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History in a Pecan
Shell
A Czech-German
community that dates from the mid-1800s, the town (pronounced Lay chem) was originally
one of five "Latin Colonies" founded by German political refugees. Czech immigrants
began arriving after the Civil War, and a mission was set up here by the Reverend
Josef Chromcik in the mid 1870s.
The town received a post office in the
mid 1880s, although it closed in 1907. The population has never been large due
to its proximity to Brenham. In
1892 there were only 50 people listed. As the German population moved to larger
German-speaking communities, Czechs moved in - eventually outnumbering the original
Germans.
Sacred Heart Catholic Church was built by its Czech congregation
in 1918 and a school served the community from 1885 until the school consolidations
of the late 1940s.
The region around Latium has shifted from agriculture
to cattle raising in recent years but for much of the 20th Century it was a supply
center for farms between Brenham,
Round Top and Burton.
Latium retains a community center, a general store, a VFD and a Catholic church. |
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