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History
in a Pecan Shell
Whitesboro's namesake was Ambrose B. White
who moved into the area (then named Wolfpath) in the late 1840s. But the
White family wasn't the first to arrive. The honor of "first settler" went to
Robert Diamond. From 1858 - 1861 the White family ran White's Westview Inn which
was a stop on the Butterfield Overland Mail route. The community was then comprised
of about 14 families living in a small cluster of homes.
The town applied
for a post office under the name Whitesborough in 1860. After the Civil
War the influx of Southerners to Texas seemed to
congregate at Whitesborough, bringing the town notoriety. Gunplay was frequent
and townsfolk spent their Saturday nights in the safety of their homes. The town
had a respectable population of 500 in 1873. By the late 1870s the town had received
a railroad connection through the MKT (the first out-of-state railroad to enter
Texas).
Although it had previously been
incorporated, in1887 the town was reincorporated under the simplified name of
Whitesboro.
The population in 1900 was around 1,200 which increased
to 1,810 by 1920 when the town had a second railroad connection. The population
of Whitesboro declined during the Great Depression and WWII
- but by the late 50s it had returned to the level of the 1920 census. By the
late 60s it was 2,985 and has slowly increased to the present 3,760.
Book
Your Hotel Here & Save
Whitesboro
Hotels |
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Bones
Chapel NW of Whitesboro
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, February 2007 |
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Whitesboro,
Texas ForumSubject:
Remembering Whitesboro
I love living in small towns, and though I've moved
to a medium sized City, I still live out in the country since it's where I feel
most comfortable. I had found your site while googling Texas small towns, since
I've lived in a few and have enjoyed reading about the towns I used to live in.
(Small list: DeSoto, Ferris, Whitesboro, and Kerens)
There was a small gap between '94 and '95 when I moved up to Massachusetts to
stay with my grandmother for a year. Here's some small memories about Whitesboro
from me:
I loved their Peanut Festival! They have some pictures
on their website of it. I remember being in KAD (Kids Against Drugs) and marching
in the festival one year. I was also in the band, and remember when the Middle
School was a part of the High School, and the 6th grade band joined the High School
band for one football game during half time. I also remember in the 3rd grade,
when Good Morning America filmed their opening from our school. We all wore our
pep-rally shirts, stood out on the bleachers of the football field, and sang "Oh
What A Beautiful Morning" back when it was Paula Zahn and Harry. If I remember
correctly, I belive one year the band placed 1st in the district.
I do
hope more people send in information on their home towns; I know there's nothing
more insightful than personal experiences and knowledge. - Sherryl Trowbridge
(now Sherryl LaPrad), December 16, 2006 | |
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