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TALPA, TEXAS
Texas Ghost
Town
Coleman County, Texas Panhandle/ Hill Country
Hwy 67
Less than 20 miles from Ballinger
and Coleman
Population 127 est. (2000)
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Talpa
before it was a ghost town.
Early 1900s photo courtesy texasoldphotos.com |
History
in a Pecan Shell
In the same abbreviated way cotton engine became cotton 'gin, a large
catalpa tree became Talpa.
There may be 127 people living near Talpa, but from all appearances
it's a ghost town.
Being on the road between Ballinger
and Coleman, it developed as
a farm market and the railroad used it as a switching point. We'd
like to say more. It looks like they might have had an interesting
history. |
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Talpa
State Bank
Photo courtesy Donna Chevalier, June 2007 |
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Sinclair
ghost sign
Photo courtesy Donna Chevalier, June 2007 |
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Downtown
Talpa
Photo courtesy Donna Chevalier, June 2007 |
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Closed
stores in Talpa
Photo courtesy Jim and Lou Kinsey |
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The
post office in Talpa
Photo courtesy Jim and Lou Kinsey |
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Railroad
crossing near Talpa
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, April 2004 |
Talpa
Texas Forum
Subject:
Talpa, Texas
Dear TE, I was born in a hospital in Ballinger,
but my parents lived on a ranch about 5 miles southwest of Talpa.
I lived in Talpa in the mid to late 70s and my son attended Talpa-Centennial
schools until junior high when we moved. I never had to worry about
drugs or theft and everyone knew everyone. I moved back from San
Angelo to Talpa in 2003 to care for my ailing parents and am presently
ranching and raising my oldest grandson. He will attend Panther
Creek schools this fall and frankly I feel he'll get more attention
and thus be exposed to a better education than in a larger school
system.
Yes, Talpa is small, and it is still shrinking, but there are new
families moving in every year. Immanuel Baptist Church is still
having services after all these years, and someone is planning to
open a feed store soon. I never looked back when I moved in 2003
and am proud to be from this small community. By the way, I am a
fourth generation rancher/farmer with one of my places acquired
by my great-grandfather around 1879. I am right where I am supposed
to be and where I want to be. - Carol Brookshier-Jones, Talpa,
Texas, August
23, 2007
Subject:
Talpa, Texas
Dear TE, I spent the first nineteen years of my life in Talpa. My
great grandfather, James Miller Brown, came to Coleman Co. around
the turn of the 20th Century. My mother was born in Talpa. My dad
A. N. Hudgins ran the Sinclair station that is shown in the above
picture and when hwy 67 was straightened out he moved to the highway.
This place later became the Talpa Post Office.
My wife's dad O. S. Sikes ran the grocery store (also pictured)
for many years. He came to Talpa from Fisk, Texas and went to work
for Ralph Edens in the Red and White grocery store on the east side
of the main street.
In my opinion growing up in Talpa in the 1950's was the best of
times. We were not saturated with the Korean War and congress was
not having hearings on everything that came along. The president
was respected whether he was a Democrat or Republican. I grew up
around many colorful people listening to their wonderful stories.
I regret that time and space doesn't allow me to tell them. -
Roger Hudgins, Forsan, Texas, July 15, 2007
Subject:
Talpa's Heyday
Dear TE, I am presently in the process of transcribing hundreds
of letters written by my grandfather who was an officer at the First
National Bank of Talpa in 1909. These letters were written to my
grandmother who lived in Georgetown before they were married in
June of that year. He describes life in this "growing" town and
the promise it held for young people. He was 24 years old and 2
years out of Southwestern University. There certainly was life once
upon a time in Talpa, and one that many thought would become a booming
town in the 20th century. - Tom Walsh, October 19, 2006
Subject:
Talpa, Texas
I was raised in Talpa. My parents moved there in 1955. I attended
school there until graduation in 1968. When my family first moved
there, there were 3 gasoline stations, a variety store, two grocery
stores, a café, a drug store, a dry cleaners, the school, and approximately
236 people. Through the years, people either moved away or died
and gradually the population went down. I came back in 1975 and
taught school for five years. Eventually, the school, even though
it was part of a consolidated system, closed. The kids now go to
Panther Creek ISD. My mother still lives in Talpa in the same house
that my parents purchased in 1960. - Phil Decker, May 19, 2006
Anyone wishing to share history or photos of Talpa, please contact
us.
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