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History in a Pecan
ShellThe community
dates from the mid 1880s when a local quarry supplied rock to the Texas-Midland
railroad. Railroad owner Edward Green named the town after the mythological giant
who held the world on his shoulders.
A post office was granted in 1884
when the town had a population of 20 people supplied by a single store. Atlas
was on the mail coach / stage line that ran to the county seats of Cooper
and Paris. By 1914 the population had increased
to 50 and Atlas had phone service. The population in 1929 was reported as 76.
The number of people through the Great Depression isn’t available, however Atlas
had two functioning stores as well as a school and church.
The post office
closed in 1943 and after the
war, the population peaked at 120. The postwar exodus from rural to urban
areas hit Atlas hard. By 1949 it had been reduced to just 50 residents.
By 1957 the school had merged with Roxton
schools and the town had no businesses. The population fell to a low of 40 for
the 1970 census and 20 by the middle of that decade where it has remained through
2000. |
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1940s
Lamar County map showing Atlas
(SW of Paris.
Below "M" in "L-A-M-A-R")
Courtesy Texas General Land Office |
| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history and vintage/historic
photos of their town, please contact
us. | |
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