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History in
a Pecan Shell
Of the eight or so Lakeviews in Texas, most of them are in the Panhandle.
The one in Hall County actually occupied two sites.
Lakeview # 1 sprang
up near the geographic center of Hall County in early 1890. Its prime location
and the fact that it had essential businesses gave the townfolk hope that it would
become the county seat. But Lakeview lost the vote and the disheartened citizens
sold their houses and moved on. Even the post office was moved - not once but
several times. It eventually found a home in 1902 on land belonging to storekeeper
David H. Davenport. Three years later Davenport purchased land just north of his
farm that had desirable water - perfect for town building. Moving his store and
post office in June 11, 1908, Davenport platted Lakeview #2.
The town's
first school opened in 1908 followed by a bank two years later. The Altus, Roswell
and El Paso Railroad built a roadbed through town, but financing fell through
and the rails were never laid. But despite this serious setback, Lakeview grew.
The town suffered back-to-back fires in 1918 and 1919.
Lakeview was on
a roll in the late 1920s and with a population over 1,000, the town's horizons
seemed limitless. But a third fire hit downtown Lakeview just as the Great Depression
was getting started. The Lakeview bank was forced to merge with the First National
Bank of Memphis
in the early 1950s - when the population had already shrunk to 244. It declined
further, reaching just over 200 in 1990 and remaining at 202 for the 2000 TxDoT
map of Hall County. |
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School at Lakeview,
Hall County Photographer's
Note:
This building
is probably the oldest school building still standing in Lakeview; it stands next
to the site of the old high school. Looks like a WPA building to me although I
never did find a marker. It's being used as a community center and is nicely kept
up. The main, new campus is across the highway and has been abandoned; apparently
the Lakeview ISD combined with Memphis in 2000. - Stephen
Taylor
More
Texas
Schoolhouses |
"The
most imposing building in Lakeview"
Photo courtesy Wes
Reeves, October 2006 |
Barbershop
Interior
Photos courtesy Wes
Reeves, October 2006 |
Closeup
of sink in abandoned barbershop in Lakeview
Photos courtesy Wes
Reeves, October 2006 |
Lakeview
Barbershop
Photographer's
note:
"The elements have claimed nearly all of
this barber shop, but like the wreck of the Titanic, porcelain and stainless steel
fixtures look almost new. My grandfather Don Wright was a gin manager in Lakeview
in the 1930s and no doubt spent time in this barber shop." - Wes
Reeves | |
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