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LITTLE RIVER
ACADEMY, TEXAS
Bell County, North
Central Texas
30°59'N 97°21'W (30.9851, -97.3551)
Hwy 95 and FM 436
9 miles SE of Belton the
county seat
8 miles S of Temple
66 miles N of Austin
via I-35
ZIP code 76554
Area code 254
Population: 2,038 Est. (2019)
1,961 (2010) 1,645 (2000) 1,390 (1990)
Book Hotel Here > Temple
Hotels |
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One of Little River's early buildings put to good use
today
TE Photo |
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History
in a Pecan Shell
Little River
goes way back to 1836 when a fort was constructed
on the Little River for protection against Comanches. Two fights
with Comanches occurred in 1837. Texas forces abandoned the structure
when Texas joined the Union but it was used on occasion by Rangers
when they were passing through the area.
A man named
Moses Griffin was a caretaker of sorts and his name was sometimes
used in connection to the fort. This "Fort Griffin" had nothing
to do with the Fort
Griffin near Albany, Texas way
up in Shackelford
County. Moses ended up dismantling the fort and used the timber
on his farm.
The railroad came through in the 1880s and the population swelled
to 25 people in 1890.
There were two other communities nearby - Sparks and Academy.
In 1925 the 3 schools consolidated into the Academy Independent
School District.
Little River, Texas merged with Academy, Texas in 1980,
which gives the community its present name.
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Little
River Academy water tower
TE Photo |
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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
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