MADISONVILLE, TEXAS

Madison County, Central Texas South

30°57'3"N 95°54'45"W (30.950915, -95.912623)

2 miles W of I-45
State Hwys 21 and 90
US Hwys 75 and 190

28 miles N of Huntsville
24 miles S of Centerville
36 miles E of Bryan via North Zulch
ZIP code 77864
Area code 936
Population: 4,685 Est. (2019)
4,396 (2010)
4,159 (2000) (about one third of the county's population)
3,569 (1990)

Book Hotel Here › Madisonville Hotels

1941 Calf Show in front of Madison County courthouse,

1941 Calf Show in front of the Madison County courthouse
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/

History in a Pecan Shell

President James Madison was the namesake for both county and town. Job Starks Collard donated the 200 acres that became Madisonville. Lots were sold in 1853 around the county's first courthouse, which was built the following year. The population was almost at 100 people by 1870 and a steady growth continued throughout the 1880s.

The Madisonville Meteor, still in print today, was founded in 1895, when the population was about 700. In 1903 the International-Great Northern Railroad ran a line from Navasota which it discontinued in 1944. With new highways built in the late 20s and 30s, Madisonville became less dependant on the railroad and the highways aided local residents who migrated to urban areas in search of better paying jobs.

A mushroom plant was started by Ralston-Purina in the 70s and was bought out in the 1980s by Monterey Mushrooms. The plant remains a major economic force today, employing about 400 people.

The Madisonville Sidewalk Cattleman's Association, founded in the 1940s holds an annual celebration each June and is one of the town's major events of the year.

A former bank building close to the Madisonville Meteor Newspaper Office has recently been donated to the Madison County Historical Society and efforts are underway to turn the building into a museum.

Madisonville, Texas Attractions

Photo courtesy Terry Jeanson, March 2005

Madison County Courthouse ›

Woodbine Hotel and Museum:
209 N. Madison Street.
Built in 1904, the former hotel and boarding house is a handsome example of Texas architecture from the early 20th Century.

Madisonville, Texas Old Photos

Madisonville Depot, 1903
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/
More Texas Depots | Texas Railroads

Madisonville street scene old photo
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/

Madisonville TX - StreetScene Hardware Store 1887

Madisonville street scene & Hardware Store, 1887
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/

Madisonville Town Square, 1887
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/

Madisonville TX Street Scene Horse N Buggies 1887

Madisonville Town Square, 1887
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/

Madisonville TX Street Scene Horse N Buggies 1907

Madisonville street scene 1907
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/

Madisonville TX - Street Scene, General Merchandise 1907

Madisonville Street Scene, General Merchandise, 1907
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/

Madisonville Street Scene, 1909
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/

Burtis Bros, 1908
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/

Burtis Drugs, 1940
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/

Madisonville Baptist Church
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/
More Texas Churches

Photo courtesy Jake Hoffer

Photo from Madisonville, TX in late 1800s or early 1900s

"My mom is the daughter of Paul Reginald Hensarling. He was the youngest of five. His oldest sibling was Earl (not sure if that is his real name or the right spelling). Next was John Burtis Hensarling, then maybe Leon Hensarling who died at 2yo, then Wilda Mae (Hensarling) Milling. Their parents were James Albert Hensarling and Ollie May (Runnels) Hensarling.

James Albert Hensarling owned a sawmill in Madisonville and built the homestead where they grew up. The homestead was donated to a church in Madisonville in the 1990s.

Forrest and Wilda Mae (Hensarling) Milling owned the Bible Book and Giftstore in Madisonville until the late 1980s or early 1990s.

We came across these pictures the other day. We believe they were taken between 1880 and the early 1900s based on the glass negatives we have. We assume some of the people are of the Hensarling family in Madisonville.

Would anyone there have more information based on the people or the structures in the background?

Thanks so much." - Phil Hoffer, November 24, 2019

Madisonville Chronicles

Madisonville's two-cows law History cartoon by Roger T. Moore

Madisonville Chamber of Commerce:
113 West Trinity
936-348-3591

Take a road trip

Central Texas South

Madisonville, Texas Nearby Towns:
Huntsville | Centerville | Bryan
See Madison County

Book Hotel Here:
Madisonville Hotels | More Hotels

Texas Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories, landmarks and vintage/historic photos, please contact us.