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"Three
generations... served in our armed forces."
Photo courtesy Paul Wilhelm, May 2012 |
History in a Pecan
Shell The town,
once called Antelope, was founded in the early 1890s.
A post office
was granted in 1893 and by 1914 the population was a thriving 25 persons. The
population doubled in the mid-1920s and remained at that level for 40 years. The
post office was reported closed in 1960 but has since reopened.
Kent
had a population of sixty-five in the late 1960s - falling to 60 by the mid-1970s
where it remains today.
Today little is left to interest a tourist -
but the juncture of the two roads provides a sense of place. The lone telephone
at least looks comforting but its condition is unknown. The overpass of I-10 offers
some relief from the scorching sun but it will be sometime before Kent becomes
a destination. More
History & Forum |
The
closed Chevron Station
Photo courtesy Paul Wilhelm, May 2012 |
Kent
School ruin
Photo courtesy Brian Brown, January 2006 |
The
Post Office
Photo courtesy Paul Wilhelm, May 2012 |
Photographer's
Note:
Ghost town - Kent, Culberson county
Images of Kent on the north
side of I-10 past the post office.
The Chevron station is long closed and there
was no sign of anyone living there. Especially poignant is Photo
1; three generations from the red-roofed house that served in our armed forces.
- Paul Wilhelm |
The
road
Photo
courtesy Paul Wilhelm, May 2012 |
"The
little red house"
Photo courtesy Paul Wilhelm, May 2012 |
|
Photo courtesy Paul Wilhelm, May 2012 |
|
Photo courtesy Paul Wilhelm, May 2012 |
|
Photo courtesy Paul Wilhelm, May 2012 |
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Kent, Texas ForumSubject:
The Boyds of Kent
My father and his 12 brothers and sisters were raised in Kent, Texas. My father's
name is Claude C. Boyd. He was born in Kent and lived there many years. When my
father returned from the service during WWII,
he became the teacher of the school that is pictured on the Kent page. He taught
all subjects and all grades together. Among the students were several of his own
brothers and sisters including Howard, Richard, Joy, Jolly and Jerry Boyd. My
father taught there until the Kent and Van
Horn school districts were consolidated. He worked with the Van
Horn Chamber of Commerce to make this merger happen. He then drove the bus
to get the students to school in Van
Horn and was asked to teach there as well. Each year The Boyd Family Reunion
takes place the last full weekend of June. Kent increases its population from
its traditional 60 to about 120+. during this time. The Boyd brothers and sisters
and their children converge on this little dot on the map every year to reminisce
and spend time together. We camp or we sleep in the little red house down the
road which by the way, my father helped to build. Some of us stay in Van
Horn but we all meet in Kent. That place for us is a major attraction and
a place where we find our roots. We listen and tell stories about the past and
talk about our futures. Time always seems to stand still here in Kent yet time
marches on for everyone else. - Anese Boyd Forsyth, (Daughter to Claude and
Frances Boyd), June 14, 2007
Subject:
Kent, Texas School
A couple of months ago I was returning from a trip I took in my Volkswagen Bus
and stopped for gas and stumbled upon the ruins of the Kent Public School building
and being one who loves old architecture I took a couple of pictures, some didn't
come out but I do have a couple that you might be able to use. - Brian Brown,
March 09, 2006
My
family lived on the Ikins Ranch in the 1950's. We were so far from school that
we had to drive four miles to the BarC, (Dorn Ranch) to car pool with some of
the children there.
We went to school in Kent. There were two classrooms
and an auditorium. We had an enjoyable time. It was great to get to see the other
children. Although I didn't attend school there very long, I was always fascinated
with the building. At that time the service station, general store, train depot,
and a cafe (not open) were in operation. We had to come into Kent to use the phone
at the service station. Also, there were pens where cattle could be shipped. I
believe the Long X cattle company was the main founder of the town. We also had
dances, and sometimes church services in the old school auditorium. - Kathleen
Carr, February 05, 2005
I
lived in Kent for eight years. My mother worked at the post office and my father
worked at the service station. I went to the school that you picture . After it
closed we had to be bused to Van
Horn. It was a great place to live as a youngster. I have a lot of memories
from Kent. - Jack Horton, July 04, 2004
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Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
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