; and a number of local officials and community leaders. Known in the 19th century as the Doak Cemetery and as Sandhill Cemetery, the historic burial ground is maintained by the Pleasanton Cemetery Association. (2001)
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| 13310 | 5013013310 | #N/A | #N/A | Battle of Medina | Medina, Battle of | Old Applewhite Rd, Mangum Rd | Leming | Atascosa | 2005 | 4 mi. NW of Leming, at intersection of Old Applewhite and Mangum roads | 27" x 42" | | Texas' bloodiest military engagement -- the Battle of Medina -- may have taken place in this general vicinity in 1813. The early 19th century was a time of political upheaval, and in 1812, while the U.S. was at war with England, Spain faced revolts throughout Latin America, including Mexico. In this revolutionary climate, Americans and others began efforts to influence the fate of Mexico, of which Texas was a province.
Bernardo Gutiérrez and Lt. A.W. Magee marched from Louisiana to Texas in 1812 with their Republican Army of the North. Capturing Nacogdoches and Trinidad, they moved on to Presidio La Bahía, where they survived a four-month siege by Spanish governors and their Royalist forces. The Royalists retreated toward San Antonio in February 1813, and in March the Republican Army followed them and was ambushed in the Battle of Rosillo. The Republicans persevered, captured San Antonio and executed the Spanish governors. Gutiérrez's new Republic of Texas, with its green flag, was marked by internal political problems.
Spain sent troops under Gen. Joaquín de Arredondo to retake Texas. Among his men was Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, later Mexico's leader during the Texas Revolution. The Republicans marched from San Antonio on Aug. 15, 1813 with about 1,400 troops: American volunteers, Tejanos, Mexicans and Native Americans. Led across the plains south of the Medina River, the fatigued army faced Spanish troops on Aug. 18 and was soundly defeated. Fewer than 100 escaped; most were executed. The Spanish left the decimated Texans on the battlefield and proceeded to San Antonio to punish citizens who supported independence. Eight years later, Mexican leaders ordered the remains of the fallen soldiers to be buried under an oak tree on the battlefield. Although the exact site of the battle has yet to be determined archeologically, the story remains an important part of Texas history. (2005) |
| 243 | 5015000243 | 0 | 0 | Austin County | Austin County | | Bellville | Austin | 1936 | on SH 36 at south side of junction with SH 159, Bellville | 1936 Centennial - Highway Marker (pink granite) | None | A part of the grant to Stephen F. Austin in 1821, created a municipality under the Mexican government in 1828, became a county of the Republic of Texas, March 17, 1836.
Named in honor of Stephen Fuller Austin, 1793-1836, pioneer empresario, founder of Anglo-American Texas.
San Felipe de Austin, capital of Austin's colony, 1824-1836, seat of provisional government of Texas, 1835-1836.
County seat, 1837-1848, Bellville, since. |
| 244 | 5015000244 | 0 | 0 | Austin County Jail | Austin County Jail | 36 S. Bell Street | Bellville | Austin | 1976 | | Medallion & Plate | Refinish/Local effort | Calling their old jail "unsafe, unfit, and inadequate," the Austin County Court contracted in 1896 with Pauly Jail Building Co. of St. Louis to erect this structure at cost of $19,970. Romanesque Revival style, with crenelated parapets, bartizans, and stone window arches harmonized with the 1886 courthouse, which later burned. The gallows, used only in 1901, have been removed; jailer's quarters have been enlarged; but original exterior is preserved.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1976 |
| 248 | 5015000248 | 0 | 0 | Stephen F. Austin | Austin, Stephen F. | | San Felipe | Austin | 1936 | Stephen F. Austin State Park, P38 off of FM 1458, San Felipe | Statue/Monument | None | Stephen F. Austin, Father of Texas, November 3, 1793-December 27, 1836. He planted the first Anglo-American colony in Texas, "The Old Three Hundred". In his several colonies he settled more than a thousand families. He was from 1823 until 1828 the actual ruler of Texas and thereafter its most influential leader. His own words are a fitting epitaph: "The prosperity of Texas has been the object of my labors -- the idol of my existence -- it has assumed the character of a religion -- for the guidance of my thoughts and actions" -- and he died in its service. No other state in the union owes its existence more completely to one man than Texas does to Austin.
