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Beeville History
in a Pecan Shell
Although, Bernard Bee left Texas in 1846, his service as Texas Secretary
of State and Texas Secretary of War, was enough to have both county and county
seat named in his honor.
Early settlers in the 1830s lost family members
to Indian raids. The county was organized in 1858 and the county seat was about
7 miles from the current courthouse.
A post office was established in 1859 and the next year the first courthouse was
built.
Beeville only had about 300 people in 1880, but when the San
Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad came through in 1886, the population rose
to one thousand.
Beeville got a water works and electricity in 1903
and the sewer was built in 1910.
There was a small oil boom in 1929,
but it wasn't enough for Beeville to escape the Great Depression.
A Naval
Aviation Station was set up during World
War II and although it was deactivated at war's end, it was reopened for Korea.
It was closed again in 1992, and a reminder of its presence is noted by the aircraft
on the courthouse
lawn.
About the time this building went up in the 1920s, Beeville was
paving its streets.
The Beeville Bee and The Picayune,
the towns rival newspapers merged in 1928.
Beeville
Hotels > Book Your Hotel Here & Save |
Historical
Marker on Courthouse lawn:Beeville
on the PoestaLong
before Mexico granted land (1834) on Poesta Creek to the first settlers, Anne
Burke and James Heffernan, savage Indians roamed this valley at will. Their colony,
although successful at first, soon met disaster. In 1836 James Heffernan, his
brother John, and John Ryan, who had planned to join Texas patriots at Goliad,
were planting a crop in a field at this site when they were massacred by Comanches.
Also killed was James' family, in his picket house upcreek.
Bee County
was organized in 1858 and named for Col. Barnard E. Bee, a Republic of Texas statesman.
Soon after, choice of a county seat came into hot dispute. A site seven miles
east, on Medio Creek,
was chosen for "Beeville". But ten months later, voters made the 150-acre donation
of Anne Burke "O'Carroll permanent county seat, on the banks on the Poesta. The
new town, first called "Maryville" for Mary Heffernan (relative of those
killed in 1836) was soon renamed Beeville.
In its first decade, it had
two stores, one saloon, and a blacksmith shop. First courthouse was built for
$750 on west side of present square, 1860. First railroad came through, 1866,
and a larger courthouse was soon built. After it burned, the present
one was erected in 1913.
(1967) |
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| The
building with 'The Spirit of Progress' on it was a Montgomery-Ward store. This
image was M-W's logo and appears on many of their storefronts from the early 20th
century. It's a good way to spot old M-W stores that have been converted to new
uses. - Dwight Young |
| Beeville
street scene. TE photo, 2001 |
Beeville
Local and Tourist Information
Bee
County Chamber of Commerce - 361-358-3267.
Beeville Chamber website:
www.beeville.net/ChamberofCommerce/index.htm
City of Beeville website:
www.beeville.net/CityofBeeville/
Beeville
Hotels |
Beeville
Texas ForumThe
building with "The Spirit of Progress" on it was a Montgomery-Ward store. There's
another one on your Hillsboro page.
This image was M-W's logo and appears on many of their storefronts from the early
20th century. It's a good way to spot old M-W stores that have been converted
to new uses.
I just discovered your website today and have been enjoying
it immensely. I grew up in Plainview
and Lubbock
but have lived away from Texas since 1966. Your
photos have sent me on a real nostalgia trip.
I write a regular column
for Preservation magazine, published by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
... - Dwight Young, January 07, 2005
Anyone
wishing to share history or photos of Beeville, Texas, please contact
us. | |
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