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History in a
Pecan Shell
The town's namesake is said to be Pleasant Thorp who settled in the
region prior to the Civil War. Hostile Indians discouraged settlement until the
early 1870s. In 1871 Sam Milliken purchased part of the old Thorp homestead and
built a cotton gin. Since medicinal springs were in fashion, Milliken also built
a resort hotel and touted the nearby springs.
In 1873 Mr. Clark and his
two sons Addison and Randolph opened Add-Ran
College (later to become Add-Ran Christian University which later evolved
into Texas Christian University).
The town got a post office in 1893 and
the population soon reached 400 - reaching a peak in 1904 just short of 500.
Thorp
Springs Christian College replaced Add-Ran
College in 1910.
Its bright future was dimmed in the early 1890s
when it was bypassed by not one, but two railroads. Still, the town maintained
a 400-plus population through the 1960s. The last three businesses closed and
in 1990 it reported 184 residents - the same figure they've been using ever since. |
From
Thorp Springs
Christian College 1914-1915 yearbook:
"Thorp
Spring is in Hood County, three miles north of the county seat, Granbury,
and about forty miles southwest of Fort
Worth. Granbury is on the
Frisco road, which has double daily passenger train service to and from Fort
Worth and Brownwood.
...
The village of Thorp Springs is made up of school people. Practically everybody
here is here for the school, and there is the most complete cooperation between
all the citizens and the school authorities. There are no questionable outside
attractions. All entertainment are school affairs. In fact, life in our village
is school life..." more |
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