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Schleicher County TX
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ELDORADO, TEXAS

Schleicher County Seat, Texas Hill Country

30°51'39"N 100°35'54"W (30.860746, -100.598329)

Highways 190 and 277
43 miles S of San Angelo
21 miles N of Sonora
ZIP code 76936
Area code 325
Population: 1,579 Est. (2019)
1,951 (2010) 1,951 (2000) 2,019 (1990)

Book Hotel Here > Sonora Hotels | San Angelo Hotels

Eldorado Tx Welcome Sign
Welcome to Eldorado
Top of The Divide Elev. 2439

Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, February 2010

History in a Pecan Shell

The town dates to 1895 when W. B. Silliman and two partners surveyed former railroad land and named the future town Eldorado after the mythical city. To get residents, Silliman offered free town lots to residents of nearby Verand. Enough people took advantage of the offer that the post office moved there (still in 1895) and the next year the town had a population of 100. Eldorado was made county seat when Schleicher County was organized in 1901.

Schleicher County held land rushes between 1901 and 1905, and Eldorado benefited from the new county residents. A proposed railroad link to San Angelo never materialized but Eldorado thrived nonetheless. By 1914 the population was 500 with all essential businesses and even a newspaper.

A vote to incorporate in 1925 was revoked in 1927 when increased taxes and a city ordnance to keep livestock penned was met with scorn. A second petition resulted in re-incorporation in March of 1929. A railroad link between Sonora and to San Angelo became a reality in 1930 (The Kansas City, Mexico and Orient) passing through (and stopping at) Eldorado.

During WWII West Texas Woolen Mills was established - making untold thousands of blankets for the military. The building and looms still stand.

The population reached a high of 2,790 in the mid-1960s, but declined to only 1,400 ten years later. The railroad pulled up tracks in 1976.

Schleicher County Courthouse and  jail, Eldorado, Texas
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, 2002
Schleicher County Courthouse
Schleicher County Old Jail


Eldorado Tx Woolen Mill
Old Eldorado Woolen Mill
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark

Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, February 2010


Eldorado Tx - West Texas Woolen Mills Historical Marker
West Texas Woolen Mills Historical Marker
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, February 2010


Eldorado Tx First Baptist Church
First Baptist Church of Eldorado
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, February 2010


Eldorado Tx First Baptist Church Historical Marker
First Baptist Church Historical Marker
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, February 2010
More Texas Churches


Eldorado Tx Museum
Eldorado Museum
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, February 2010
See Texas Museums


Eldorado Texas - 1930 T.K. Jones Building
1930 T.K. Jones Building
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, February 2010


Eldorado Tx - "Main 300" Street Tiles
"Main 300" Street Tiles
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, February 2010


Eldorado Tx - Scale House Fairbanks-Morse Scales
Fairbanks-Morse Scales
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, February 2010


Eldorado Tx - Scale House
Scale House
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, February 2010
See Cotton


Eldorado Tx Mural
Eldorado Mural
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, February 2010
More Texas Murals


Eldorado Tx West Texas Feed and Mercantile
West Texas Feed and Mercantile
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, February 2010


Eldorado Tx - Tin Man Water Tower
Water Tower
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, 2010
More Texas Water Towers

See Schleicher County Courthouse

Schleicher County Old Jail

Verand TX
Ghost town Verand
US 277, about 5 miles N of Eldorado

Photo courtesy MF, July 2017


Schleider County TX - Site of Mark Fury Ranch Stage Stand
Site of Mark Fury Ranch Stage Stand
US 277, about 16 miles N of Eldorado
Photo courtesy MF, July 2017

Take a road trip

Texas Hill Country

Eldorado, Texas Nearby Towns:
San Angelo | Sonora
See Schleicher County

Book Hotel Here:
San Angelo Hotels | Sonora Hotels | More Hotels
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