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| History in
a Pecan Shell
Dating from the 1870s, the town was originally known as Transcontinental Junction
or Texarkana Junction. The East-West Texas & Pacific Railroad ran a branch
from their main line here to Marshall,
Texas.
A post office was granted in 1884 and for some years the town
went by the name of Park for first postmaster John N. Parker. The name
was changed in 1906 to honor Manny Nash, district superintendent of the Texas
and Pacific Railroad.
The 1890 Nash had a population of 100 served by
a store, druggist, gin and grist mill. It grew to 487 ten years later and remained
more or less at that level through the 1950 census.
The 1960 census reported 1,124 and twenty years later it had nearly doubled to
2,022. Many residents are employed at the Red River Army Depot or the Lone Star
Army Ammunition Plant just west of town.
Nash
Historical Marker |
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Historical
Marker TextTown
of NashBegun about
1873; first named "T. C. Junction" for its location on Transcontinental Division
of Texas & Pacific Railroad. In 1884 post office was established and named "Park",
after Dr. J. N. Parker, the first postmaster.
First school started 1885
in single room. New buildings have been erected in 1904, 1924, 1967.
In
1906 the town was named in honor of Martin Manny Nash, division superintendent
of Texas & Pacific. Noted resident was Dr. Joseph Abner Dodd (1871-1944), who
served 6 terms in Texas House of Representatives. Present town population stands
at 2,000.
(1970)
Incise on back: Nash Chapter, Texas Senior citizens Association, Bowie County
Historical Survey Committee |
Nash Historical Marker on US 82 and S. Pecan
Photo courtesy Gerald
Massey, June 2010 |
1940s
Bowie County map showing Nash
(Above "E" in "B-O-W-I-E")
Courtesy
Texas General Land Office |
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