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  Texas : Towns A-Z / Hill Country : Fredonia

FREDONIA, TEXAS

Mason County, Texas Hill Country
Highway 71 between Llano and Brady
16 miles N of Mason on FM 386
5 miles SE of Voca
Population: 50 (1990)

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Fredonia Texas store post office
Fredonia Store and Post Office
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, January 2006

History in a Pecan Shell

Fredonia, Texas has nothing to do with the insurrection in Nacogdoches or the fictitious country in the Marx Brother's movie. It does, however figure in the history of two Texas counties - San Saba and Mason. The first settlers arrived in the area sometime around 1858. A school and church were built as the community developed around Deer Creek.

The post office was originally called Deerton when it was in San Saba County. A conflict with the name caused a change in 1880. The post office was moved two miles across the county line sometime after 1882 and of course, the community followed.
Fredonia, Texas Drug Store




"My great grandfather owned the drug store in Fredonia Texas till around 1900-1902" -
Co Wisdom, Brady, Texas
Fredonia had been a stagecoach stop in the 1880s and soon had everything a small town could want. There was a drugstore, a general store, a blacksmith and even a newspaper.
Fredonia Texas closed gas station and windmill
A closed gas station
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, January 2006
Fredonia Texas closed church
A closed church
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, January 2006
Fredonia, Texas post office
The Fredonia Post Office
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, January 2006
Fredonia, Texas post office





Same scene in 2000
TE photo
The population peaked in the 1920s at 200. Since the 1980s Fredonia has been what you see today - the store, a post office and a church.

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Fredonia Texas Forum

  • My great grandfather owned the drug store in Fredonia Texas till around 1900-1902. His name was Tom Brown. He later sold the store and moved to Long Valley on the north side of the San Saba River near Voca Tx where he bought 800 acres that we still own to this day. Here is a picture of the store off of a post card that I have. - Co Wisdom, Brady, Texas, January 27, 2005
  • Co Wisdom of Brady, Texas
    I came across quotations by “Co Wisdom” of Brady in your website under the towns of Fredonia and Voca along with a photograph of a drug store as it appeared in the late 19th century. Hopefully you can forward my e-mail to the person submitting those quotations. According to an article in the book “Indian Depredation in Texas” by J.W. Wilbarger, published in 1889 my great grandfather Captain John Roch (Roach) of Comanche was attacked and wounded by Indians in 1866 on a trip from San Saba to Comanche. According to the article he had gone to San Saba to lay in supplies for the coming winter. What was in San Saba to cause it to be a source of food and provisions in the 1860’s? What was the San Saba mill? Do you have other photos of buildings in are around San Saba dated in the 19th Century? Thanks. L. Marshall Roch , September 25, 2005

    Anyone wishing to share history, stories or photos of Fredonia, Texas, please contact us.

    © John Troesser
    More Barclay Gibson Photos

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    This page last modified: January 26, 2007