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History in
a Pecan Shell
The area was settled
around 1840 by James MacFarland and Daniel Davis. James H. Cole, is
credited with platting the town around 1855. The community had been
known as McCownville but in 1857 the name was changed – supposedly
to honor La Donna Millsay, a Tennessean singer who entertained the
town.
The name La Donna was submitted to the postal authorities for
a post office – and when it opened in 1858 – no one was sure of who
was responsible of the slight change in spelling. In 1887 the Gulf,
Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad arrived and the town grew to a respectable
population of 350 (more or less). Ladonia became a shipping point
for cotton, corn,
and grain crops. In the 1890s the population grew to an estimated
1,500 people – and 2,000 by the end of that decade. In the throes
of the Great Depression the population fell to 1,199 and never recovered
. By the 1970s it was down to just over 800 residents. By 1990 it
reported a population of 658. and for the 2000 census it had risen
to 667.
See Ladonia Historical Marker
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Granny's Place,
one of the businesses that appears to be operational, although it
was closed at 3PM on a Tuesday.
Photo
courtesy Texana
Pictures - Frank R. Brown, April 2017 |
Downtown Ladonia
Photo courtesy Mike
Price, April 2008 |
Former Presbyterian
Church - now Heritage Hall
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, April 2006 |
United
Methodist Church in downtown Ladonia
Photo courtesy Mike
Price, April 2008 |
Ladonia
City Hall
Photo courtesy Mike
Price, April 2008 |
Ladonia
Volunteer Department & fire truck
Photo courtesy Mike
Price, April 2008 |
Ladonia
Historical Marker
Photo courtesy Mike
Price, April 2008 |
Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact
us. |
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