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JEWETT,
TEXAS Leon County,
Central Texas S
Highway 79, FM 39
12 miles NW of Centerville
Population 861 (2000)
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History
in a Pecan Shell
The town was named for Judge Henry J. Jewett (who helped organize
Leon County) when the town was platted in 1871 by the International
Railroad Company.
Shortly after establishing the essential store and post office, Jeweet
got its first newspaper. Methodist, Baptist and Presbyterian Churches
were established in 1873, 1876 and 1884 (respectively).
By 1884 the town had 500 people, a weekly newspaper, five stores,
three saloons, a gristmill and a steam cotton gin. The town didn't
get a bank until 1890 - the year that it incorporated. By 1900 the
population had dropped to 433.
In 1905 the Houston and Texas Central Railway arrived, followed by
the Trinity and Brazos Railway two years later. The town had several
railroad hotels - and by 1910 the population had increased back to
nearly 600.
In the 1920s Jewett had the county's only high school. Jewett's population
was back to around 500 by 1930, dropped to 445 in 1960, and began
to rise in the 1970s. A public library was started in 1983 and the
town has a current population of 861.
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