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Henderson County

Athens Hotels

BAXTER, TEXAS

Texas Ghost Town
Henderson County, East Texas

32° 10' 7" N, 95° 44' 57" W 32.168611, -95.749167
FM 804 and Highway 175
5 miles SE of Athens

Baxter, Texas Area Hotels > Athens Hotels

The former Baxter school, now the Baxter Community Center
Photo Courtesy Erik Whetstone, 7-04

History in a Pecan Shell

Settled prior to the Civil War, Baxter later (1900) became a stop on the Texas and New Orleans Railroad. A post office was open briefly (1901-1912) and the town gave every indication it would thrive.

But like many towns it was cursed by its proximity to a county seat. By the end of WWII, only two businesses were in operation and the population was a mere 56. The former Baxter school became a community center and the population from 1950 to 2000 was a mere 20 persons.

The door of the old schoo house (1907-1943)
now a community center
Photo courtesy Dustin Martin, February 2017

"Baxter Common School District"
Click on image to enlarge
Photo courtesy Dustin Martin, February 2017
More Texas Schoolhouses

Abandoned house
Photo courtesy Dustin Martin, February 2017

Former Baxter residence
Photo Courtesy Erik Whetstone, 7-04

Sunday drives in and around Athens:

Athens: Where the hamburger was invented -
(From Bob Bowman's East Texas Sunday Drives)
Athens, New York, Texas Cheesecakes, LaRue, Brownsboro, Edom, Purtis Creek State Park, Eustace, Mabank, Gun Barrel City, Payne Springs, Caney City, Malakoff and Cross Roads.

Baxter Nearby Destinations

Hwy 19 : North to Canton, or South to Palestine.

Hwy 31 : East to Tyler, or West to Corsicana via Malakoff, Trinidad and Kerens.

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Henderson County 1920s Map showing Baxter East of Athens
Courtesy Texas General Land Office

Baxter, Texas Area Towns:
Athens
See Henderson County, East Texas
More Texas Ghost Towns

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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 and vintage/historic photos, please contact us.