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History in
a Pecan Shell
Settlement began around 1835 and according to one legend, the town was named
by none other than Alamo defender
Davy Crockett. It was supposedly Crockett’s suggestion that the (then-nameless)
town be named for the American Revolution’s General Baron de Kalb.
DeKalb College was founded in 1839 and prospective residents were screened
by the landowners who donated the school land.
DeKalb was the first
seat of Bowie County by 1841 although growth was slow until it became a stop
on the Texas and Pacific Railroad in 1876. It wasn’t until 1890 that the town
had a population of 500. This figure doubled to over 1,000 by 1930.
It
remained primarily an agricultural economy – bolstered by the Red River Army Depot.
The 1980 population of 2,200 declined slightly for the 1990 census to 1,976 and
by 2000 it was 1,769.
DeKalb Today
- Dekalb Photo Gallery |
Crybaby CreekIn
Bowie County, they say if you drive to a bridge outside DeKalb, you can hear the
cries of an infant. The story goes that a mother driving a car plunged into the
creek and the baby drowned in the near-freezing waters.
(From Roaming
Around East Texas by Bob Bowman) |
Dan
Blocker's grave in the Woodsmen Cemetery, near downtown DeKalb.
Photo
courtesy of John DeBusk |
DeKalb - The 1800th Texas Town featured in Texas Escapes.
First published February
28, 2008 | |
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