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JOPPA, TEXAS
Burnet County,
Texas Hill Country
FM 210 at the N. Fork of the San Gabriel River
7 Miles NE of Bertram
NE of Burnet
NW of Georgetown
Population: Dispersed
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A
sign to Joppa
TE photo, 8-2005 |
History
in a Pecan Shell
First called Pool Branch after the plunge pit of a waterfall on the
river, the area developed in the 1880s. First businesses included
a blacksmith, mill and cotton gin.
In 1881, J. S. and Jane Danford donated two acres of land on the north
bank of the river for a school and a church. The school building was
raised first and doubled as the church until 1913, when they constructed
the church building.
The name Pool Branch remained until 1891, when an application was
submitted for a post office. The Biblical name Joppa was submitted
and granted. In May of 1904, a telephone line was installed in Joppa
and an iron bridge was built across the San Gabriel River in 1907.
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Former
telephone line near Joppa
TE photo, 8-2005 |
The
Joppa school merged with Bertram during WWII and the church and school
buildings are still in use. A historical marker is on the west side
of the road and the two iron bridges have been saved - leaving them
in place while the new bridges were constructed alongside.
The bridges are captioned Bridge I and Bridge II only to distinguish
them from one another. It's not known which bridge was built first.
Bridge I is the first encountered coming from Bertram via Bear Creek. |
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