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History in
a Pecan Shell
Rice farming partners
A. F. Hester and Tom J. Hooks from Beaumont
saw opportunities here in 1898. They bought options on 13,000 acres.
Work began in 1902 to turn the land into rice fields using irrigation
canals.
In 1903 brothers George and Ed Ruthven arrived to open a store. The
name Run was submitted for a post office (taken from the first two
letters and the last letter in their surname). It was later relocated
to Champion’s store – an adobe jacal that predated the Ruthven’s enterprise.
Andrew Champion, Sr., a former Texas Ranger, served as postmaster
at Run from 1906 to 1912. The store was alongside the Champion home
and this complex became the core of a small community eking out an
existence on the desolate (but fertile) landscape.
Mary Hester opened a school in 1905 and two years later, with the
help of Andrew Champion, Sr., Myron Smith, and A. F. Hester, the Run
school was organized.
Discouraged by frequent flooding and often violent banditti, residents
of Run started moving closer to Donna.
Donna Hooks Fletcher, the namesake of the town led the way out of
Run.
The population of Run around 1914 was 25 residents – served by three
stores.
A robbery in 1915 prompted the closing of stores. The Army was called
up to restore order but people were reluctant to return.
During the Great Depression Run had two businesses and 50 residents
– the last time anyone bothered to count heads. Construction of the
Military
Road destroyed many early homesteads and landmarks. The site of
the original Run school is now in a field. |
RUN, TEXAS
When it came
to runnin'
to or from,
most folks ran away
from little Run,
the folks that stayed
had bandits come,
turned out, it was dumb -
to stay in Run.
© d.knape
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1907 Hidalgo
County postal map showing Run
Near Hidalgo, just N of the Rio Grande
From Texas state map #2090
Courtesy
Texas General Land Office |
| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact
us. |
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