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PILOT POINT
, TEXAS
German Town
on the Prairie
Denton County,
North Central Texas
US 377
6 miles S of Tioga
19 miles NE of Denton
50 miles N of Dallas
54 miles NE of Fort Worth
Population: 3538 (2000)
Area
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| In the northeastern
corner of Denton County - almost in Grayson County - lies a little
town just waiting to be discovered. Or maybe not. Because with the
explosive growth experienced by Denton County in recent years (and
all the problems that come with it), Pilot Point may want to remain
a well-kept secret. |
Pilot Point
Texas bank and antique store
Photo courtesy Robin Jett, November 2006 |
| Pilot Point,
settled around the 1850s, experienced its fair share of Indian raids
and frontier vigilantism. The town also supplied soldiers to the Confederate
cause. But things really started happening after the Civil War. In
1877 telegraph wires connecting Sherman
to Jacksboro ran through Pilot Point,
and with two railroads stopping at the town, more and more settlers
found themselves attracted to this growing community. Pioneers, mainly
of German heritage, came to Pilot Point at the urging of land speculators
Emil and Joseph Flushe, who were busily promoting settlement in Muenster
at the same time. Germans founded the St. Thomas Catholic Church and
School, which anchored the community along with the many businesses,
churches, and schools. The German influence on the town can be readily
appreciated when looking at the old bank building. A massive stone
and brick structure, the bank helped to finance most of the buildings
in town as well as the railroads. Pilot Point also had an active African
American community, with civic organizations and successful businesses.
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Pilot Point
Central Christian Church
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, April 2006 |
Dr. Pepper
ghost sign
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, April 2006 |
Dry good store
Photo courtesy Robin Jett, November 2006 |
A tavern
Photo courtesy Robin Jett, November 2006 |
Closed old
gas station and pump
Photo courtesy Robin Jett, November 2006 |
While Pilot Point
never grew into a larger town, it certainly is facing the threat of
growth from the South. New subdivisions are popping up around the
town all the time. Nestled in the rolling prairie just north of Lake
Ray Roberts State Park, Pilot Point harks back to a quieter time
in Denton County, before the suburban sprawl from Dallas
began stretching its claws north. Today, most of Pilot Point's high-curbed
downtown stands a little neglected, but its orderly and antique beauty
is certainly still a jewel.
© Robin
Jett
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