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| History
in a Pecan Shell
The earliest settlement in the region was
the establishment of Fort Belknap three miles
South, but it was abandoned decades before Newcastle’s first settlers arrived.
The Merrill and Clark Strip Mining (Coal) Company was here around 1906 and
put out the “now hiring” sign. The Wichita Falls and Southern Railway arrived
the following year from Olney and before long coal
was being shipped to Wichita
Falls.
In 1908 the old Fort Belknap
post office was moved to town and an new application was submitted for Newcastle,
Texas – after the English coal town. (“Carrying coals to Newcastle.”) By 1909
the Newcastle population had reached 800.
That same year miners working
for the Belknap Coal Company went on strike and formed a chapter of the United
Mine Workers. Other strikes occurred in 1914 and 1915. The switch to oil burning
locomotives decreased demand for coal and by 1942 mining operations quit as America
entered WWII.
From a population estimated at 1,000 in 1950, it had fallen to 617 ten years later.
The decline slowed and by the 1970 census it was 624. In 1990 there were 505 residents
reported which has since increased to the present 575 (2000). |
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Newcastle
bank building
Photo courtesy Mike
Price, October 2007 |
Newcastle
Farm Supplies
Photo courtesy Mike
Price, October 2007 |
Photographer's Note:
Bank looked vacant, but not sure about feed store. - Mike
Price, October 15, 2007 |
Newcastle
Area AttractionFort
Belknap
Three miles south of Newcastle on highway 251. Established
in 1851, the fort was moved to be closer to the Brazos River. The fort was a stop
on the Butterfield Stage Route and was abandoned in 1867. | |
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