|
|
Texas Ghost
Town
WILMETH, TEXAS
AKA Mazeland
Runnels County,
Panhandle / West Texas
|
Cotton
gin and silos in Wilmeth
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, February 2007 |
Mazeland, named for the maize that grew in the area, was founded on
May 25, 1903, when a store and post office was opened on the Hutchison
Ranch with Mrs Hutchison as postmistress. A school was erected in
1904, on land donated by M.T. Hensley, a mile and a half northeast
of Mazeland.
In 1910 a two-story building was erected and more teachers employed.
In 1915 the building was remodeled again. At one time there was a
church, and a community auditorium at the school. The school consolidated
with Winters in 1947. By 1906 settlement in the area had shifted to
a mile east of the school house. This section was named after a popular
Ballinger banker, Jo Wilmeth. Joel Smith and his wife started a store
in Wilmeth. Housewives would bring the mail from Mazeland and leave
it at the store. Mrs Smith saw the need for a post office in Wilmeth
and became postmistress when one was opened in April 1, 1907. Richard
Nash bought the Mazeland store in 1907 and became postmaster in of
Mazeland.
The following year he moved the store and post office to Wilmeth.
Both post offices closed in 1909. At one time Wilmeth had two blacksmith
shops, a gin, a store and post office, a barber, and a telephone system
with over 60 subscribers. A Methodist church was built at the Mazeland
school in 1913. Members of the Church of Christ erected a building
in 1916. The Baptist organized in 1906 at Mazeland, meeting in the
schoolhouse. In 1909 the Methodists and Baptist built a tabernacle
at the school. The Baptist built a church at Wilmeth in 1921. The
Church of Christ closed in 1962, the Methodist in 1949, and the Baptist
in 2004. The Wilmeth store was closed in the 1970's.
From
"Eighteen
Ghost Towns of Runnels County" by Alton O'Neil Jr. |
 |
| Photo
courtesy Barclay Gibson, February 2007 |
Scenes
from Wilmeth, Texas
Photos courtesy Barclay Gibson, February 2007 |
|
|
