| |
| | A
street scene in Catarina, 1927
Photo courtesy texasoldphotos.com |
Catarina
>
by Mike Cox
(From "Texas
Tales" Column)
Ghost town, ghost hotel, ghost story |
History
in a Pecan Shell
The name has been associated with the area since at
least 1778; legend holds that it is the name of a Mexican woman killed by Indians
on or near the site. The town was established after Asher Richardson, a rancher,
decided to build a railway link from Artesia Wells to his planned town of Asherton.
In return for an easement through the nearby Taft-Catarina Ranch Richardson
agreed to allow the ranch to establish a railroad depot, with cattle-shipping
pens, on his railroad. By 1910, when the Asherton and Gulf Railway began operations,
these cattle pens had become the nucleus of a small community built by Joseph
F. Green, the manager of the ranch. Green moved the ranch headquarters to the
depot and added a bunkhouse, a commissary, a hotel, a post office, and a small
schoolhouse.
By 1915 the little town had twenty-five residents and had
become famous in the area for the Taft House, an expensive mansion that Charles
Taft, the owner of the ranch, supposedly built with oversized bathtubs to accommodate
his brother, President William Howard Taft.
Catarina Farms, a development
project, built roads, sidewalks, a waterworks, an impressive new hotel and installed
electric power and a telephone exchange. Agent Charles Ladd imported entire orchards
of fruit-laden citrus trees to impress prospective investors with the area's agricultural
possibilities. |
| | A
Tour for Prospective Landbuyers c. 1929
Photo Courtesy Jason Penney |
| | Close-up
of photo above
Photo Courtesy Jason Penney |
| By 1929
Catarina had between 1,000 and 2,500 residents, a bank, at least two groceries,
a lumber company, and a bakery. Short supplies of water, marketing problems, and
the Great Depression damaged the town. By 1931 the population had dropped to 592,
and many of its businesses had been forced to close. In 1943 Catarina had 403
residents and seven businesses; in 1956 it had 380 residents and three businesses.
By 1969 some of the town's most picturesque old buildings had been abandoned,
and the population was 160. In 1990 the population was forty-five. |
| |
Catarina
standpipe
Photo courtesy Jason Penney |
Catarina,
Texas ForumAnyone
wishing to share photos, memories or stories of Catarina, Texas, please contact
us.
© John Troesser |
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