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History in a
Pecan Shell
First settled in the early 1830s by the Vinson brothers, the name was an exaggeration
of an elevated area and the hopes of success for the brother’s “enterprise.” The
hopes were realized when Charles Vinson’s factory produced enough plows, furniture
and caskets to warrant opening a chain of stores.
The Mulberry Grove
post office was established in 1846 and three years later it was changed to Mount
Enterprise.
Like the rest of East
Texas, lumber played an important part in the area economy. Prior to the Civil
War there were many plantations nearby and as early as 1851 the town supported
the Mount Enterprise Male and Female Academy (although it only lasted three years).
In the 1880s Mt. Enterprise had a 150 residents, many of which were employed at
the town’s three sawmills or two cotton gins.
The Caro Northern Railroad
came within 1.5 miles of Mt. Enterprise in 1894, forcing the town to relocate
to the tracks. The line was a connection to the much larger Texas and New Orleans
Railroad.
This move created a “New” Mt. Enterprise and an “Old”
Mt. Enterprise. The railroad failed during the Great Depression but the town
had diversified businesses by then and the population had grown to over 900.
A
decline set in after WWII
and in the early 1980s the population had reached 485. The 1990 census reported
just over 500 people which increased to 525 for 2000. |
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Pleasant
Grove Baptist Church located just off junction 315 & 259 N of town
Photo courtesy Gerald
Massey, 2010 |
| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
or vintage/historic photos, please contact
us. | |
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