|
|
MULDOON,
TEXASFayette County,
Central Texas S
FM 154 and FM 2237 ( a few miles N of I-10 )
9 miles N of Flatonia
27 miles NW of Weimar
32 miles SE of Bastrop
62 miles SE of Austin
15 miles SW of LaGrange
Population: 98
|
|
|
Muldoon
street scene
TE photo |
| |
Muldoon
at the Millennium
Today Muldoon
sits undisturbed and nearly forgotten in Fayette County just a few
miles north of I-10 with a few handsome stone buildings and a sprinkling
of houses. There are two churches and a post office, but most Muldoonites
do their shopping in LaGrange,
Bastrop, or Smithville. |
|
|
Muldoon
as Stubbs, Iowa
TE photo |
| |
Muldoon's
15 minutes of near-fame came when it was filmed as a stand-in for
Stubbs, Iowa in the 1996 movie Michael. It appears in
the very first scenes of the movie. Look closely. We missed it. Other
nearby locations for Michael were a dancehall in Winchester
and the Fayette
County Courthouse in LaGrange (interior scenes).
Book Your Hotel Here & Save
La Grange
Hotels
More Texas
Hotels |
DVD
Movie featuring Muldoon Texas |
|
|
|
Chester
L. Cherry tells us this truck was backed into the garage in 1946
© 2000, heskco.com |
| |
|
History in
a Pecan Shell
The
Man Muldoon
Muldoon was named after Father Michael Muldoon, a clergyman
who briefly served Stephen F. Austin's first colonists. He
was the only non-Hispanic member of the Monterrey, Mexico Diocese
and was probably assigned his duties since he spoke English. He
was born in County Cavan in Ireland but was ordained in Spain.
He returned to Mexico, visited Stephen Austin during his
1834 confinement and also assisted William Wharton in his
escape from a Matamoros prison in 1837. Muldoon
was openly pro-Texan, which led to a brief imprisonment.
He made an
appearance back in Texas in 1842 when he was given a letter of appreciation
from Anson
Jones. After that Father Muldoon disappeared from history and
his final resting-place is unknown.
|
|
|
Post
Office in Muldoon
© 2000, heskco.com |
| |
The Town
Muldoon
The town of Muldoon
sits today on land that he bought (while he was in Saltillo, Mexico)
in 1831. The 48,000 acres was surveyed by Thomas Borden and after
Father Muldoon disappeared, the change of ownership was brokered by
Gail Borden, the man who later invented condensed milk and had a town
in neighboring Colorado County named after him (Borden)
as well as a town (Gail) in Borden County.
The post office
followed the railroad by two years (in 1888).
Muldoon never
had more than 200 persons living there and that record was
reached in 1943. Current Postmaster Jerry Alexander states that
there are about 35 persons in the immediate "town center."
Book Your Hotel Here & Save
Austin Hotels
|
Muldoon
and some of the very few things that happened there
A local quarry
furnished stone to several buildings in nearby Moulton, other parts
of Fayette County and beyond. According to the Handbook of Texas
Online, some of the stone in the Galveston
jetties was produced from the Muldoon quarry.
See The Muldoon Quarry
> |
|
|
The
Kerr Store c. 1890
© 2000,
heskco.com |
| |
|
The
Kerr Store close up
TE photo 2001 |
| |
|
|
This
stone water tank supplied gravity-flow water to the Kerr store.
© 2000, heskco.com |
| |
|
|
A.B.
Kerr and Son Token (front and back) from Muldoon
Photos courtesy Joe Meyers |
| |
Muldoon Texas
Forum
Subject:
A.B. Kerr and Son Token
A few years ago I was metal detecting at Gibtown,Texas
in Jack County. I found a token from the A.B. Kerr and Sons store
in Muldoon, Texas. Sure would be a great story on how the token
made the 300 mile trip from Muldoon to Gibtown, probably by horse
and wagon. - Joe Meyers, July 24, 2006
I have just
been reading your article on the town in Fayette County, Texas called
Muldoon. My name is actually Padraic Muldoon and I live very close
to Co. Cavan in Ireland. My father's name is Michael Muldoon and
his grandfather was also called Michael Muldoon. I'd be interested
to know if Father Michael Muldoon, who the town was named after,
is an ancestor. Thanks - Padraic Muldoon, August 11, 2004
The info on
Muldoon is great! Shroyer Construction has just started construction
on a house which will use the "Muldoon blue" stone for its exterior
& we are excited about it. Your website is wonderful.- Helen
H, March 02, 2001
Anyone wishing to share history or vintage photos of Muldoon, Texas,
please contact
us.
Book Your Hotel Here & Save
La Grange
Hotels
More Texas
Hotels
© John Troesser
|
|
|
