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A
disastrous grass fire on January 1, 2006 destroyed about half the
buildings in Ringgold.
Photographer's Note: "The only business lost was the Post Office.
The town did not have any open grocery stores, gas stations, or cafes
to burn. All had been closed during the past 20 years. The "businesses"
that were reported as burned were actually closed and vacant. The
town will rebuild over time. Ringgold is a pretty tough place and
the folks are strong, true Texans. Not a single church burned.. The
school is fine and the fire department building is OK. Big "thanks"
to the hard work of all the volunteer fire fighters from neighboring
communities. Without their brave and fast response, it would have
been a total loss." - Kelly Campbell, January 6, 2006
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Hay
bales smoldering
Photo courtesy Kelly Campbell, January 2006 |
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A
former store - vacant at the time of the fire.
Photo
courtesy Kelly Campbell, January 2006 |
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The
fires brought the curious out in droves.
Photo courtesy Kelly Campbell, January 2006 |
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History
in a Pecan Shell
The
town was born with the arrival of the Rock Island railroad in 1892
although people had been living in the vicinity since the 1870s. When
the Katy (Missouri, Kansas and Texas) Railroad entered Texas from
the north, the two sets of tracks intersected here. This good fortune
did not go unnoticed by landowner Joe Harris who quickly laid out
a townsite. Named Harrisonia, the name was rejected by postal authorities
when a post office was applied for. The reasoning was possible confusion
with Harrison.
Mr. Harrison had the choice of resubmitting an invented name or using
his wife's family name. His wife's maiden name was Ringgold. The Ringgold
post office opened in 1892 when the town had an estimated population
of 300. Growth was swift due to the railroad juncture and Ringgold
became a shipping point for the area.
The population passed 400 by the mid 1920s. The population remained
at 350 after WWII through the mid-1960s but it declined drastically
in the 70s. It had been reported at 100 people from the 70s through
2005.
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The
Ringgold Cemetery after the fire.
Photo courtesy Kelly Campbell, January 2006 |
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"Aerial
view of the Ringgold fire - Looking east, showing close up of the
Campbell House, Baptist and Methodist Churches."
Photo
courtesy Kelly Campbell, January 2006
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"Aerial
view of the Ringgold fire - From north Ringgold looking south, showing
the two churches."
Photo
courtesy Kelly Campbell, January 2006
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"Aerial
view of the Ringgold fire - Looking south from the north end of
Ringgold towards the school."
Photo
courtesy Kelly Campbell, January 2006
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"Aerial
view of the Ringgold fire - CW Chandler Ranch looking east over
all of Ringgold."
Photo
courtesy Kelly Campbell, January 2006
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