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Italy High School
1909 ostcard
courtesy rootsweb.com/~txgenweb// postcards/Index.html |
The
name:
Italy bears no cultural ties to the "Old Country"and if there are
citizens of Italian heritage - it's merely coincidental. The name
was contributed by the postmaster of 1880 who imagined the climate
of Texas comparable to that of Italy. |
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Where they used to keep the Lira
TE photo, Decm. 2000 |
History
in a Pecan shell
A timeline of significant events in Italy, Texas:
1860: Scattered settlement begins
1879: the brothers Aycock built the first house and use it
as a combination of house, store and post office. The town was split
over what the name should be - some wanting Egypt and others Italy.
Gabriel J. Penn, the Waxahachie postmaster settled the matter for
them by filling in the blank on the application with the name Italy.
The postal authorities gladly accepted Italy (there was already an
Egypt in Wharton County).
1890: The population reaches 500 Italians (not really Italians,
but what else are you going to call them?)
1891: A big year for Italy. The Missouri, Kansas and Texas
Railroad arrived (actually in December 1890), the first newspaper
was published, and the town was officially incorporated.
1900: population is 1,061
1901: The International-Great Northern Railroad reaches Italy
1913: The Electric Interurban between Waco and Dallas comes
through Italy (Electricity for the city was provided by Waco)
1920s: Italy had five gins, a compress, and a cottonseed oil
mill.
1925: The population reaches 1,500 and the Italy Independent
School District was established.
1930: Italy starts the Great Depression with a population of
1,230 people and 45 businesses.
1960: Italy's population remains nearly the same with only
1,183 people and half the businesses.
Book Your Hotel Here & Save
Waxahachie
Hotels
Dallas
Hotels |
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The Fire Station circa 1929
TE photo, Dec. 2000 |
Italy
is the home of the S. M. Dunlap Memorial Library.
Because of its slow growth from the 30s, Italy is a town that should
be visited on an Ellis
County trip. It remains very representative of a North Texas cotton
town of the 1930s.
© John Troesser
See also:
Back
Home in It-lee, Texas, USA by Jeanne Moseley
"... His career in radio broadcasting took him to
Dallas, Louisville, Providence, Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York and
then back to Los Angeles, where he became well known as a premier
broadcaster. As a young boy on Italy's Ward Street, his favorite pastime
was listening to Gene Autry's radio show ..."
Book
Your Hotel Here & Save
Waxahachie
Hotels
Dallas
Hotels
Texas Hotels
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Italy Texas
Forum
I was born in Milford
Texas and was familiar with Italy. I used to go to the movie in Italy
on the interurban (because we had no movie). My brother (Dick Murray)
ran a radio repair shop in earl shives drug store. if anyone remembers
me - please write. - Flora Murray (Henderson), Milford, Ellis,
Texas. Email: flo_h_2001@yahoo.com
Anyone wishing to share history or photos of Italy, Texas, please
contact
us. |
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