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Black-Eyed
Pea Festival, which began in 1937
and ran three consecutive years until WWII.
1930s vintage photo courtesy Jean Broussard |
History
in a Pecan Shell
Centerville
was the original spelling and the name was chosen for the geographic
location in the county. Leona had served as county seat until it was
discovered it was not exactly in the center of the county. Buffalo
served for a short time, which was also off-center.
A timeline of significant events in Centerville's history
1846: Leon County is organized and named after Martin de Leon.
1850: Centerville becomes county seat, post office opens and a log
cabin was built as a courthouse
1851: First school classes are held in the back room of a store
1852: The Leon Pioneer is published
1853: Frederick Law Olmstead (the landscape architect who designed
New York City's Central Park) visits Centerville
1858: Leon County gets its first brick courthouse
During Reconstruction an infantry company was stationed in Centreville.
1872: The International-Great Northern Railroad bypasses the town
1884: Population reaches 300
1886: The 1858 Courthouse burns and is replaced
1910: First bank is opened
1914: Centerville population reaches 600
1930: Centerville is incorporated - population had declined to 388
1937: An annual Black-Eyed Pea Festival is established
1950: Population comes close to breaking 1,000 with 961 people calling
Centerville home. |
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The
1886 Leon County Courthouse
TE Photo, 2000 |
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