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History
in a Pecan Shell
The town was named by A. E. Jones for his previous home in Missouri.
Begun in the 1880s, a post office was granted in 1883. Things really
started jumping when the railroad (the Fort Worth and Denver City)
built through the county in 1887. The town had been on the north
side of the railroad tracks, but after a devestating fire in 1890,
the rebuilding was done on the south side.
The town had grain elevators constructed in 1892-93, and Chillicothe
incorporated in 1907 with a population of 800. A second railroad
arrived in 1908 (the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway) and
Chillicothe's future seemed bright.
The town reached its high-water mark in 1950 with over 1,400 Iris
Villagers living there. The population decreased slowly - but was
still over 1,000 in 1980. In 1990 the population had dropped to
just over 800.
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First United
Methodist Church
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First United
Methodist Church built in 1916
Photo courtesy Katherine Heilhecker Nixon |
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Chillicothe
Mural - A 40 x 12 mural on the side of a building adjacent
to the Downtown Memorial Park expansion project.
Artists: Teresa Byrd, Marcia Haynes and Jeanne Moffett.
Completion date; July 1, 2006.
"The mural depicts some of the history of Chillicothe and includes
Medicine Mounds, the Santa
Fe Doodlebug, Ft. Worth & Denver Zephyr, grain elevators, Wanderers
Creek, ranching, oil and the school mascot (the Eagle) holding the
banner. The First United Methodist Church built in 1916 is in the
center." - Teresa Byrd, July 07, 2006
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The Former
Chillicothe City Jail
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The former city
jail.
Photo
Courtesy Teresa Byrd, July 2006 |
Jail detail.
Photo
Courtesy Teresa Byrd, July 2006
See Texas Jails |
Hwy 287 in
Chilicothe, Texas
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Photographer's
Note:
I found this site of old grain tanks pretty interesting. I plan on
stopping next time I go through there. That town has LOTS of very
old buildings! Even seen some tucked away ones. - Stephen
Michaels, December 13, 2007 |
The area in
the red rectangle (far right just below the middle of photo) is a
relic from the buildings previous incarnation as a smithy or livery
stable.
Photo
Courtesy Teresa Byrd, July 2006 |
Detail of the
sign: "Buggies, wagons and repair."
Photos
courtesy Teresa Byrd, July 2006
See Texas Ghost Signs |
Pumpkins
Photo courtesy Katherine Heilhecker Nixon |
Chillicothe,
Texas Vintage Photos
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Chillicothe
after fire in 1890
(Click on image to enlarge)
Photo
courtesy Roger Harden |
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Chillicothe
after fire in 1890 (Click on image to enlarge)
Photo
courtesy Roger Harden
More Texas
Disasters
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[Subject: Chillicothe
Fire
Can you tell me when these photos were taken? Or how to contact
Roger Harden? My great grandfather died fighting a fire there in
1908. - Thanks. Dave, January 31, 2021, med_ambulance@yahoo.com]
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Kerley's
Store (moved from Margaret to Chillicothe?)
"My great-grandfather John Marcus Kerley is the gentleman in
the white shirt."
Photo
courtesy Roger Harden |
| Photo
courtesy Randy Hinsley, February 2011 |
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Chillicothe
Irises in San Francisco
Subject: Chillicothe
Just wanted to say thank you for the info on Chillicothe; my father
grew up there. The Methodist Church is where my grandmother and grandfather
met, married, and were both eulogized upon their passing. When I bought
my home in California, I obtained some Iris bulbs from my Father who
took a handful when they sold the house there. That Iris Village is
alive and well in San Francisco and my children think the violet ones
are the most beautiful flowers they have ever seen (and they are).
Thanks again, Bruce Derr, son of Walker Derr, son of E.L Derr, Sr.,
January 18, 2008 |
| 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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