| |
| Photo
courtesy James Nelms, February 2004 |
History
in a Pecan ShellJohn
Truss, was a settler in the area in the 1890s and the town had originally been
named in his honor. For some reason the name of Truss, Texas was changed
to Bug Tussle.
Bug Tussle signs were popular with souvenir hunters and
many people would marry there to have Bug Tussle on their marriage license.
The population dwindled to only 6 in the 1960s.
The David Graham
Hall foundation took a lease on downtown Bug Tussle in the mid 1960s in an effort
to restore it. During the restoration the population increased to about 30 persons.
The name continues to draw people. Antique car clubs and other organizations
will hold events there to use the name on their programs and posters.
Unique
Town Names by Bob Bowman
Bug Tussle, in Fannin County, was originally
called Truss, but supposedly got its new name when an invasion of bugs spoiled
an ice cream social, but there are other versions... more
Texas
place names describe unique stories of towns by Delbert Trew
Bug
Tussle, in Fannin County, has two stories. The old people say it was named for
the extreme efforts it took to fight off the bugs while attending a church picnic.
The young people claim life in the town is so boring that they sit around at night
watching the tumble-bugs work for entertainment.
Bug
Tussle, Texas
by David Knape |
| | "An
old photo of Bug Tussle, Texas.
The store was run by my Great, great Uncle,
James Bates Fink. Not sure of the date, but I believe it to be in the 1940’s or
earlier." - Lydia Young Noll, August 11, 2012 |
The
store today
Photo
courtesy James Nelms, February 2004 |
|
"The building just sits there mysteriously at the crossroads in front of
empty fields." - James Nelms |
Photographer's
Note:
I came across TexasEscapes.com the other day, reading through the
Ghost Towns and noticed that you did not have a photo of Bug Tussle, Texas. I
have two photos I took that you are welcome to use for your site.
In February
of 2004 my old buddy Robert and I took an afternoon Jeep trip out to Bug Tussle,
just to see if it really existed. Sure enough it did although there was little
more than an old wooden building with the Bug Tussle name plaque on top. Whether
the building had any real official capacity such as a city hall or post office,
or whether it was just an old building put there to draw tourists, I don't know.
The story Robert
had told me was that a man (David Graham Hall?) had the town renamed Bug Tussle
in the mid 1960's in order to cash in on the immense popularity of the CBS TV
show The Beverly Hillbillies.
In the show, the Clampett family claims
to be from a fictional town called Bug Tussle (presumably in Arkansas) which was
near both Petticoat Junction and Hooterville (from the CBS show Green Acres).
Whether the writers of the show got the name from the Texas town, or whether
the town renamed itself after the show is probably open for debate. Myself, I
believe the latter. - Sincerely, James Nelms, July 04, 2012
Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
and/or vintage/historic photos, please contact
us.
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