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History
in a Pecan Shell
Originally called Cross Out, Texas, the town's
name changed when the post office opened in 1879. According to legend, the name
Cross Out came from the fact that the town was "Across the country and
out of the way". It still is.
John Bloodworth, storeowner and
first postmaster, is credited with being the town's founder.
The school
building stood until 1999 when it's deteriorating condition necessitated its demolition.
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Cross Cut Texas Forum We
received a polite correction from former Cross Cutter - Mr. Norris Chambers, who
writes: [The Cross Cut School] "....did not consolidate and close in 1930. I graduated
from Cross Cut High School in 1935. It still had a grade school after the war
and shortly thereafter merged with Cross Plains. The Cross Cut area is in the
Cross Plains school district. I have considerable history about Cross Cut for
those interested. Some old Cross Cut stories are on my site: www.norrisc.com "
Mr. Chambers'
stories are of interest to anyone who is curious about growing up in under-populated
Texas in a bygone era. They are a valuable contribution to small town Texas history.
- editor
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John Limmer wrote a history of Cross Cut and he quotes Louise Newton, wife of
Ross Newton, saying this about Robert: "Ross played with Robert Howard, Conan
author. He told her Robert was weird even then and he was a little afraid of him
as he was making up queer stories - way back then. Dr. Howard, Robert's father,
wasn't happy about the stories his son wrote. Dr. Howard delivered most of the
babies in town." Ross Newton was the youngest son of pioneer Jim Newton.
You have a very interesting site.... I happened across it when looking for
articles on Cross Cut. Found some pretty interesting things about the old town.
Its closest call to fame, other than Robert, was Glen Strange and Curtis
McPeeters, who left Cross Cut in the late twenties and worked in the movies.
They came back in about 1928 and did a program at the school. They had a band
in Arizona and later got in the movies. Glen was Sam the bartender in Gunsmoke
in later years. He also did a Frankenstein. McPeeters was Cactus Mack and did
167 bit parts in old westerns. They were cousins and were part of the Byrd family.
When Lake Brownwood was built and it closed the road to Brownwood, a new
road was built farther west. It was not paved until after the war. The road by-passed
Cross Cut and left it further isolated. The main road originally was the main
street of the little town. ..... - Norris Chambers |
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