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Hamilton,
Texas Landmarks
History in a Pecan shell
Hamilton and Hamilton County's history is studded with anecdotes and characters
worthy of several books. Many of the first settlers relocated from Southern States
-(particularly South Carolina and Mississippi) before the Civil War.
Both county and town were named after James Hamilton who was a former Governor
of South Carolina. After moving to Texas he became
part of Texas' fledgling diplomatic corps. In 1857 he drowned off the coast of
Galveston
during a maritime accident after first giving his life-vest to a woman and child.
This spirit of selflessness is also reflected in local 19th Century heroine
Anne Whitney - a schoolteacher
who died protecting her charges when Comanches attacked her one-room schoolhouse.
A timeline of significant events in Hamilton's history:1858:
County organized
1861: post office opened
1896: Population reaches 1,100
1899: Hamilton is flooded. Wide spread destruction - slight loss of life
1907:
The Stephenville, North and South Texas Railway entered Hamilton
1954: another
flood causes greater damage than the first
1980: population reaches high water
mark of 3,189 |
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Hamilton,
Texas Landmarks |
|
1939 photo courtesy TXDoT |
| Photo
courtesy Kate Johnson |
| | Hamilton
water tower
Photo courtesy Jim & Lou Kinsey |
Hamilton
Texas Forum
Subject:
Hamilton
My Grandpa was Luther Coldiron. He had a hamburger place there
in Hamilton in the 1930s. He also had some rock tourist courts on Coke Street.
I was only three or four years old but I remember how hot it was then. We lived
in one of his cabins, I remember it had a cement floor. He made the best burgers
in town. His wife was named Jessie and he died before she did. I remember the
rock, sand and rattlesnakes. Someone there may remember him. - Vonnie Balusek,
February 23, 2006 | |
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