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CHICO,
TEXASWise County,
North Central Texas
Hwy 101 and FM 1810
13 miles NW of Decatur
5 miles N of Bridgeport
Population 947 (2000) 800 (1990)
|
| | | Chico
Texas about 1908
Photo courtesy Edward Clark | |
| History
in a Pecan Shell
In a state filled with towns named after Southern,
Eastern and even Northern towns, Chico is one of the few named after a Western
town - in this case Chico, California.
According to the Handbook
of Texas - J. T. Brown moved to the area in the mid-1870s and opened a store.
A church and
school were opened and a post office was granted in 1882.
The railroad (the Rock Island) reached Chico and it became an important cotton
shipping point.
Oil was discovered near Chico in the early 1940s and the economy diversified from
being totally agricultural.
Chico also produced crushed stone and at
one time the town had four large gravel plants. |
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The
Siddon-Barnes Log Cabin, once the schoolhouse and church
TE photo February
2004 |
The Siddon-Barnes Log Cabin
This is a case of practicality. This tiny (256 square foot) cabin is believed
to have been built in the 1870s serving as both schoolhouse and church before
being bought by a Doctor Siddon in 1883. Siddon and his wife enclosed the cabin
by building other rooms around it and when it was sold in 1918 it became the property
of a family named Barnes. |
| | Rear
view of the cabin.
TE photo February 2004 |
| In
the 1970s when the added rooms were being demolished, the cabin nucleus was found
and saved. It was moved while the lot was cleared and then moved back to this
site in 1987. |
| |
Chico
water tower
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, December 2005 |
©
John Troesser Chico
Texas ForumSubject:
Chico Texas photo
This
is photo of what is claimed to be Chico Texas about 1908, I found it in with some
other old photos of a friend David Piker, it had been given to him by "Jackie
Roberson' who may have lived on or had a Cattle farm near there. David was a very
giving person. Thank you. - Edward Clark, La Mesa Ca, June 11, 2006
Subject:
BARNES/SIDDON
Just wanted to say Thank you for this article! It was forward to me by my daughter
in law. In 1955 I married Roger Barnes, changing my last name from Siddons to
Barnes. We are now planning a trip to see Chico, Texas and look up the Siddon/Barnes
sight. Maybe we will find out some family history too. - Nancy {Siddons} Barnes,
June 04, 2006
Anyone wanting to share history or photos of Chico, Texas
- please contact
us.
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