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BARCLAY,
TEXAS
Falls County, North
Central Texas
Highway 53
11 miles W of Rosebud
15 miles E of Temple
40 miles S of Waco
24 miles SW of Marlin
Population: 72 (unchanged estimate since 1972)
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"Pride
of Country Living"
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson |
History
in a Cotton Boll
The town was named for early settler and rancher William Anderson
Barclay. The Barclay Ranch was established on what are now corners
of Bell, Falls, and Milam counties. Barclay with two partners cleared
nearly 4,000 acres of land and set up a store near present day "downtown"
Barclay, Texas. The town received its post office in 1881 and it managed
to keep its doors open through 1906. After that, mail was routed through
Rosebud and Lott. |
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Entering
Barclay
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson |
Cemeteries
and School:
In 1881 and 1886, two plots of land were donated for cemeteries. A
school district was organized in 1882. Barclay's 1890 population of
50 doubled by 1896. By 1910 Barclay had the essential businesses of
a thriving town. A store, drugstore, school, cemetery, gin, butcher,
and even a molasses mill and waterworks.
The Texas Farmers Union had a chapter conducting business prior to
1920 and by 1933 the population had declined to a mere sixty-six.
After the Great Depression Barclayans sold bonds to finance a new
four-classroom school and a teacherage. Labor costs were paid with
WPA funds. The school became a community center after the pupils were
sent to the Rosebud-Lott Independent ISD. The population in 1945 was
75 and 100 two years later. In 1964 there were 151 residents, 125
in 1970 and 72 just two years later.
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