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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.
Visiting
Groesbeck? Book Your Hotel Here & Save:
Waco
Hotels | Buffalo
Hotels |
| Buildings
along Ellis Street (Texas 14) at the Navasota Street intersection. Photo courtesy
Terry
Jeanson, February, 2009 |
| Looking
west down Navasota Street. The Rand Building is on the right. Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, February, 2009 |
| |
Groesbeck's Rand Building
TE Photo |
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
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.
Groesbeck
Chamber of Commerce:
254-729-3894
In the Groesbeck Journal Office
115 N. Ellis (Texas Hwy 14)
Website: www.groesbecktexas.org
Visiting
Groesbeck? Book Your Hotel Here & Save:
Waco
Hotels | Buffalo
Hotels |
| | Old
Bridge over the Navasota River
TE Photo |
Groesbeck
Area Attractions Old
Fort Parker
RR 3 Box 746 Groesbeck TX 76642 254/729-5253
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us
Fort
Parker State Park
194 Park Road 28 Mexia TX 76667 254/562-5751
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us
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.
Visiting
Groesbeck? Book Your Hotel Here & Save:
Mexia Hotels |
Waco Hotels | Buffalo
Hotels | |
| |
1924
A Storefront
Detail in Groesbeck
TE Photo | |
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