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History in
a Pecan Shell
The
wide median that bisects the town leaves no doubt that the town was
born with the arrival of the railroad. The namesake of the town was
Placido Benavides who had served in the Confederate army. After the
Civil War he devoted himself to raising cattle
and his ranch became one of the largest in Duval
County. He generously allowed a depot to be built on his property
in 1880 and the following year donated 80 acres for a townsite. |
In
1882 Archer Parr moved to Benavides and in time became the "Boss"
of Duval County.
He set into place a corrupt dynasty with his son and grandson continuing
his legacy of creative bookkeeping, voting fraud and outright assassination.
For anyone interested in how corrupt and totally controlled a place
can be and still be in the United States - The Fall of the Duke
of Duval by John E. Clark, Eakin Press, 1995 is recommended. |
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By 1884 Benavides
was Duval County's
second largest town.
By 1914 Parr attempted to form a new county with Benavides as the
seat of government. It was to be called Pat Dunn County after the
State Legislator who was introducing the bill. A clause in the State
Constitution prohibited the act - depriving Parr of another County
Treasury to loot.
The estimated population of Benavides had dropped to 250 but by the
mid-1920s had risen to 1,897.
A bank was established in 1928, when the population was about 1200
people. By the 1940s the town was prospering with 80 businesses and
a population just over 3,000.
In 1950 Benavide's businesses did $2,084,000 in sales. The population
began a decline that lasted until the 80's when it rose to just over
2,000 people. |
Benavides
Texas Landmarks/Photo Gallery
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Merchants
Exchange Bank Building Sign
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson,
September 2011 |
Former
Merchants Exchange Bank
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson,
September 2011 |
Buffalo,
an architectural detail from the bank
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson,
September 2011 |
Another
bank architectural detail showing the nickel
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson,
September 2011 |
L
- The Santa Rosa de Lima Catholic Church in Benavides
R - A relic of better years
TE
Photos, 2001 |
L
- The Old Benavides Bank
R - A former business
TE Photos, 2001 |
Benavides,
Texas Forum
Subject:
Church in Benavides
I happen to grow up in San
Diego Texas and came across your website today. The information
was interesting except for a photo of the church. The church you
placed under San Diego, TX is the wrong Church. The church you have
pictured is actually the church of a near by town, Benavides, TX.
Their church's name is Santa Rosa de Lima Catholic Church. The church
in San Diego is Saint Francis de Paula Catholic Church. You can
find it on Victoria St. in San Diego. It is a really beautiful church
with lots of history itself. Thank you, Elaine Montemayor-Gonzalez,
April 17, 2006
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| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and vintage/historic photos, please contact
us. |
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