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| History in
a Pecan Shell
The
town was named by A. E. Jones for his previous home in Missouri. Begun in the
1880s, a post office was granted in 1883. Things really started jumping when the
railroad (the Fort Worth and Denver City) built through the county in 1887. The
town had been on the north side of the railroad tracks, but after a devestating
fire, the rebuilding was done on the south side.
The town had grain elevators
constructed in 1892-93, and Chillicothe incorporated in 1907 with a population
of 800. A second railroad arrived in 1908 (the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient
Railway) and Chillicothe's future seemed bright.
The town reached its
high-water mark in 1950 with over 1,400 Iris Villagers living there. The population
decreased slowly - but was still over 1,000 in 1980. In 1990 the population had
dropped to just over 800. |
| Chillicothe
Mural - A 40 x 12 mural on the side of a building adjacent to the Downtown
Memorial Park expansion project.
Artists: Teresa Byrd, Marcia Haynes and
Jeanne Moffett.
Completion date; July 1, 2006.
"The mural depicts some of the history of Chillicothe and includes Medicine
Mounds, the Santa Fe Doodlebug, Ft. Worth & Denver Zephyr, grain elevators,
Wanderers Creek, ranching, oil and the school mascot (the Eagle) holding the banner.
The First United Methodist Church built in 1916 is in the center." - Teresa
Byrd, July 07, 2006 |
First United
Methodist Church in Chillicothe |
First
United Methodist Church built in 1916
Photo courtesy Katherine Heilhecker Nixon
More
Texas Churches |
The Former
City Jail in Chillicothe |
| | The
former city jail.
Photo
Courtesy Teresa Byrd, July 2006 | |
| | Jail
detail.
Photo Courtesy Teresa Byrd, July 2006
See Texas
Jails | |
The Chillicothe
Fire Department's Ghost Sign |
| | The
area in the red rectangle (far right just below the middle of photo) is a relic
from the buildings previous incarnation as a smithy or livery stable. |
|
| | Detail
of the sign: "Buggies, wagons and repair."
Photos
courtesy Teresa Byrd, July 2006
See Texas
Ghost Signs | |
More Chillicothe
Images - Past and Present |
Photographer's
Note:
Hwy 287 in Chilicothe, Texas.
I found this site of old grain
tanks pretty interesting. I plan on stopping next time I go through there. That
town has LOTS of very old buildings! Even seen some tucked away ones. - Stephen
Michaels, December 13, 2007 |
Pumpkin
Photo
courtesy Katherine Heilhecker Nixon |
|
Photo courtesy Randy Hinsley, February 2011 |
Where
to Stay - Medicine Mound Area Hotels:
Vernon
Hotels | Quanah
Hotels Chillicothe
Irises in San Francisco Subject:
Chillicothe
Just wanted to say thank you for the info on Chillicothe;
my father grew up there. The Methodist Church is where my grandmother and grandfather
met, married, and were both eulogized upon their passing. When I bought my home
in California, I obtained some Iris bulbs from my Father who took a handful when
they sold the house there. That Iris Village is alive and well in San Francisco
and my children think the violet ones are the most beautiful flowers they have
ever seen (and they are). Thanks again, Bruce Derr, son of Walker Derr, son
of E.L Derr, Sr., January 18, 2008 |
| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories, and vintage/historic
photos of their town, please contact
us. | |
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