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GROESBECK,
TEXAS
Limestone County
Seat, North Central Texas
Hwy 14 and 164
38 miles E of Waco
29 miles W of Buffalo
12 miles S of Mexia
8 miles N of Thornton
Population: 4,291 (2000) 3,360 (1990)
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One
of the buildings at Old Fort Parker
Photo by John Troesser 2001 |
History in
a Pecan Shell:
You want history? Groesbeck's got history. Originally the settlement
of Springfield (five miles north of town on Hwy 14) was the county
seat. It had to be - for years it was the only town in the county.
It died shortly after the Houston and Texas Central railroad came
through and bypassed the town in favor of Groesbeck. To add insult
to injury, Groesbeck was named after a director of the railroad.
Today a cemetery alongside the road to Fort Parker State Park
is all that remains of Springfield.
The
Parker Family Saga >
If you're not familiar with the story of Cynthia Ann Parker, then
you haven't been in Texas long. Kidnapped at nine by Comanches at
a Fort Parker, she gave birth to the "last of the great Comanche Chiefs"
Quanah
Parker. Cynthia was reunited with her original people some 24
years later. She and her young daughter died shortly thereafter. Quanah
grew up to go wolf hunting with Teddy Roosevelt and Burk Burnett up
on the Red River. He built a fine two-story house complete with veranda
up in Oklahoma.
Quanah nearly died - not in combat - but by blowing out the gas light
in a white-man's hotel. His companion did die, but the unconscious
Quanah was revived.
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Groesbeck's Rand Building
Photo by John Troeser |
Groesbeck
Today
We called the
library in Groesbeck since it looked like the handsome, three-story
Rand Building may have once been a hotel and would qualify
for our Rooms with a Past series. Sadly this wasn't the case.
We were directed to Tom Hawkins who is president of the chamber and
also editor of the Groesbeck Journal (www.groesbeckjournal.com). The
chamber has a desk in the Journal office at 115 N. Ellis (State Hwy
14).
Mr. Hawkins is a Groesbeck native and told us that no, the Rand Building
wasn't a hotel, but the newspaper office had been. When we asked the
name he said it was one of those hotels that didn't officially have
a name, but just sort of rented out rooms. It had also been the Groesbeck
Opera House at one time. Groesbeck had had at least two other hotels.
These were The Cynthia Ann Hotel (named after Quanah Parker's Mother)
and The Thompson Hotel, but both have been razed.
The formidable Limestone
County Courthouse was built in 1924 of brick, concrete, marble
and tile (you were expecting limestone?) The impressive courthouse
is unusual in that there are practically no buildings facing it. Groesbeck
has no "Courthouse Square" per se. more
The Limestone County Historical Museum (210 W. Navasota Street)
suffered a roof-collapse recently, but should be open soon. Fortunately
the collapse was partial, damage did not extend to exhibits and the
problem was partially solved by shortening the museum by a few feet.
Groesbeck is fortunate to have not one, but two bookstores in town.
There is Bill Bond's Books 729-5511 and Richard Morrison 729-8640.
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Old Bridge over the Navasota River
Photo by John Troesser |
Groesbeck
Area Attractions
Old Fort
Parker
RR 3 Box 746 Groesbeck TX 76642 254/729-5253
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/oldfort/
Fort Parker
State Park
194 Park Road 28 Mexia TX 76667 254/562-5751
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/fortpark/
Confederate
Reunion Grounds State Historic Site
194 Park Road 28 Mexia TX 76667
254/562-5751
6 miles south of Mexia on Hwy 14, another 2.5 miles west on
FM 2705.
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1924
A Storefront Detail in Groesbeck
Photo by John Troeser |
Groesbeck Chamber
of Commerce: 254-729-3894
In the Groesbeck Journal Office 115 N. Ellis (Texas Hwy 14)
Website: www.groesbecktexas.org
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Texas Forum
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us.
© John Troesser |
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