GARWOOD, TEXAS

Book Your Hotel Here & Save
Columbus Hotels

History in a Pecan Shell

Around 1900 farmers started growing rice west of the Colorado River. In 1901 there was just short of 3,000 acres under cultivation in the area that was to become Garwood. Having a town close to the fields sounded like a good idea and so Around 1900 farmers started growing rice west of the Colorado River. In 1901 there was just short of 3,000 acres under cultivation in the area that was to become Garwood. Having a town close to the fields sounded like a good idea and so in July of 1901 a town was platted, land deeded to the county for streets and a name was chosen. The men responsible were M. H. Townsend, T. A. Hill and W. T.Burford, but they chose Hiram Morgan Garwood, a lawyer from Bastrop (who never lived in Colorado County).

Ed Frnka, a store owner in nearby Vox Populi, moved his store to Garwood by having it pulled by 48 mules. The Frnka house was the first built in Garwood, although others had been moved in, many in the same way as the store. The Frnka family coninues to reside in Garwood and since they were there from the beginning, they are highly recommended as local historians.

Garwood is a street and avenue city with two of the streets being named after Hill and Townsend and an avenue named after Sheriff Burford. Other streets were named after the first Postmistress (Nellie), various county commissioners (Hastedt and Bouldin) and Arthur Street was named for Arthur Burford, son of W. T. who was killed in Bastrop while serving as a special deputy during a trial. Details are not known, however the trial was for one J.G. Townsend. Arthur had just graduated from Law School at the University of Texas.

The Townsend family was one of the most influential families in Colorado County and was responsible for half of the Townsend-Stafford Feud - a twenty year fight that is usually always included in books on Texas feuds.

We learned that the Garwood Bank, organized in 1910 had been robbed 3 times. On one occasion, the two robbers were arrested in Wharton County and photographed with about 15 Wharton County lawmen.

A visit to Garwood:

It's an easy mistake to make. Just remember Garfield is the one with the Thai Restaurant under the water tower.
TE photo, 2000

The Garwood Post Office is about as neat and clean as any in the state. Postmaster Janet M. Wells, although she doesn't live in Garwood, can't imagine working in a nicer place. She commutes daily from Brasserie (68 miles one way) and gets to pass by Glen Flora and Egypt on her way to work. She's apparently well accepted by Garwood's citizens and by the pleasant way she corrected us for calling the town "Garfield," (four times) we can see why.

She answered nearly every question we had and she then she introduced us to Mrs. Conner, a retired schoolteacher who taught school in Colorado County for 30 years. Now in her 80s, she is taking piano lessons, but only when she has time. Mrs. Conner remembers living in the Garwood Hotel (now the Bucksnag Hunting Lodge) with several other teachers back in 1939.

She paid $20.00 a month for room and board and still remembers how wonderful the home cooked meals were. We got some pretty good stories from her, but she said "Well, you probably don't want to hear all of this." We told her we always get more than we need so we can "shrink the story." She asked us to "shrink it real good."

She told us that the Colorado County Retired Teachers are a very active group and meet monthly in Columbus. She invited us to attend, and since teachers are among our favorite people, we may take her up on her invitation.

We took Mrs. Conner's advice and drove south to where the road Ts into Casa Lehrer. One block to the right is the Garwood Church, shaded by memorial oaks planted for two sons of Garwood who died in WWII.

Book Your Hotel Here & Save
Columbus Hotels
More Hotels

Garwood, Texas Forum