Erected by the State of Texas 1936 with funds appropriated by the Federal government to commemorate one hundred years of Texas independence. |
| 249 | 5015000249 | 0 | 0 | Replica of Stephen F. Austin's Cabin | Austin's, Stephen F., Cabin, Replica of | | San Felipe | Austin | 1970 | Stephen F. Austin State Park, P38 off FM 1458, San Felipe | Medallion & Plate | None | Built in 1954, this structure is a replica of the only Texas home of Stephen F. Austin, "Father of Texas." The chimney contains bricks from original (1828) cabin. Other materials were made as authentically as possible.
Austin (1793-1836) opened the Anglo-American colonization of Texas. His cabin, located in capital city of San Felipe, welcomed pioneers and statesmen of era; witnessed many crucial events leading to Texas Revolution. (1970) |
| 364 | 5015000364 | 0 | 0 | Bellville Concordia | Bellville Concordia | | Bellville | Austin | 1968 | Concordia and S. Tesche Street, Bellville | 20" x 20" | Redo/locally | (Name adopted in 1938) Singing society organized in home of Fritz Schlecht, at Piney (3.5 mi. E), 1860. Members: Fritz Brandes, Heinrich and Gustav Koch, Joseph and Theo Menke, Herman Mueller, Fritz Schultz. Emil Koch, director. Hall (built 1877), wrecked by 1900 storm, was moved here, rebuilt same year. Land given by Henry Strauss. (1968) |
| 365 | 5015000365 | 0 | 0 | Site of First Bellville Masonic Lodge Building | First Bellville Masonic Lodge Building, Site of | 15 N. Masonic St. | Bellville | Austin | 1986 | | 18" x 28" | Refinish/Local effort | The petition to form a Masonic lodge in Bellville was initiated by members of Chappell Hill Lodge No. 67. Bellville Lodge No. 223 was chartered in 1858. Zimri Hunt, an early Bellville lawyer, served as first Worshipful Master. In 1858, lodge members erected a two-story building at this site. Meetings were held on the upper floor, and the first floor was used for church and school purposes until 1881. Early members of the Bellville Masonic Lodge were active in political, business, educational, and religious affairs of the community.
Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986 |
| 366 | 5015000366 | 0 | 0 | Early History of Bellville Methodist Church | Bellville Methodist Church, Early History of | 234 S. Masonic St. | Bellville | Austin | 1986 | | 27" x 42" | None | The heritage of Bellville Methodist Church dates to 1822, when Thomas B. Bell came to Texas from Florida with Stephen F. Austin's Old Three Hundred colonists. He settled in an area west of the Brazos River, and donated fifty acres of land between Piney and Caney Creeks to be used for a church and camp meetings. When Methodist missionary Henry Stephenson arrived in Texas in 1834, he found plans underway for a camp meeting. At an 1835 meeting, future Alamo hero William Barret Travis was a featured speaker, and promised to assist in the effort to bring Methodist preachers to Texas. Missionary Robert Alexander conducted services at the Caney Creek camp meeting site in August 1839.
Methodists continued to use the campground for worship services until the early 1880s, when the land was sold. Funds from the sale were used to build a German Methodist Episcopal Church in Bellville in 1882. The building was used by German and English speaking congregations on alternate Sundays. The Methodist Episcopal Church, south, was organized in 1886, and a new sanctuary was completed on this site that year. The Rev. J.P. Childers served as the first minister.
Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986 |
| 469 | 5015000469 | 0 | 0 | Dr. James West Bostick | Bostick, Dr. James West | 319 Hardeman St. | Sealy | Austin | 1994 | | 18" x 28" | None | (ca. 1840-February 22, 1897)
James West Bostick, born in a log cabin near Cat Spring, Austin County, Texas, was the son of J.H. Bostick, Alabama native and one of Stephen F. Austin's "Old 300" settlers. James Bostick served in the Confederate army for 4 years and later became a doctor. He married Rebecca Taylor, daughter of a prominent East Texas family. They moved to Sealy in 1885, helped found St. John's Episcopal Church, and built their home here in 1895. Dr. Bostick, one of Sealy's first doctors, also owned and operated a drugstore. He died at the age of 57, and was buried in the Sealy Public Cemetery in 1897. (1994) |
| 759 | 5015000759 | 0 | 0 | Town of Cat Spring | Cat Spring, Town of | | Schlopata | Austin | 1936 | FM 1094, Schlopath (0.5 miles west of intersection of FM 1094 and FM 949) | 1936 Centennial Marker (gray granite) | None | A pioneer German settlement founded in 1832 by members of the Amsler, Kleberg and Von Roeder families. |
| 1132 | 5015001132 | 0 | 0 | Cumings Family Vault | Cumings Family Vault | | Bellville | Austin | 1981 | Hacienda Street at South Tesch | 18" x 28" | Redo/locally | Rebecca Cumings and her three brothers, James, John, and William, migrated to Texas from Virginia in 1821. As members of Stephen F. Austin's "Old 300" colony, they were given 20,000 acres here in return for the construction and operation of a mill on a nearby creek. Two years after the 1885 deaths of William's son and grandson, Samuel Cumings and Samuel, Jr., this family vault was built for their reinterment. Constructed of stuccoed brick, it was designed by Samuel's son George. Fifteen members of the Cumings family are buried here. (1981) |
| 1154 | 5015001154 | 0 | 0 | Dabney Family Home | Dabney Family Home | | Kenney vicinity | Austin | 1970 | from Kenney, take SH 36 northwest about 2 miles | Medallion & Plate | N/A | Built about 1860 by C.I. and Susan Garnett Dabney, settlers from Kentucky. They had nine children. A son, Dr. T.H. Dabney, had his medical office here 1886-92. Sold to Dr. J.C. Clemmons, this was still local physician's home until turn of the century.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1970 |
| 1499 | 5015001499 | 0 | 0 | Friedrich Ernst | Ernst, Friedrich | | Industry | Austin | 1996 | FM 109, Ernst Memorial Park, Industry | 27" x 42" | None | Christian Friedrich Ernst (Dirks) was born in Germany in 1796. Friedrich Ernst was inducted into the German army in 1814 and served for five years. He married Louise Gesine Auguste Weber in 1819. They became the parents of Caroline, John Friedrich, Ludwig, Wilhelmine, and Hermann Ernst.
In 1829 the family sailed to the United States and settled in New York. In 1831 they came to Texas as part of Stephen F. Austin's second colony and are thought to be the first German family in Texas. Ernst received a land grant of 4,428 acres of land on Mill Creek in present day Industry where he grew produce and tobacco and was the first recorded European to manufacture cigars in Texas.
Ernst became active in civic affairs in the area, serving as a Justice of the Peace and as a member of the commissioners court. He supported the establishment of Hermann's University and served on its first board of trustees. Ernst, who wrote a series of letters to German officials to encourage their citizens to move to America, was called the Father of German Immigration to Texas. Ernst died in 1848 and is remembered through this park located on land he once owned and a scholarship in his name. (1996) |
| 1500 | 5015001500 | 0 | 0 | John Friedrich Ernst, Jr. | Ernst, John Friedrich, Jr. | | Industry | Austin | 1985 | Ernst Memorial Park, FM 109, Industry | 27" x 42" | None | A native of Oldenburg, Germany, John Friedrich Ernst (1820-1863) emigrated to the United States with his family at the age of nine. In 1831, they traveled from New York City to Texas, finally arriving in what is now the town of Industry. The Ernsts were one of the first families to settle in what became a center of German culture in Texas.
Ernst's life spanned the period of Texas history from the days of Mexican occupation to the Civil War. His family fled their home with others during the Runaway Scrape, as Santa Anna's army began its march across Texas in 1836. Shortly after the Texian victory at San Jacinto, Ernst joined the Texas Rangers and was given land in Comal County for his service. He participated in other local militia organizations during the days of the Republic and served as a Justice of the Peace in Round Top (15 mi. NW). Ernst was married to Maria Ann (Krumm) Brey in 1845.
