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FANNIN, TEXAS
&
Fannin Battleground State Historical Park
Goliad County,
South
Texas
Highway 59
About 15 Miles SW of Victoria
9 miles East of Goliad
Population:
125 (2000)
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History in
a Pecan Shell
The town sprang up on Perdido Creek, not far from the site where Fannin
and his command were captured by Mexican forces in 1836. The date
is uncertain, but the first post office opened in 1852 – closing four
short years later. The original name was Fanning’s Defeat, although
we’re sure no disrespect was meant.
Fannin was often misspelled as Fanning – and it continues to this
day – just not by Texans.
By 1873, a new post office opened under the name Perdido - named after
the creek. The town was well on its way by 1884 with daily stage service
to Victoria
and 50 residents.
When the railroad came through in 1889 the railroad’s designation
for the stop was Fannin. A new post office opened under that name
and the town doubled its population in short order. By 1914 there
were 200 people in Fannin and it was known as a cattle-shipping point
with permanent shipping pens built alongside the rails.
A stray bullet from a shootout in a saloon in 1911started a fire.
As a result, the town went up in flames. Rebuilding wasn’t a priority
and with fewer buildings, the townfolk moved to where there were more.
The population fell back to 100 people and it hovered there for the
next 70 years.
Today, the town sits between Perdido Creek and the Fannin Battlefield
Park.
The Battle of Perdido occurred in 1817 between Spanish forces and
a Mexican Republican army. |
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A sign
not to forget
TE photo, 2003 |
Fannin
Grave Detail
TE photo, 2003 |
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