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History
in a Pecan Shell
Comanche County was organized in 1856 and the following year 80 acres overlooking
the river were donated to be the seat of government. Initially the name of Troy
was submitted for a post office, but Bell County had beat them to the name.
Miss Cora Beeman of Bell County became the namesake of the village, being nominated
for the honor by Thomas C. Frost, Comanche County land agent. Her name was accepted
and in 1857 Cora, Texas was officially included on maps.
Shortly thereafter
Hamilton County acquired some land from Comanche County, redistributing Comanche
County’s acreage and putting Cora far from the geographic center of the county.
Comanche was created, and officially
became the county seat in 1859.
Meanwhile, back at Cora, the double whammy
of Indian misbehavior and loss of county seat status left the village with only
136 people for the 1860 census.
Cora’s post office closed its doors in
1867 and by 1900 nothing was left but a cemetery. A replica of Cora’s log courthouse
is now a part of the Comanche square. |
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Historical
Marker TextCoraFounded
1854, as Troy. Later renamed in honor of a Miss Beeman of Bell County. In 1856
organization of Comanche County--then extending farther south and east than today's
boundaries--Cora became county seat. A log cabin residence in Cora was the first
Comanche County courthouse, serving until the county seat was relocated in 1859
in new town of Comanche.
That first courthouse and all the other buildings
are gone from site of Old Cora. Only a cemetery--the oldest in Comanche County--remains.
Thus Cora is an example of the many early, important towns
no longer existent in Texas.
In the 254
counties of Texas, there have been 126 cases of redesignation of county seats.
(Two counties have had five county seats each.) Boundary changes (as in Comanche
County), shifts in travel routes (as when railroads were built), changes from
agrarian to industrial economy have caused counties to move their county seats
to new locations. Old courthouses have found later usefulness as ranch headquarters,
municipal buildings, or private homes. The first log cabin courthouse of Comanche
County reverted to use as a residence, but later was restored and used--as are
many former courthouses--as part of a museum.
(1967) |
Historical
Marker TextSoon
after the creation of Comanche County in 1856, the town of Cora (10 mi. SE) was
platted to serve as the county seat. The courthouse in Cora, typical of many early
Texas courthouses, was
a 12' 7" x 12" 10", one-room, squared log structure. It served the county until
the seat of government was moved to Comanche
in 1859. The "Old Cora" Courthouse was incorporated into a house built about 1880
and has been moved several times over the years. It stands as a reminder of the
now-extinct town of Cora and of early Texas
courthouse architecture.
Texas
Sesquicentennial 1836 - 1986 |
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Cora, Texas Forum
Subject: Cora, Comanche County, Texas
My great great grandfather was Francis Marion Collier (FM Collier) and his son
Thomas Anderson was the first white child to be born in Comanche county after
Frank built a log cabin for his wife Julia Grayson to give birth in. Or at least
that is what my father told me. I would love to have more information about the
town of Cora, like the exact location and what happened for the town to die. Thanks,
Elizabeth Collier, March 25, 2013
Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories, and vintage/historic
photos, please contact
us.
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