|
Pine Grove Church
Of Christ east of Chester
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, September 2004 |
History in
a Pecan Shell
In 1883 when the
Trinity and Sabine Railway bypassed the community of Peach
Tree Village, it accomplished two things. It created Chester and
it made Peach Tree Village
a ghost town.
Both the post office and Masonic lodge moved to the new town that
was named after future President Chester A. Arthur (who was then a
senator from New York). By 1890 Chester had all the essential businesses
for success plus two gins, two churches and a school.
In 1904 there were 176 people calling Chester home which increased
to 300 by 1914. It reached 350 in the early1960s and then dropped
to a low of 260 by the end of that decade. The peak population was
reached in 1988 when just over 400 people lived in and around Chester.
|
Mt. Hope United
Methodist Church NE of Chester
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, April 2005 |
| 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. |
|
|
HOME
