TexasEscapes.com HOME Welcome to Texas Escapes
A magazine written by Texas
Custom Search
New   |   Texas Towns   |   Ghost Towns   |   Counties   |   Trips   |   Features   |   Columns   |   Architecture   |   Images   |   Archives   |   Site Map

Comanche County TX
Comanche County

Counties
Texas Counties


Texas Towns
A - Z

Comanche Hotels



 


CORA, TEXAS

Texas Ghost Town<
Comanche County, Central Texas North

Not shown on maps
On the South Leon River
About 16 Miles SE of Comanche the county seat
NW of Hamilton
Population : 0

Cora, Texas Area Hotels › Comanche Hotels

Old Cora, Comanche County log cabin courthouse , Texas
"Old Cora" - First Comanche County courthouse
On Comanche square next to the Fleming Oak

Photo Courtesy Barclay Gibson, 2010

Cora, Texas Topics:

  • History in a Pecan Shell
  • Cora Historical Marker
  • "Old Cora" Log Cabin Courthouse in Comanche
  • "Old Cora Courthouse" Historical Marker
  • History in a Pecan Shell

    Comanche County was organized in 1856 and the following year 80 acres overlooking the river were donated to be the seat of government. Initially the name of Troy was submitted for a post office, but Bell County had beat them to the name.

    Miss Cora Beeman of Bell County became the namesake of the village, being nominated for the honor by Thomas C. Frost, Comanche County land agent. Her name was accepted and in 1857 Cora, Texas was officially included on maps.

    Shortly thereafter Hamilton County acquired some land from Comanche County, redistributing Comanche County’s acreage and putting Cora far from the geographic center of the county.

    Comanche was created, and officially became the county seat in 1859.

    Meanwhile, back at Cora, the double whammy of Indian misbehavior and loss of county seat status left the village with only 136 people for the 1860 census.

    Cora’s post office closed its doors in 1867 and by 1900 nothing was left but a cemetery. A replica of Cora’s log courthouse is now a part of the Comanche square.

    Cora, Texas historical marker
    On Hwy 36, in Gustine, Texas in Comanche County
    Photo Courtesy Barclay Gibson, 2010

    Historical Marker:

    Cora

    Founded 1854, as Troy. Later renamed in honor of a Miss Beeman of Bell County. In 1856 organization of Comanche County--then extending farther south and east than today's boundaries--Cora became county seat. A log cabin residence in Cora was the first Comanche County courthouse, serving until the county seat was relocated in 1859 in new town of Comanche.

    That first courthouse and all the other buildings are gone from site of Old Cora. Only a cemetery--the oldest in Comanche County--remains. Thus Cora is an example of the many early, important towns no longer existent in Texas.

    In the 254 counties of Texas, there have been 126 cases of redesignation of county seats. (Two counties have had five county seats each.) Boundary changes (as in Comanche County), shifts in travel routes (as when railroads were built), changes from agrarian to industrial economy have caused counties to move their county seats to new locations. Old courthouses have found later usefulness as ranch headquarters, municipal buildings, or private homes. The first log cabin courthouse of Comanche County reverted to use as a residence, but later was restored and used--as are many former courthouses--as part of a museum.
    (1967)

    Old Cora Courthouse



    Old Cora, Comanche County Courthouse  Texas old postcard
    "Old Cora" - First Comanche County courthouse
    Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/


    Old Cora, Comanche County Courthouse , Texas historical marker
    Old Cora Courthouse Historical Marker
    On Hwy 16, Comanche Courthouse grounds

    Photo Courtesy Barclay Gibson, 2010

    Historical Marker:
    Old Cora Courthouse
    Soon after the creation of Comanche County in 1856, the town of Cora (10 mi. SE) was platted to serve as the county seat. The courthouse in Cora, typical of many early Texas courthouses, was a 12' 7" x 12" 10", one-room, squared log structure. It served the county until the seat of government was moved to Comanche in 1859. The "Old Cora" Courthouse was incorporated into a house built about 1880 and has been moved several times over the years. It stands as a reminder of the now-extinct town of Cora and of early Texas courthouse architecture.
    Texas Sesquicentennial 1836 - 1986

    Old Cora, Comanche County log cabin courthouse , Texas
    Photo Courtesy Barclay Gibson, 2010


    Old Cora, Comanche County log cabin courthouse , Texas
    Photo Courtesy Barclay Gibson, 2010


    Old Cora, Comanche County log cabin courthouse , Texas
    Photo Courtesy Barclay Gibson, 2010


    Old Cora, Comanche County log cabin courthouse , Texas
    More views of "Old Cora"
    Photo Courtesy Barclay Gibson, 2010

    Cora, Texas Forum

    Subject: Cora, Comanche County, Texas


    My great great grandfather was Francis Marion Collier (FM Collier) and his son Thomas Anderson was the first white child to be born in Comanche County after Frank built a log cabin for his wife Julia Grayson to give birth in. Or at least that is what my father told me. I would love to have more information about the town of Cora, like the exact location and what happened for the town to die. Thanks, Elizabeth Collier, March 25, 2013

    Take a road trip

    Central Texas North | Texas Hill Country

    Cora, Texas Nearby Towns:
    Comanche | Stephenville | Brownwood
    See Comanche County

    Book Hotel Here:
    Comanche Hotels | More Hotels

    Texas Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories, landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact us.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     


    Texas Escapes Online Magazine »   Archive Issues » Home »
    TEXAS TOWNS & COUNTIES TEXAS LANDMARKS & IMAGES TEXAS HISTORY & CULTURE TEXAS OUTDOORS MORE
    Texas Counties
    Texas Towns A-Z
    Texas Ghost Towns

    TEXAS REGIONS:
    Central Texas North
    Central Texas South
    Texas Gulf Coast
    Texas Panhandle
    Texas Hill Country
    East Texas
    South Texas
    West Texas

    Courthouses
    Jails
    Churches
    Schoolhouses
    Bridges
    Theaters
    Depots
    Rooms with a Past
    Monuments
    Statues

    Gas Stations
    Post Offices
    Museums
    Water Towers
    Grain Elevators
    Cotton Gins
    Lodges
    Stores
    Banks

    Vintage Photos
    Historic Trees
    Cemeteries
    Old Neon
    Ghost Signs
    Signs
    Murals
    Gargoyles
    Pitted Dates
    Cornerstones
    Then & Now

    Columns: History/Opinion
    Texas History
    Small Town Sagas
    Black History
    WWII
    Texas Centennial
    Ghosts
    People
    Animals
    Food
    Music
    Art

    Books
    Cotton
    Texas Railroads

    Texas Trips
    Texas Drives
    Texas State Parks
    Texas Rivers
    Texas Lakes
    Texas Forts
    Texas Trails
    Texas Maps
    USA
    MEXICO
    HOTELS

    Site Map
    About Us
    Privacy Statement
    Disclaimer
    Contributors
    Staff
    Contact Us

     
    Website Content Copyright Texas Escapes LLC. All Rights Reserved