In 1861, John Friedrich Ernst joined the Confederate Light Artillery company recruited for Civil War duty from Fayette County. He died two years later in Waco, after serving twice as the company's commanding officer. (1985) |
| 1726 | 5015001726 | 0 | 0 | First Czech Immigrants in Texas | First Czech Immigrants in Texas | | Nelsonville | Austin | 1974 | 1 mile east of intersection of FM 2502 and SH 159 (on SH 159), Nelsonville | 27" x 42" | Refinish | People from Czechy began to come to America for liberty as early as 1633. First known Czech in Texas was Jiri Rybar (George Fisher), customs officer in Galveston in 1829. Others arrived individually for years before letters sent home by the Rev. Josef Arnost Bergman, an 1849 Czech settler at Cat Spring (9 mi. S), inspired immigrants in large numbers.
Josef Lidumil Lesikar (1806-1887) was instrumental in forming the first two large migrations, 1851 and 1853, with names of family parties listed on ship logs as Silar (Shiller), 69; Lesikar (Leshikar), 16; Mares (Maresh), 10; Pecacek (Pechacek), 9; Rypl (Ripple), 7; Coufal, 6; Rosler (Roesler), 6; Motl, 5; Jezek, 4; Cermak, 3; Janecek, 3; Jirasek, 3; Kroulik, 2; Tauber, 2; Marek, 1; Pavlicek, 1.
With Pastor Bergman's counsel, many of the Czechs began to farm in Austin county. Other immigrations occurred in the 1850s, and became even heavier in the 1870s. Czechs eventually spread throughout the state, gaining recognition for industry, thrift, and cultural attainments. To preserve their heritage they succeeded in having a chair of Slavic Languages established (1915) at the University of Texas, and later at other schools. Their ethnic festivals have been held in various cities for many years. (1974) |
| 1730 | 5015001730 | 0 | 0 | Joseph L. Leshikar House | Leshikar, Joseph L., House | | Nelsonville vicinity | Austin | 1965 | Nelsonville-New Bremen Rd., 4.5 miles south of Nelsonville off SH 159 (private) | Medallion & Plate | N/A
house in good condition, according to CHC | After Rev. Josef E. Bergman of Cat Spring wrote letter praising Texas, 33 Czech families immigrated to locality, 1851-1853. This first home was built in 1854 by Josef L. Leshikar and his 4 sons.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1965. |
| 1941 | 5015001941 | 0 | 0 | Charles Fordtran | Fordtran, Charles | | Industry vicinity | Austin | 1976 | from Industry, take SH 159 West about 2 miles | 27" x 42" | Refinish | (May 7, 1801-Nov. 1, 1900)
In Jan. 1831 Charles Fordtran, a German of Huguenot descent, joined the colony of Stephen F. Austin. His first work was to survey land for Austin's partner, Samuel May Williams. He was given a league (4,428.4 acres) as his fee. Soon he brought in two families of settlers who worked for him for a time, then obtained their own land in present Fayette county.
On July 4, 1834, he married Almeida Brookfield (1817-1887), daughter of a noted Indian-fighting family. Fordtran also fought Indians who stole livestock and kidnapped the wives and children of colonists. In the Texas war for independence, he joined the "Spy Rangers" under Capt. John Bird, defending civilians who were fleeing to escape the Mexican invaders.
