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Kirtley farm
family in 1920s
Fayette Co Hist Commission; submitted by Carolyn
Heinsohn, FCHC member |
History
in a Sandbox
The
town, which is now divided into North Kirtley and South Kirtley (by
Highway 71) is identified simply as Kirtley by one of those simple
green signs. The town dates back to 1831 when it was owned by one
William Barton. Part of Barton's land was sold to William Primm by
1840 - and a community named Primm grew around the Barton Creek
cemetery. The name is kept alive today by Primm's Lake - but many
local residents are unaware that there had once been a town here.
Barton's Creek, which is said to be named after Wayne Barton, veteran
of San
Jacinto, flows 11.5 miles from its source upward into Bastrop
County and then returns to Fayette
County to its mouth on the Colorado, 2.5 miles east of present-day
Kirtley.
The lone store that had operated in Primm moved to the highway and
the community became known as Kirtley (origin unknown). A post office
had been in operation from 1902 through 1927. Due to the proximity
to Smithville
and La Grange, Kirtley
was left in an economic limbo producing only sand and gravel - an
operation which is still doing business alongside the railroad tracks.
The extracted sand and gravel has removed whatever was left of Primm. |
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Primm Lake. 1912
Fayette Co Hist Commission; submitted by Carolyn
Heinsohn, FCHC member |
KIRTLEY
by Carolyn
Heinsohn
Originally named Primm after Dr. William Primm, an early colonist
from a wealthy, aristrocratic family of Virginia. He owned over
a league of land in western Fayette
County and developed a plantation, one of the best in the area
with 2200 acres under cultivation. " After emancipation, 80 tenants
were employed at Primm's plantation, harvesting from 600 to 900
bales of cotton annually.
After a train
wreck that resulted from a miscommunication regarding the switching
of trains between Plum and Primm, the
railroad changed the name to Kirtley, the name of the postmaster
of Primm.
Businesses
included the post office, a grocery store owned by a Mr. Inge, and
a saloon and cotton gin owned by Anton Elias, all located across
the railroad tracks from La
Grange to Smithville.
At one time, there was a train depot.
Convicts from the La Grange
jail were transported by train to work in the fields at Kirtley
in the early part of the 20th century.
There were two schools - one for whites and one for black children.
In 1934-35, there were 35 white students and 38 black students.
Farmers in the area raised cotton,
corn and sugar cane. Later
gravel mining became a major industry.
|
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Kirtley Depot
(Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad)
Charles, A.F. & Edwin Miller, circa 1950
Fayette
Co Hist Commission; submitted by Carolyn
Heinsohn, FCHC member
More Texas Depots |
Barton Creek
Road
TE photo, February 2007 |
Grazing on a
levee of the Colorado River
TE photo, February 2007
|
Lost cow
TE photo, February 2007 |
Mailboxed in
South Kirtley
TE photo, February 2007 |
South Kirtley
Flood Gauge
TE photo, February 2007 |
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Railroad Bridge
east of Kirtley on Hwy 71
TE photo,
February 2007
More Texas Bridges
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Sand Pit or
UFO Crash Site? "North" Kirtley
TE photo, February 2007
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| Kirtley/
Primm was recommended for inclusion by Theresa Schader. |
| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact
us. |
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