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History
in a Pecan Shell
The land around Fashion had been settled as
early as the 1850s.
In 1916 the Hickok Ranch was subdivided into farms.
The town was first called Hickok after the ranch, then Hindenburg,
which necessitated another name change around WWI.
The name comes from a popular brand of tobacco, but it is also similar
to the German Fasching – the German Autumn festival season.
The post
office, (which closed in 1988) was known as Fashing in 1920.
Fashing
did not have electricity until the 1930s, when the population was a mere 25 persons.
From 1939 until 1964 it reported 125 residents which seems to be it’s highest
point. In 1968 thew population was back down to 90.
In 1972 Fashing was
proclaimed the "Grand Champion Rural Community of Texas." Its first school, was
built in 1917. A school for Mexicans was opened and the two merged in 1947.
After 1980 the seventh and eighth grades were bused to Karnes
City. Primary grades stayed in Fashing until the school closed (1988).
Nearby
Peggy, Texas shares a community center with
Fashing.
Fashing Historical Marker
San Antonio Hotels
Jourdanton
Hotels |
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Fashing
United Methodist Church
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, February 2009 |
Fashing
Historical Marker
Junction of FM 2924 & 99, in front of Fashing School
Photo
courtesy Barclay
Gibson, February 2009 |
Historical
Marker TextTown
of FashingNear
the Old San Patricio Trail, leading from San
Antonio
to McMullen and McGloin colony, in area of Gulf of Mexico. In this vicinity were
stage stops at Belle Branch, Rock Spring, Rountree's, and Tordilla. Land was part
of the Butler, Hickok, Tom and Rountree ranches. Town was platted in 1915 as "Hickok."
However, after the U.S. Post Office Department disapproved that name, the tag
on a popular tobacco -- "Fashion" -- inspired adoption of the name "Fashing" for
the town.
First schoolhouse was built in 1917; a second, 1921. The Methodist
church, organized 1922, erected first house of worship (building moved in from
Bastrop) in 1925. In 1934, St. Elizabeth
Catholic Church was built. The Martin Luther Lutheran Church was erected 1948.
Present school building was completed in 1952.
A center for mineral development.
First local oil production was from Weigang Field, 1946. Tordilla Hill (5 mi.
N) was site of first major uranium discovery in Texas
in 1954. After further petroleum strikes in Fashing Edwards Limestone Field, 1958,
gas and sulfur processing plants were built by the Elcor Chemical Co., Lone Star
Producing Co., Sinclair Oil and Gas Co., and Warren Petroleum Corp. Currently,
the only commercial uranium operation in Texas is
near here. |
Photographer's Note:
Notice
on the historical marker that the Methodist Church had been moved from Bastrop.
- Barclay
Gibson |
“The
Texas Town Tagged after a Tin of Tobacco.”
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, February 2009 |
| Same
scene in February 2001
TE
Photo | |
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