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QUICKSAND,
TEXASNewton
County, East
Texas
State Highway 87 and FM 1414
55 miles NE of Beaumont
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History
in a Pecan Shell
Early settlers named the community after
a nearby creek. The town was thought to be the geographic center of the county
and for that reason (and to comply with the legislature's mandate) it was made
the Newton County seat.
The first meetings of the county officials took
place at the home of Josephus S. Irvine, a San Jacinto veteran. When it became
known that Quicksand was a little off center - a vote was taken and Burkeville
was made the seat in 1848. This was contested, so an election was held in 1849.
Burkeville was retained by an 86-82 vote.
In 1853 a new town called
Newton* - four miles
southwest of Quicksand was established as county seat.
It is reported
that Quicksand had a post office for only one month (in 1871), which might be
a state record. | |
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