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History in
a Pecan Shell
Settlement began around 1835 and according to one legend, the town
was named by none other than Alamo defender Davy Crockett. It was
supposedly Crockett’s suggestion that the (then-nameless) town be
named for the American Revolution’s General Baron de Kalb.
DeKalb College was founded in 1839 and prospective residents were
screened by the landowners who donated the school land.
DeKalb was the first seat of Bowie County by 1841 although growth
was slow until it became a stop on the Texas and Pacific Railroad
in 1876. It wasn’t until 1890 that the town had a population of 500.
This figure doubled to over 1,000 by 1930.
It remained primarily an agricultural economy – bolstered by the Red
River Army Depot. The 1980 population of 2,200 declined slightly for
the 1990 census to 1,976 and by 2000 it was 1,769.
DeKalb Today |
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