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History in
a Pecan Shell
The community was
founded in the early 1880s and named after the ship that carried Texas’
first Polish immigrants to Galveston
in 1854. A post office opened in 1881 and the town was connected by
stage to neighboring Cuero
and Goliad. In the 1890s
the town had most essential businesses and a population of 150.
A school was built in 1903 but without a railroad connection, Weser’s
future looked bleak. With the decline in cotton
prices in the 1920s, the town entered into a decline with the post
office closing in 1928. By the early 1930s Weser was reduced to a
single business and the population to a mere 50. That same figure
has been in use ever since. |
Weser Historical
Marker
US 183/77A, 14 mile N of Goliad
Photo courtesy Will
Beauchamp |
Historical Marker:
WESER
Many German and
Polish immigrants came to Texas in the 19th century on a ship named
"Weser." Arriving at the Port of Galveston,
a number of the pioneer settlers made their way overland to this area,
establishing a community in the 1850s and 1860s. By 1881, when a post
office was granted, it was officially named Weser for the ship that
had brought the immigrants to America. By 1900 the settlement included,
in addition to the post office, a general merchandise store, a steam
grist mill, a cotton gin, a school, a blacksmith shop, a Western Union
Telegraph office, a saloon, a Sons of Hermann Lodge hall and a dance
hall. A community brass band entertained residents and played for
local celebrations.
The population of Weser consisted primarily of farmers and ranchers
and their families. The school they established for their children
served as a focal point and gathering place for area residents. Early
facilities were replaced with a new building erected by volunteers
in 1903. It continued to serve students in the Weser area until 1943,
when it closed its doors. The building was later sold and moved out
of the community.
The highest population figure recorded for the town was 153 in 1904.
It remained steady until the 1920s, when new generations began moving
away to larger cities for greater economic opportunities. By the 1930s
only two businesses remained in Weser, and the population had dropped
to 50, a figure that remained steady for the remainder of the 20th
century. Although smaller in number now, the Weser community represents
a typical rural settlement in Goliad
County.
(1999) |
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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 recent or vintage photos, please contact
us. |
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