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Vintage
photo courtesy Library of Congress
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History
in a Pecan Shell
In an old familiar story, Waverly, Texas was once content being simply
Waverly, Texas. Then came the railroad.
The Houston and Great Northern Railroad Company came through the area
and in those times railroads didn’t have the best of reputations.
Locals thought twice about granting a right-of-way and turned the
railroad's offer down.
In the second act of the old familiar story, the railroad came through
ten miles west of town and established “Waverly Station" in 1870.
Naturally the people in business and other residents were drawn to
the new town to maintain contact with the rest of the world. The station
became “New Waverly.”
In the late 1800s Polish families were recruited from Europe and became
tenant farmers in the region. Poles also settled in towns like Brenham,
Thurber,
Malakoff , Palestine
and a cluster of communities around Panna
Maria SE of San Antonio.
An abbreviated timeline of significant events:
In 1873 a post office was granted.
In 1884 the town had 150 residents.
By 1896 the population had reached 250.
In 1900 the town had a healthy population of 500.
By mid-century it had declined somewhat to just over 400.
The population was about 600 in the 60s – 700 in the 70s, 800 in the
80s, and 900 in the 90s.
The economy is still driven by lumber – an industry that has influenced
New and Old Waverly, and Elmira for over 100 years.
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St
Joseph's Catholic Church
New Waverly, Texas
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| Photo
courtesy Mildred L. Brown, September 2007 |
| Photo
courtesy Mildred L. Brown, September 2007 |
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