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Hamby
Baptist Church
Photo courtesy Mike
Price, July 2009 |
History in a Pecan
Shell
Where Taylor County meets the corners of Shackelford, Jones,
and Callahan Counties.
Originally (and appropriately) called “Corners”
for shared boundaries with its neighboring counties, the town’s namesake was Georgian
Hamby Richardson. Richardson was a store owner who opened the community’s first
business shortly before 1900.
A post office was granted in 1902 – in Richardson’s
store. “Corners” had been rejected as a name by the bureaucrats in Washington
so friends of the storekeeper/ postmaster suggested applying under his Christian
name.
After the establishment of the post office several other businesses
opened and it looked like Hamby was on its way. But in 1919 the post office closed.
By the time the Great Depression had arrived, Hamby had a mere 20 people living
there.
Hamby’s school was two miles south of town – established in 1903.
The Baptist Church was established in 1906, followed by the Methodists in 1907.
That same year the school was moved to Hamby and a second story was added for
lodge meetings.
After WWII
Hamby’s population was around 100 – a figure that continued to be used through
2000.
Photographer's
Note:
Town, what
little there is of it, is centered around the churches and school. The VFD built
this very elaborate building a few years back. Probably the fanciest VFD structure
I've ever seen. Don't remember there being any businesses other than an odd one
or two at any one time over the years, and virtually nothing remains of those.
- Mike
Price, July 2009 |
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Hamby
Church Of Christ
Photo courtesy Mike
Price, July 2009 |
Hamby
Vol. Fire Dept.
Photo courtesy Mike
Price, July 2009 | |
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