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Ambrose
Baptist Church
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, February 2007 |
History in
a Pecan Shell
Ambrose was named after Ambrose Bible, a Tennessean who arrived in
1883. He bought land that was in old Fannin County, from which Grayson
County would be cut in 1846. The Denison, Bonham and New Orleans Railroad
attemped to run a spur from the MKT in Denison but failed.
In January 10, 1902, Ambrose was platted and by September a post office
was opened. The following year Bible deeded land for a right-of-way
to the DB and NO railway.
In 1907 a school was built - also on land donated by Ambrose Bible.
Soon Ambrose had a Methodist, Church of Christ, and Baptist church.
A new school was built in 1917 and the town reached its high-water
mark two years later. Since most people in the area were farmers,
Ambrose never grew past 60 people. The DB&NO railroad went bankrupt
in 1927 and the Ambrose post office moved to Bells in 1930. From then
on, Ambrose's mail was routed through Bells. In 1980 the population
was estimated at just forty-one. The former school is now in use as
a community center. |
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| "It
looks as though the former schoolhouse was used as a community center
for awhile, but it does not look as though it is being maintained
at this point." - Stephen Taylor. Photo courtesy Liz Taylor,
May 2006 |
Another
view of the Ambrose Community Center
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, February 2007 |
"Ambrose
Gold Mine" sign
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, February 2007 |
Photographer's
Note:
Ambrose is kind of a strange town. It is located almost due north
of Bells and has some kind
of huge mining operation on at least two sides, north and west. The
road literally dead ends into the entrance to the mine. The Gold Mine
sign is probably somebody's joke. You can see the crane behind the
Community Center. There seems to be only one way out of Ambrose and
that is the way you came. -
Barclay Gibson, February 13, 2007 |
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