Charles Fordtran was one of the first Teutonic settlers in Texas--arriving some years before the main tide of German immigration. Music and good living abounded in his home. He and his wife had 14 children, with nine living to adulthood. Of four sons in the Confederate army during the Civil War (1861-1865) two survived. His descendants have made contributions to Texas history as industrialists, engineers, lawyers, physicians, and teachers. This marker stands on land he received in 1831. (1976) |
| 2075 | 5015002075 | 0 | 0 | Frydek Catholic Cemetery | Frydek Catholic Cemetery | | Frydek | Austin | 1991 | FM 1458, 1 mile south of IH-10, Frydek | 18" x 28" | N/A | Czech immigrants began settling in this area in the 1850s. They named their new community Frydek after a town in their homeland. When two people died in 1885, they were buried here on land owned by Jan Pavlicek. By 1890, when Pavlicek officially deeded the land to be consecrated by the church, there were thirteen graves in the cemetery. In 1907 the citizens erected a school building here. Used also as a church and nuns' home, the structure was moved to the center of town in 1916. The cemetery remains as a reminder of the area's Czech heritage. (1991) |
| 2301 | 5015002301 | 0 | 0 | Guardian Angel Catholic Church | Guardian Angel Catholic Church | 5610 Demel St. | Wallis | Austin | 1995 | | 27" x 42" | None | This congregation was organized in 1892 by several Czech families who had relocated from Fayette County, Texas, to an area about 3 miles southeast of Wallis, Texas. The congregation held services in the Krasna School building which was located on four acres donated by Francis V. Smid in 1892.
At the suggestion of the bishop of the Diocese of Galveston, church members erected a sanctuary in 1899 at a site closer to the railroad at Wallis. The congregation held their first services on Easter Sunday and named their church "Guardian Angel."
The church building was destroyed in the storm of 1900, but rebuilt in 1904 after a determined effort by the small congregation. The Rev. Frank Machan became the first full-time pastor in 1909. In 1913 a new Gothic-style sanctuary was built at this site to accommodate a growing congregation. In 1914 a school was established with an enrollment of 64 students. By 1933 the school consisted of six teachers and 170 students and the parish had grown to 300 families.
The congregation serves the community of Wallis and a number of rural communities in the area with a variety of outreach programs. (1995)The church continues to be an important element of the area's heritage.
Sesquicentennial of Texas Statehood 1845-1995 |
| 2326 | 5015002326 | 0 | 0 | Paul and Mahala Hackbarth House | Hackbarth, Paul and Mahala, House | 325 6th St. | Sealy | Austin | 1991 | | Medallion & Plate | None | Completed in 1911 for civic leaders Paul and Mahala Hackbarth, this concrete block house is an unusual example of vernacular architecture. Prominent features include a wraparound porch, Ionic columns on piers, and large wood sash windows. The Hackbarth Lumber Company, one of the earliest businesses in Sealy, promoted the use of concrete blocks for local buildings, and this house is a fine example of that construction method.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1991 |
| 2328 | 5015002328 | 0 | 0 | Hackfield Farm | Hackfield Farm | | Industry vicinity | Austin | 1994 | from Industry, take FM 109 north about 5 miles to Welcome Community, then go south west on Thielemann Road, about 1 mile | 18" x 28" | Done | Established in the 1850s by German immigrant Friedrich C. Hackfeld (1819-1895) and his wife Elizabeth (d. 1895), the Hackfield Farm evolved through several generations to include structures and landscaping features typical of a late 19th/early 20th century German-Texan farmstead. Friedrich, whose last name was changed to Hackfield when he became a U.S. citizen in 1860, dug water wells for his own use and for others in the community. The one-room log cabin he built was enlarged as his family grew, and Hackfield descendants later made further modifications. (1994) |
