| |
| The
former Center High School #64 in Bulcher
Photo courtesy James Kallstrom, 3-9-03
|
History
in a Pecan Shell
Early settlers arrived in
the early 1870s. One, named John Scanland, donated the land for the community
cemetery. Two cemeteries appear on the Cooke County TxDoT map - Shiloh Cemetery
about 2.5 miles East and Coker Cemetery about one mile SW of Bulcher.
Among the other pioneer settlers were German immigrant brothers Frederick and
Charles Hyman. Frederick Hyman was the great-great-grandfather of contributing
photographer Judie Hilton Porter.
Bulcher was granted a post office in
1874 with one Matthew Morris as postmaster. The population kept at a respectable
250 persons until an oil discovery in 1926 swelled the population. When things
got back to normal, people noticed that some of the former residents had left
with the oil crowd. The town was down to only 40 by 1933 and had only grown to
sixty by the mid-1980s.
Bulcher Schoolhouse - Fformer
Center High School #64: |
| The
school house up close
Photo courtesy Robin Jett, 6-02 |
| The
school house interior
Photo courtesy Robin Jett, 6-02 |
| The
former Center High School #64 in Bulcher
Photo courtesy Judie Hilton Porter,
2002 |
| "The
structure failed and came down" in 2004
Photo courtesy Gary Hall, 11-09-04
|
Bulcher
Texas ForumSubject:
Bulcher, Texas Pioneer Settlers
I
noticed that your contributor was a family member of pioneer settler Frederick
Hyman. I am the Great-Great-Grand Daughter of Frederick Hyman. His son Henry was
my Great Grand Dad.
We are having a family reunion in April, 2011 and
would love for her to come. My Mother and Grand Mother, her Sisters and Brothers
are all gone and the younger ones of us really don't know much about the past
and I for one am intrested in learning all I can. I am hoping not only Judie but
maybe some of the other family may contact me. Thank you. - Karyn Hamilton,
hamilton.karyn@yahoo.com, March 13, 2011
Here
is a photo of the school building in Bulcher. We connected with a local gentleman
who had grown up and went to the school back in the early sixties. He stated that
he had carved his name in the steeple of the building, along with several others.
Approximately seven months ago, the structure failed and came down.
The pic says it all. Disappointing, but, it was great to be able to find it. -
Gary Hall and Tom Nix, November 08, 2004
Regarding
the old Bulcher Center High School
I lived at Bulcher back in the early sixties. No one went to school there. It
was as dilapidated then, as it was in 2002 when the first photos on your web site
were taken. It was no longer in use after WWII, Bulcher having become a ghost
town. I imagine the old school was built around 1880. Cordially, Michael Busby
December 27, 2005
Out thanks to Judie Hilton Porter, Robin Jett, James Kallstrom, Gary Hall and
Tom Nix for sharing the picturesque ruin of the former high school.
*Criteria
for ghost towns can never be fully agreed upon. Bulcher's inclusion as a North
Central Texas "Ghost" is due to its relative high population and it's former thriving
economy.
June 2002
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