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History in
a Pecan Shell
The community had
a strange beginning for an East
Texas town. It wasn’t established until 1942 when it became a
German POW Camp housing nearly 5,000 captured soldiers.
Construction was from May of 1942 through that September. The camp
was complete with all the amenities of a typical army facility with
laundry, barbershop, bakery and gymnasium. The camp also had clubs
for the military personnel and a commissary.
As in most POW camps, prisoners were leased out to local farmers,
a mutually beneficial arrangement.
The camp was declared surplus in January of 1946 and the property
and buildings donated to Sam Houston University (which was then known
as Sam Houston State Teachers College). It was renamed The Sam
Houston Country Campus. The barracks served as dormitories and
other buildings served as classrooms or administrative offices.
A bus service transported students and faculty to the main campus
of the school. It wasn’t until 1948 that a post office was opened.
The town which grew up around the camp / campus was 1,000 strong by
1949 although it reported half that number in 1952.
By 1964, the population was down to just over 400 and the post office
was discontinued. By the end of the 1960s, the population was just
121 and by the early 1970s, only 60 residents lived here. That figure
was also reported for the 1990 census. A few of the old buildings
remain as well as a golf course. |
| 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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