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Celeste
street scene
Photo courtesy Mike
Price, October 2007 |
History in
a Pecan Shell
In 1886 the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway platted the townsite
which was just three miles north of Kingston.
This was economic revenge against Kingston
for refusing to grant the railroad
“incentives” to make their town a stop on the line.
The name is said to be after the wife of a Santa Fe official.
A post office opened in 1886, and the new town drew population and
businesses from Kingston. By the
mid-1890s, the population was 600, and Celeste had all essential businesses
including a weekly newspaper. The town incorporated in 1900 when it
had a population of 671. By 1917 it had grown to 850 residents and
increased to 1,022 by 1922.
Due to the devestation of the cotton
crop by the boll
weevil in the 1920s and the Great Depression, Celeste’s population
was 803 in the early 1930s where it remained for years. The population
was 745 in the 1970s. From 733 in 1990, it has increased to 817 for
the 2000 Census. |
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Celeste
city hall and police department
Photo courtesy Mike
Price, October 2007 |
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, please contact
us. |
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