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Gallatin
Public School and students in 1916
Photo courtesy Arcadia Publishing and
The Cherokee County Historical Commission |
History in a
Pecan Shell
Like many Cherokee County towns, Gallatin
had been settled in the 1840s, although it blossomed later than other towns. Here
the year was 1902, when the Texas and New Orleans Railroad arrived. John W. Chandler
and his sister, Sophronia, platted a townsite and named it after their former
home in Tennessee. It quickly modeled itself after other produce-producing towns
and before one could say "truck-farming" it was shipping out tomatoes to northern
cities.
The economy was bolstered in 1907 when a branch line of the
Texas and New Orleans connected Gallatin with Rusk.
The population was 350 by 1914, and although much of the downtown burned in 1916,
it was completely rebuilt. The population slowly increased during the 20s and
by the time the Great Depression arrived, Gallatin had a healthy population of
500.
The depopulation of East
Texas after WWII is
well-documented and Gallatin was no exception. School consolidation didn't help
and Gallatin's students were merged into Rusk schools.
By the early 1950s, the population was back to 1914 levels and a slow decline
had left less than 200 people there by 1990.
It has since increased to
its current estimate of 378.
Where to Stay
Jacksonville
Hotels |
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Gallatin
students in 1916 (Closeup of photo above)
Photo courtesy Arcadia Publishing
and
The Cherokee County Historical Commission
|
Gallatin
Texas Forum
Subject: Gallatin, TX
My father was born in Reklaw, TX but he grew up
in the Gallatin – Rusk, TX and he grew up with the
late great Johnny
Horton. My father’s name was Cleland E. Bailey and he was the son of Isaac
Lawson Bailey and Maude (Parsons) Bailey. I’ve been to Gallatin several times
even though I live in Michigan. What a great place. My favorite place is the Olde
Store restaurant. - Kevin C. Bailey, Kalamazoo, MI, February 09, 2011Subject:
Gallatin Texas
I am from Ponta, Texas and have never lived in Gallatin
although I have relatives there now. Gallatin is the childhood home of singer/songwriter
Johnny
Horton. Best Regards, LR (Larry) Trotter Ponta, Texas, June 22, 2006 |
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Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
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photos of their town, please contact
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