| 2378 | 5015002378 | 0 | 0 | The Harigel House | Harigel House, The | 104 S. Bell St. | Bellville | Austin | 1984 | | Medallion and Plate | None | The son of a Prussian immigrant, Emil H. Harigel, Sr. (1859-1904) opened a hardware, tinware, and stove emporium in Bellville in 1881. Soon after, he constructed this residence for his wife, Nannie Louise (Lovette), and children. The home features a Mansard roof and influences of the Gothic revival and Second Empire styles of architecture. Harigel family descendants have owned the house for over a century.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1984 |
| 2411 | 5015002411 | 0 | 0 | Haynes Mattress Factory | Haynes Mattress Factory | 109 N. Hardeman St. | Sealy | Austin | 1991 | | 18" x 28" | None | Daniel Haynes (1828-1913) came to the new railroad town of Sealy in 1881. In 1885 he invented a process and a machine to manufacture a felted cotton, non-tufted mattress. Trademarked under the Haynes name, the mattresses were sold throughout the country and soon became associated with the name Sealy. In 1906 Haynes sold his patents to another company, which adopted the name Sealy. Haynes opened a new mattress factory at this site in 1909. It remained in operation after his death, maintaining its reputation as one of Sealy's primary industries until 1976. (1991) |
| 2413 | 5015002413 | 0 | 0 | Haynie-Embrey House | Haynie-Embrey House | | Nelsonville vicinity | Austin | 1978 | from Nelsonville, take FM 2502 northwest about 4.3 miles to J-Farms, go south about 5 miles to house | 18" x 28" | None | In 1887 Nellie Brophy Haynie (1860-1937) a widow with one son Robert (1880-1955), married Confederate Army veteran John T. Embrey (d. 1918). They built this frame Victorian house in Brenham in 1899-1900. Here they raised a family of five children. Robert Haynie and his half brother Wilford J. Embrey (1889-1975) attended law school at the University of Texas. Haynie became a prominent attorney in Abilene and a leader in the West Texas Chamber of Commerce. Embrey was Brenham city attorney for 50 years and a school board member for over 30 years. The Embrey home was moved to this site in 1975. (1978) |
| 2438 | 5015002438 | 0 | 0 | Henniger Family Cemetery | Henniger Family Cemetery | | Industry vicinity | Austin | 1975 | From Industry, take SH 159 west about 3 miles, then go northwest on FM 1457 about 4 miles | 18" x 28" | Redo | (1 mi. west of this site)
Nicholaus Henniger (1794-1853) came to Texas from Germany in 1847 with his wife Fredericke and children Christian, Hermann, August, Caroline and Pauline. On his farm he built a log house, kept peace with passing Indians, and prospered as a cattleraiser. With neighbors, he helped build a gristmill, establish a school, and preserve German traditions. At death of an infant son, Carl, he set aside a family cemetery (one mile west). Nicholaus Henniger and nine other family members also are buried in the plot. The farm is still owned by descendants, the Vogelpohl family. (1975) |
| 2465 | 5015002465 | 0 | 0 | Hess-Kollatschny Farm House | Hess-Kollatschny Farm House | | Cat Spring | Austin | 1982 | Hood's Ranch, 2 miles from Cat Spring Agricultural Hall | Medallion & Plate | N/A | Austrian-born Henry Hess (1851-1914) and his wife Fransiska (Schlapota) (b. 1854) built this cottage in 1876-77 in the German settlement of Cat Spring. Purchased by Charles (b. 1875) and Fannie (b. 1879) Kollatschny in 1904, the home was enlarged about 1915 and remained in that family over 50 years. Now located northwest of its original location, it features the original cypress siding and interior stenciling. The fine German craftsmanship is a tribute to Austin County's early settlers.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1982 |
| 2644 | 5015002644 | 0 | 0 | Industry | Industry | | Industry | Austin | 1936 | .3 miles off FM 109 (in Lions Club Park) of Ernst Memorial Park Industry | 1936 Centennial - Subject Marker (gray granite) | None | Site of the first permanent German settlement in Texas, 1831. Founded by Friedrich Ernst, born at Varel, Oldenburg, Germany. Immigrated to America, 1829 and to Texas in 1831. Died here in 1858. The town was laid out in 1838. |
| 2645 | 5015002645 | 0 | 0 | Industry Methodist Church | Industry Methodist Church | | Industry | Austin | 1967 | Main Street, Industry | Medallion & Plate | N/A | Organized 1847 by the Rev. Henry Bauer, missionary to the German settlers. In 1867, this building was erected under the leadership of the pastor, the Rev. Karl Biel. This was an era of financial difficulty, and the funds were raised only by very great sacrifices on the part of the people. Men of congregation did the construction work. The Rev. A. M. Roos was pastor of the 100th anniversary.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1967 |
