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History
in a Pecan Shell
2006 Fire:
A
disastrous grass fire on January 1, 2006 destroyed about half the buildings in
Ringgold.
Photographer's Note:
"The only business lost was the Post
Office. The town did not have any open grocery stores, gas stations, or cafes
to burn. All had been closed during the past 20 years. The "businesses" that were
reported as burned were actually closed and vacant. The town will rebuild over
time. Ringgold is a pretty tough place and the folks are strong, true Texans.
Not a single church burned. The school is fine and the fire department building
is OK. Big "thanks" to the hard work of all the volunteer fire fighters from neighboring
communities. Without their brave and fast response, it would have been a total
loss." - Kelly Campbell, January 6, 2006
Photographer's
Note:
Your article on Ringgold was very helpful to see where the fire was.
It may have been my imagination but I think I could still smell the odor of it.
Most of the destruction was on the western and southern edges of town. - Barclay
Gibson, February 19, 2007 |
| | The
Ringgold Cemetery after the fire.
Photo
courtesy Kelly Campbell, January 2006 |
History
in a Pecan Shell
The
town was born with the arrival of the Rock Island railroad in 1892 although people
had been living in the vicinity since the 1870s. When the Katy (Missouri, Kansas
and Texas) Railroad entered Texas from the north,
the two sets of tracks intersected here. This good fortune did not go unnoticed
by landowner Joe Harris who quickly laid out a townsite. Named Harrisonia, the
name was rejected by postal authorities when a post office was applied for. The
reasoning was possible confusion with Harrison.
Mr. Harrison had the
choice of resubmitting an invented name or using his wife's family name. His wife's
maiden name was Ringgold. The Ringgold post office opened in 1892 when the town
had an estimated population of 300. Growth was swift due to the railroad juncture
and Ringgold became a shipping point for the area.
The population passed
400 by the mid 1920s. The population remained at 350 after WWII
through the mid-1960s but it declined drastically in the 70s. It had been reported
at 100 people from the 70s through 2005.
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Ringgold
Christian Church
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, February, 2007 |
A
burned house foundation
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, February, 2007 |
| | Hay
bales smoldering
Photo
courtesy Kelly Campbell, January 2006 | |
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| | A
former store - vacant at the time of the fire.
Photo
courtesy Kelly Campbell, January 2006 | |
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| | The
fires brought the curious out in droves.
Photo
courtesy Kelly Campbell, January 2006 | |
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| | | "Aerial
view of the Ringgold fire - Looking east,
showing close up of the Campbell
House, Baptist and Methodist Churches."
Photo courtesy Kelly Campbell, January 2006 |
| | | "Aerial
view of the Ringgold fire -
From north Ringgold looking south, showing the
two churches."
Photo courtesy Kelly Campbell, January 2006 |
| | | "Aerial
view of the Ringgold fire -
Looking south from the north end of Ringgold towards
the school."
Photo courtesy Kelly Campbell, January 2006 |
| | | "Aerial
view of the Ringgold fire -
CW Chandler Ranch looking east over all of Ringgold."
Photo courtesy Kelly Campbell, January 2006 | |
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