|
|
GALLATIN, TEXASCherokee County,
East Texas
FM 22 and 768
6 miles N of Rusk
4 miles W of Ponta
10 miles SE of Jacksonville
Population:
378 (2000)
|
|
|
|
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. |
|
|
Gallatin
students in 1916 (Closeup of photo above)
Photo courtesy Arcadia Publishing and
The Cherokee County Historical Commission
|
|
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.
© John Troesser
More Cherokee County Towns
|
|
Gallatin
Texas Forum
Subject: 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
Anyone wishing to share stories or photos of Gallatin, Texas, please
contact
us.
Book Your Hotel Here & Save
Jacksonville
Hotels
More Hotels
More Texas Towns |
|
|
