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ELIASVILLE, TEXAS

Texas Ghost Town
Young County, Texas Panhandle / Central Texas North

32° 57' 35" N, 98° 45' 55" W (32.959722, -98.765278)

FMs 1974, 3109, and 701
Clear Fork of the Brazos River
20 miles SW of Graham on FM 701
7 miles NE of South Bend
Population: 100 est (2019) 116 est. (2010) 150 (2000)

Eliasville Area Hotels › Graham Hotels

Eliasville TX Donnell Mill  by Brazos River
The clear fork of the Brazos River flows gently by the remains of the old Donnell Mill, built in 1895 in Eliasville.
Photo courtesy Noel Kerns, September 2007

History in a Pecan Shell

Settled in the 1870s, ranchers William Leander and Thomas Franklin Donnell established ranches here in 1876, and later built the flour mill as well as a stone dam and a pedestrian suspension bridge. The mill burned in 1927.

The town was named after the first storekeeper, Elias DeLong.

With the oil boom of 1921 Eliasville was incorporated, and the town grew rapidly to a population high of 1,500.

At its zenith, Eliasville had two movie theaters, various stores, several churches, a school, hotel and three gas stations.

The population dropped to only 400 in 1940, and by 1980 it was down to around 100.

Ghost Town Eliasville TX at night
The lone building that stands at the main intersection in Eliasville.
Photo courtesy Noel Kerns, September 2007

Eliasville Texas downtown mainstreet  red brick building
Eliasville downtown in day light
Photo courtesy Mike Price, October 2007

Donnell Mill in Eliasville Texas
The old Donnell Mill in day light
Photo courtesy Mike Price, October 2007

Vintage photo of the flour mill in Eliasville, Texas
An early picture of Donnell Mill
Click on photo to enlarge

Vintage photo courtesy of Gerry Grantham Hill with special thanks to Georgia Pratt Cunningham and Margaret Donnell Lambkin

Donnell Mill in Eliasville Texas
Photo courtesy Mike Price, October 2007

Flour mill in Eliasville Texas
2001 photo courtesy of Eric Whetstone

Site of Donnell Mill historical marker, Eliasville Texas
Site of Donnell Mill historical marker
"The Mill reportedly provided flour and corn meal for soldiers at Fort Griffin in neighboring Shackelford County."

Photo courtesy Mike Price, October 2007

Eliasville Texas zip code 76481
Eliasville TX 76481
Photo courtesy Mike Price, October 2007

Eliasville Texas - Eliasville Baptist Church
Eliasville Baptist Church
Photo courtesy Dustin Martin, May 2017

Eliasville Texas - Eliasville Church  of Christ
Church of Christ across the street from the Baptist Church
Photo courtesy Dustin Martin, May 2017

Eliasville TX,  Young County,  Eliasville Cemetery
Eliasville Cemetery, 1879
Photo courtesy Dustin Martin, May 2017

Eliasville TX old brick building
Photo courtesy Mike Price, October 2007

Eliasville TX  brick building ruins
Photo courtesy Dustin Martin, May 2017

Eliasville TX  stone building ruins
Photo courtesy Dustin Martin, May 2017

Eliasville TX  stone building ruins
Building ruins in Eliasville
Photo courtesy Dustin Martin, May 2017

Old Brazos River Bridge east of Eliasville Texas
Old Brazos River Bridge east of Eliasville Texas
Photo courtesy Mike Price, October 2007

Old Brazos River Bridge east of Eliasville Texas overlooking Brazos River
Bridge over Brazos River east of Eliasville Texas
Photo courtesy Mike Price, October 2007
More Texas Bridges

Eliasville TX - name-sake Elias De Long with his wife Malissa Sue
Eliasville name-sake Elias De Long with his wife Malissa Sue.
Photo courtesy James D. Allen

Eliasville School, 1924, Grade 3, Texas
Eliasville School, 1924, Grade 3
Photo courtesy Mary Cash of the Dr. J. H. Nelson family

De Long Ward School in Eliasville Texas, 1929 vintage photo
De Long Ward School in Eliasville, May 28, 1929
Click on photo for larger image

Photo courtesy James D. Allen

Nelson's Drug Store
& Dr. Joseph Henry Nelson

Ghost Town Eliasville TX house for sale
For Sale “2 bedroom, 1 bath with kitchen, quiet neighborhood, Eliasville, Texas.”
Photo courtesy Noel Kerns, September 2007

Eliasville Texas Forum

  • Eliasville Families of 1883 and what is a battling block?"
    Subject: Gordon Family, Eliasville, Tx

    I am reading a diary of an ancestor of the Gordon Family that lived in Eliasville, Tx in the year 1883. The family of George Washington Gordon. The story is written by Laura Gordon Coker. The property was located on the Clear Fork of the Brazos River. Gage Creek ran diagonally across the farm. She said they went to Gage Creek School and Mr Ludwick was the teacher. Laura said the desks were just benches which had legs that stood out like legs on a battling block. "What is a battling block?" She said the names of the school children she went to school with were, Wiley Jones family, the Bill Donalds, Tom Donalds, the Daws, the Stewarts the Ed Davis famly and the Delongs and Longs. Are there any of these family's still there? I would gladly share this diary of hers for more information and would love to visit Eliasville to get a feel of the town and any areas that might have been. Thank you, Cheryl Spradlin, October 18, 2006

  • Subject: Eliasville Pictures
    Attached please find two photos from Eliasville. My family history is sketchy at best; however, I am the great, great grandson of Elias De Long. One of the pictures attached is supposedly Elias with his wife Malissa Sue. (I originally did not have Elias’s wife’s name, but recently learned it was Malissa Sue. Any confirmation would be appreciated.) Also attached is a picture of the De Long Ward school from 1929. My father was born in Eliasville, and I believe he is in the picture somewhere. Thanks, James D. Allen, Son of Milton O’Neal Allen, who was the son of Fred and Vernie Allen. Fred was son of Tabitha De Long and Andrew J. Allen. Tabitha was daughter of Elias and Malissa Sue, July 01, 2006

  • Subject: Eliasville, Texas
    I am a great-grandson of T.F. Donnell and was born in Eliasville. Moved away for several years and have been back in Eliasville for about twelve years, happily in the house, I was born in. It is the homestead of W.W. Cunningham, my maternal great-grandparents. It is a lovely community to live in and I have many fond memories of growing up in Eliasville. It was a perfect place for a young boy to roam, run, swim, hunt, and play in. - Louis F. Donnell, Jr. June 13, 2006

  • Just a note to let you know that "F. T." Donnell should be "T. F." - as in Thomas Franklin. His brother "W. L." Donnell was William Leander.
    I am a great grand-daughter of Thomas Franklin Donnell, and I grew up in Eliasville. While there may not be many people left in the quaint little town, there are no ghosts, other than what someone might imagine. I am attaching an early picture of the mill. - Margaret Donnell Lambkin, July 28, 2004

  • 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.

    TX  Young County 1940s map
    Young County 1940s map
    From Texas state map #4335
    Courtesy Texas General Land Office



    Eliasville is listed in T. Lindsey Baker's "More Ghost Towns of Texas", and is consider by Baker to be one of the most picturesque ghost towns in the state.
    More Ghost Towns of Texas



    Take a road trip

    Texas Panhandle | Central Texas North

    Eliasville, Texas Nearby Towns:
    Graham the county seat
    See Young County

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