History
in a Pecan Shell
Its site is within Luciano Chapa's 1832 Mexican
land grant, called La Encantada y Encina del Pozo ("Enchanted Place and Live Oak
in a Hole"), a name reportedly derived from a large live oak at the site, around
which a hole gradually developed as wind erosion and animals seeking the oak's
shade wore down the surrounding land. The Encino community was established at
the site in the early 1900s as a roundup point for cattle raised by Mexican cattlemen.
The Texas and New Orleans Railroad was completed through Encino in 1904, and a
post office was established there in 1914.
The
community's population in 1925 was fifty, and it remained at that level until
1939, when a population of 100 was reported. The population of Encino was estimated
at 200 by 1941, but it dropped to 125 by 1945. In 1948 Encino had three schools,
a church, and several dwellings. In 1970 the community's population was 110, and
in 1976 it had eleven businesses. In 1982 Encino had a school, a church, three
businesses, and several dwellings. During the early 1990s it was a dispersed community
with nine businesses and 110 inhabitants |
