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History
in a Pecan Shell
First there was the Kimberly Ranch (in the late 1900s) and then along came
George W. Mahoney, a man who recognized “sum of the parts” business. He bought
the ranch around 1900 and then subdivided it into small farms. He then donated
property for two churches and a school and ran ads in Texas newspapers to attract
citizens to the new town.
In 1901 a post office was applied for and granted
under the name White Oak. Soon the local school was calling itself White
Oak School. But the post office closed its doors in 1904 and over time, the community
reverted to the name of the town founder.
The community peaked just before
WWI and although there are no figures
available, it was quite small – even for the era. By the time the Great Depression
arrived, Mahoney was down to a mere 15 citizens.
By the mid-1960s, Mahoney
had lost one of its churches and the school. Today there’s only the remaining
church and the cemetery. Houses are scattered, resulting in Mahoney being referred
to as “a dispersed rural community.”
Sulphur
Springs Hotels
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Saltillo Area Hotels, Book Here & Save |
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1940s
Hopkins County map showing "White Oak"
(Below "N" in "HOPKINS"
- East of Sulphur Springs)
Courtesy
Texas General Land Office |
Related
Stories
Mahoney,
Texas by Nolan Maxie
"...While living and working
in Sulphur Springs, it seemed to me we would live there long enough to invest
in some real property with a potential for profit. So I did! In 1964, property
came on the market that I could afford to buy. And guess what?... It was the old
town square of Mahoney..." more |
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Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history and vintage/historic
photos of their town, please contact
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