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Smith County

HOPEWELL, TEXAS

Texas Ghost Town
Smith County, East Texas

Highway 69
4 miles N of Tyler and just N of Swan, Texas
Population: Unknown

Book Hotel Here > Tyler Hotels

The Hopewell Magnolia
on the southwest corner of the Hopewell Baptist Church cemetery.
The largest Magnolia tree in Texas - "you can't miss it."

(Scale provided by Roland)
Photo Courtesy Collin Colston, 2004

History in a Pecan Shell

Hopewell began with the granting of its post office in 1887 and it may have thrived if the International-Great Northern Railroad hadn't bypassed it. The town lost both the railroad and the post office when nearby Swan got both.

To add insult to injury, most of the congregation of Hopewell's Baptist Church also moved to Swan to form the Swan Baptist Church.

In 1903 Hopewell's 132 students were taught by 3 teachers in two schools. In the 1920s the school had two-stories and a severely depleted enrollment.

In the mid 1930s Hopewell had a church, school, and two cemeteries. Nearby schools were merged into a single ISD and that in turn was merged with the Lindale ISD in the 60s.

Only the church, and cemeteries remain but the town is not shown on TxDoT maps of Smith County. But Swan is.

Hopewell has managed to hold onto one thing that Swan didn't get - a huge Magnolia Tree that is said to be the largest in Texas.

Rebecca tests the strength of a limb.
Photo Courtesy Collin Colston, 2004

See
County Line Magnolia by Bob Bowman
Texas Historic Trees ›

Hopewell Texas Forum

Subject: Large Magnolia tree
I just found your site and am thoroughly enjoying reading about everything Texas. I saw your story on the "County Line Magnolia" in Liberty County that was vandalized years ago.

We have a Magnolia here just outside of Tyler that is supposedly the biggest in Texas. It is in the Hopewell community behind Tyler Pipe Industries. Don't know if you have heard about it or not. I'm attaching a photograph. Don't mind the strange looking fruit growing off the tree. - Sincerely, Collin Colston, March 05, 2004

Hopewell, Texas Area Towns:
Tyler
See Smith County | East Texas
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