| 2678 | 5015002678 | 0 | 0 | J. J. Josey General Store | Josey, J. J., General Store | | San Felipe | Austin | 1987 | Stephen F. Austin State Park, P38 off FM 1458, San Felipe | 18" x 28" | None | Built by John Crutcher in 1847 of the Plaza de Commercio in San Felipe, this was the last store built in the town after its 1836 burning by military order. Purchased in 1867 by Dr. J. J. Josey, it was in continuous operation as a store until 1942. The building has been relocated a number of times. Josey, in 1880, moved the store one mile east to a new location on the Texas Western Narrow Gauge Railroad. In 1962 the structure was returned to its original site and restored for use as a museum. It was moved to the Stephen F. Austin State Park in 1969. (1987) |
| 2805 | 5015002805 | 0 | 0 | John Reichle General Merchandise (Welcome Store) | Reichle, John, General Merchandise (Welcome Store) | | Industry vicinity | Austin | 1992 | from Industry, take FM 109 north about 4 miles | Medallion and Plate | N/A | Originally operated by the John Reichle Family, this store opened about 1890. Damaged by a storm about 1900, the original 2-story building was changed to its current 1-story configuration with asymmetrical front gables, a full-width porch, and exterior walls that are a combination of horizontal siding and vertical board and batten siding. The business was acquired by the Clemons S. Faist family in 1964, and renamed Welcome Store.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1992 |
| 2885 | 5015002885 | 0 | 0 | Mary Theresa Juergens | Juergens, Mary Theresa | | New Ulm vicinity | Austin | 1992 | from Industry, take FM 109 south about 2.4 miles then go west on Track Rd. from New Ulm, take Track Road 3.5 northwest, out west of FM 109 | 27" x 42" | N/A | (1809-October 31, 1891) German natives Conrad and Mary Theresa Hennecke Juergens came to Texas in 1833, the year of their marriage, and built a cabin near this site. In March 1836 as the Texas Revolution was raging, many Texas settlers, in fear of the advancing Mexican army, fled their homes in what became known as the Runaway Scrape. The Juergens family chose to remain, but soon were victims of a raid by Indians, thought to be members of the coastal Karankawa tribe. Conrad Juergens was wounded, and Mary and two of Conrad Juergens' young sons from a previous marriage were captured.
Pregnant at the time of her kidnapping, Mary gave birth to a girl, Jane Margret, while in captivity. Months later, mother and daughter were ransomed at Coffee's Trading Post on the Red River, suggesting they were traded by the Karankawas to a nomadic tribe. The Juergens' sons were not rescued. Mary and Jane returned to Conrad, but he died within two years.
After a brief second marriage to George Grimes, Mary married Samuel Redgate in 1843. They moved to Dayton, Ohio, where Mary died in 1891. Redgate and Jane Margret returned to Texas and settled in Parker county, where in 1936 the State of Texas erected a monument at their graves to honor them and Mary. (1992) |
| 2925 | 5015002925 | 0 | 0 | John Wesley Kenney | Kenney, John Wesley | | Kenney | Austin | 1972 | Hall Road and SH 36, Kenney | 18" x 28" | None | (1799-1865) One of great pioneer Methodist ministers of Texas. Pennsylvania-born, he began preaching at age 19. In 1833 he came to Texas and soon settled in this county.
Unkempt in appearance, Kenney redeemed his eccentricity with an eloquent style of preaching.
In Texas -- then part of Mexico and Catholic by law -- he helped found Methodist societies and, in 1834, served a vast circuit covering all of present state west of Trinity River. In 1836 he took part in Texas War for Independence. His lifetime saw Methodism become one of the major denominations in state. (1972) |
| 3079 | 5015003079 | 0 | 0 | John Bell Lewis Home | Lewis, John Bell, Home | 232 Masonic St. | Bellville | Austin | 1979 | | 27" x 42" | None | Influential Austin county resident John Bell Lewis (1845-1920) was born on a plantation near Coffeeville, Alabama. His grandmother Betty Washington Lewis was George Washington's sister. Lewis grew up near present Winedale, Texas, and served the Confederate army in several major Civil War battles.
