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Vox Populi
Directions
"Vox Populi
was concentrated at the intersection of what is now County Road 16
and Highway 71 in Colorado
County. Its northernmost concentration of structures began 3.4
miles south of the Highway 90 intersection on Highway 71. The 1956
Colorado County
road map shows this but doesn't name the town.
The Post Office for Vox Populi also shows on the map, being located
on the west side of Highway 71 at the County Road 111 intersection.
The community hall shown on the map is still standing on the east
side of the intersection and the brick school still stands on the
west side of 71, there is a cemetery just behind and north of the
school building. South Point Baptist sits at the corner of county
road 111 and marks the approximate center of what was the southern
cluster of buildings and is deteriorating badly as of 2017. There
was another church on county 11 near the 71 intersection which may
be the structure standing there today (.11 miles west of 71). The
grouping of buildings comprising Vox Populi extended south to the
point where Marys Branch creek crosses 71 and the cluster of settlements
disperse south of the second cemetery approx. 1.61 miles south of
South Point Baptist." - Mike OBrien, June 24, 2017 |
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Vox Populi
Update
"The South Point Church is at risk now, someone has taken the
cornerstones and removed much of the interior wall and floor material.
The south wall is leaning pretty badly, I think the next big wind
might take it down." - Mike OBrien, June 24, 2017 |
History in
a Pecan Shell
Contributor's note:
"When the Handbook of Texas says a town "was probably" on a particular
farm to market road, you can't expect much. With Vox Populi, no one
seems to know the exact location. There was once a town designation
sign on Highway 71. If it's still there, it can be easily missed.
The community was established in the 1870s as a sort of "convenience"
market for the former slaves of local plantations who couldn't make
the then-arduous journey to larger towns.
A post office was granted in 1880 with the lofty (but somewhat mysterious)
Latin name Vox Populi - or "'voice of the people."
The post office was located close by the South Point Baptist Church."
- John
J. Germann.
Although there were only 30 residents in 1884, by 1890 the community
had grown to a respectable population of 200. But it had yet to peak.
Vox Populi had doubled to a population of 400 by 1896. The school
for Black students had three teachers for 121 pupils.
The post office was closed in the 1930s and the population drifted
away. Depopulation was swift. By 1940 the town had been dropped from
state maps. |
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Colorado
County TX 1907 Postal Map showing Voxpopuli
Courtesy Texas General Land Office |
| 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
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