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History
in a Pecan Shell
Settled in the 1840s by Albert and Mary C. Tatum, a large plantation
was constructed in 1848. The homestead was so vast that according
to folklore, a shotgun blast at the property line couldn't have been
heard in the main house. When the railroad came through in 1885, a
townsite was platted and a post office opened in 1886.
An abbreviated timeline of important events:
1896 or 1897: the Miller School was opened 6 Miles NW of town.
1903: The first bank was established.
1904: Population reaches 154 and part of the town is destroyed by
a tornado.
1905: fire destroys nearly all of Tatums north side.
1925: population reaches 428.
1929: The eleven-grade Tatum school consolidated with the school in
nearby Stewart, Texas.
1954: Tatum's population reaches 599 residents.
1976: A marker was erected to
commemorate Trammel's Trace, an
early East Texas trade
route.
1988: Tatums population reached 1,531 |
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Historical Marker:
Town of Tatum
Wealthy Alabama
native Albert Tatum (1810-1870) settled here at Trammel's Trace and
Grand Bluff Road crossing in the 1840s. Slave labor built Tatum's
plantation home, a social center for the area. His wife Mary gave
land and a station in 1882 for Longview & Sabine Valley Railroad,
later part of the Santa Fe system. In 1892 Tatum's son Paul (1848-1914),
known as "Uncle Fox," donated land and laid out the townsite. Farming
and lumbering became the main industries. The formation in 1971 of
Martin's Creek Lake and an electrical generating plant brought
rapid growth.
1980 |
Tatum Sunday
Drive
Excerpts
from "The East Texas Sunday Drive Book" by Bob Bowman
" ... Texas 43. Turn south here and proceed through the
town of Tatum.
Enroute you will cross the Sabine River, one of the major tributaries
in East Texas. The name Sabine comes from a Spanish word meaning cypress
and refers to the great growth of cypress trees found on the river's
lower regions. The river, which becomes the border between Texas and
Louisiana further south, was probably named by Domingo Ramon in l716;
it is so designated on a map from l721 giving the route of the expedition
led by the Marquis de Aguayo.
At Tatum, you'll find a restored Sante Fe railroad depot dating back
to the days when the town bustled with railroad commerce. The depot
is located in a city park about a block east of Texas 43.
Tatum was laid off in l885 on land donated by the Tatum family when
the railroad arrived.
Not far from Tatum is Hendrick's Lake, which has been attracting
treasure hunters since l913 when a man name Miller supposedly dredged
up three silver bars. Treasure hunters have probed the 470-acre lake
(located on private property) time and time again, using everything
from ox-drawn scoops to electronic equipment. If they've found anything
of value, they've kept the secret well....
When you leave Tatum, drive a a few miles south of the community on
Texas 43 and take a left on Farm Road 1716. You'll come
to a dead end at historic Harmony Hill Cemetery, one of the
last vestiges of the old town of Harmony Hill, once a trading
settlement. Just down the road from the cemetery is Martin Creek
Lake State Park, a small but attractive lake overlooked by an
electrical generating plant. ...
Back on Texas 43, return to Tatum, take Texas 149 southeast
to the settlement of Beckville
... more
Book Hotels:
Henderson
Hotels | Longview
Hotels |
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Lumber
& Hardware Store
Photo courtesy Gerald
Massey, October 2010 |
Trammel
Trace Tribune, closed
Photo courtesy Gerald
Massey, October 2010 |
Trammel's
Trace Historical Marker
Photo courtesy Gerald
Massey, October 2010 |
Historical Marker:
Tatum Cemetery
Begun as a burial
ground for the family of pioneer settler Albert Tatum (1810-70), this
land was the site of the rose garden near his plantation home. It
was first used as a cemetery in 1862 for the interment of his son
william. Also buried here is Tatum's son Paul (1848-1914), donor of
the Tatum townsite. Known as "Uncle Fox," Paul Tatum deeded this site
as a public burial ground in 1914. Still in use, the cemetery serves
as a reminder of the pioneers and early community leaders who figured
prominently in the town's development.
1983 |
Nearby
Destinations:
Martin Creek
Lake State Park -
9515 County Road 2181D Tatum, TX 75691-3425
903/836-4336
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us
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| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and vintage/historic photos, please contact
us. |
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