During Reconstruction Lewis served as sheriff of Austin County and helped restore law and order to the area. While performing the sheriff's duties as county tax collector, he saw the need for a local bank. He helped found Bellville First National Bank and Austin County State Bank. When Lewis heard that Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad planned to bypass Bellville, he persuaded landowners to donate right-of-way for the line and was instrumental in getting the railroad through Bellville.
Lewis acquired this property about 1874. The next year, architect J. J. Stopple built this home which displays a transitional style between the Greek Revival and the more ornate Victorian. Lewis shared the residence with his widowed sister and her son. In 1879 Lewis married Mollie Bell Ervin and their children grew up here.
Lewis is buried in Oak Knoll Cemetery, Bellville. (1979)
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1979 |
| 3087 | 5015003087 | 0 | 0 | Lindemann Store | Lindemann Store | | Industry | Austin | 1984 | Main Street-West, Industry | 27" x 42" | None | The history of the Lindemann Store dates to 1884, when Edward Lindemann (1859-1931) and Franz Getschmann opened a general store in the German community of Industry. By 1889, the business had prospered so well that Lindemann bought his partner's share of the store.
In the early days, the Lindemann Store served as a community gathering place as well as a center where items such as groceries, medicines, dry goods, fabrics, notions, and housewares could be purchased. Farmers from the surrounding regions came to the store to exchange produce for manufactured goods.
After 1889 the store offered a "peddle wagon" service, whereby goods were brought directly to the farms and produce was taken to town by wagon. When the railroad came through the area in 1892, the Lindemann Store expanded its freighting operation. By the early 1940s, agricultural products were in great demand, and the store's emphasis changed from general merchandise to agri-business.
The Lindemann Store, which has remained a family business throughout its history, continues to provide needed services to Industry and the surrounding area. (1984) |
| 3179 | 5015003179 | 0 | 0 | L. A. and Adelheid Machemehl House | Machemehl, L. A. and Adelheid, House | 621 E. O'Bryant St. | Bellville | Austin | 1992 | | 18" x 28" | None | A significant example of the Craftsman bungalow designed by prominent Houston architect Alfred C. Finn, this house is unusual for its one-and-one-half story form. The residence displays hallmark geometric ornamentation, broad porches, and a small second floor that rises above the first floor roofline in a form sometimes called "airplane bungalow". Built in 1920 for prominent rancher and civic leader Louis A. Machemehl (1881-1952), his wife Adelheid (d. 1949), and their five children, the house was a center of social activity. It remained in the Machemehl family until 1953.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1992 |
| 3185 | 5015003185 | 0 | 0 | Magruder-Cannon-Bryan Home | Magruder-Cannon-Bryan Home | | Bellville | Austin | 1982 | S. Holland Street, Bellville | Medallion & Plate | N/A | Civil War veteran Dr. Fortunatus B. Magruder, a successful Austin county physician, had this double galleried residence built at Sealy (15 miles southeast) in 1882. Rancher Oliver Green Cannon purchased the home in 1889 and it remained in his family until 1906, when it was sold to Sealy merchant W.L. Gray. It was later owned by his sister Lula Gray and niece Fay Bryan, the wife of county judge W.D. Bryan. The home was moved to this site in 1969.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1982 |
| 3586 | 5015003586 | 0 | 0 | Site of Town of New Ulm | New Ulm, Site of Town of | | New Ulm | Austin | 1936 | School grounds, FM 109, New Ulm | 1936 Centennial Marker (gray granite) | N/A | Site of the town of New Ulm.
First known as Duff's Settlement in honor of James C. Duff to whom the land was granted in 1841. Settled by Germans after 1845 and renamed in honor of the German city of Ulm. (1936) |
| 4018 | 5015004018 | 0 | 0 | Michael Robert Pilley | Pilley, Michael Robert | | Bellville | Austin | 1936 | South Mechanic Street, Bellville Cemetery, Bellville | 1936 Centennial Marker (gray granite) | None | A member of the Mier Expedition, 1842 |