|
|
 |
Italy
Landmarks/Images
Italy History
The name:
Italy
bears no cultural ties to the "Old Country"and if there are citizens
of Italian heritage - it's merely coincidental. The name was contributed
by the postmaster of 1880 who imagined the climate of Texas comparable
to that of Italy.
History in a Pecan shell
A timeline of significant events in Italy, Texas:
1860: Scattered settlement begins
1879: the brothers Aycock built the first house and use it
as a combination of house, store and post office. The town was split
over what the name should be - some wanting Egypt and others Italy.
Gabriel J. Penn, the Waxahachie postmaster settled the matter for
them by filling in the blank on the application with the name Italy.
The postal authorities gladly accepted Italy (there was already an
Egypt in Wharton County).
1890: The population reaches 500 Italians (not really Italians,
but what else are you going to call them?)
1891: A big year for Italy. The Missouri, Kansas and Texas
Railroad arrived (actually in December 1890), the first newspaper
was published, and the town was officially incorporated.
1900: population is 1,061
1901: The International-Great Northern Railroad reaches Italy
1913: The Electric Interurban between Waco and Dallas comes
through Italy (Electricity for the city was provided by Waco)
1920s: Italy had five gins, a compress, and a cottonseed oil
mill.
1925: The population reaches 1,500 and the Italy Independent
School District was established.
1930: Italy starts the Great Depression with a population of
1,230 people and 45 businesses.
1960: Italy's population remains nearly the same with only
1,183 people and half the businesses.
Italy Today
Italy is the home of the S. M. Dunlap Memorial Library.
Because of its slow growth from the 30s, Italy is a town that should
be visited on an Ellis
County trip. It remains very representative of a North Texas cotton
town of the 1930s.
Book
Your Hotel Here & Save
Waxahachie
Hotels
Dallas
Hotels
More Hotels
|
| The
Corley Bell Tower plaque |
| Italy
Fire Department circa 1929 |
Italy Chronicles
Back
Home in It-lee, Texas, USA by Jeanne Moseley
"...
His career in radio broadcasting took him to Dallas, Louisville, Providence,
Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York and then back to Los Angeles, where
he became well known as a premier broadcaster. As a young boy on Italy's
Ward Street, his favorite pastime was listening to Gene Autry's radio
show ..."
Italy
Texas Forum
I was
born in Milford Texas and was familiar with Italy. I used to go to
the movie in Italy on the interurban (because we had no movie). My
brother (Dick Murray) ran a radio repair shop in earl shives drug
store. if anyone remembers me - please write. - Flora Murray (Henderson),
Milford, Ellis, Texas. Email: flo_h_2001@yahoo.com |
Italy High School
1909 postcard courtesy rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/ |
|
|
