TexasEscapes.com HOME Welcome to Texas Escapes
A magazine written by Texas
Custom Search
New   |   Texas Towns   |   Ghost Towns   |   Counties   |   Trips   |   Features   |   Columns   |   Architecture   |   Images   |   Archives   |   Site Map

Taylor County TX
Taylor County


Texas Towns
A - Z
Abilene Hotels

More Hotels

 

HAMBY, TEXAS

Taylor County, Panhandle / Central Texas N

Highway 351
5 Miles E of Abilene the county seat
Population: 100 est. (2000)

Hamby Area Hotels ›
Abilene Hotels
Hamby TX - Hamby Baptist Church
Hamby Baptist Church
Photo courtesy Mike Price, July 2009

Hamby 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.

A visit to Hamby, Texas:

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
Hamby TX -  Hamby United Methodist Church
Hamby United Methodist Church
Photo courtesy Mike Price, July 2009
More Texas Churches
Hamby TX - Hamby Church Of Christ
Hamby Church Of Christ
Photo courtesy Mike Price, July 2009
Hamby, TX - Hamby Elementary School
Hamby Elementary School
Photo courtesy Mike Price, July 2009
More Texas Schoolhouses
Photo courtesy Mike Price, July 2009
Hamby, Texas Forum
Subject: Life in Hamby
Along with the Fire Station and Churches shown, there is an old rock house with pecan trees in the front yard. I lived in that house in 1947-48. Went to school for a year at the 2 room Hamby School and then on to North Junior High School in Abilene.

Our water was pumped by a windmill to a two story cistern at the back of the house. The only inside plumbing was running cistern water to the kitchen sink. A one hole outhouse lent itself to emergency situations, etc. In the summer we took our baths in a bath house type of room beneath the cistern fitted with a shower head. In the winter it was a No. 2 washtub in the warmth of the kitchen. A butane tank, which is still there, did furnish fuel for an O'Keef-Merritt(sp) oven and a couple of Dearborn stoves.

My Dad worked for Guy Paxton and Paxton Poster Service on South Oak St. My Mom was an employee of T. S. Langford & Sons on Walnut Street.

An interesting aside concerning Hamby Richardson and one of his great, great, great grand daughters. She was the first girl that I ever dated. We went to a football banquet at North Junior High School in 1948. Ah, history ! It never stops....................... .

Keep up the good work at Texas Escapes. I love it !! - Ellis Bewley, May 14, 2011
Hamby Texas Vol. Fire Dept
Hamby Vol. Fire Dept.
Photo courtesy Mike Price, July 2009

Take a road trip

Hamby, Texas Nearby Towns:
Abilene the county seat
Anson
Sweetwater

See Taylor County
Shackelford County
Jones County
Callahan County


Book Hotel Here:
Abilene Hotels | More Hotels
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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Texas Towns A - Z Texas Regions:
Gulf Texas Gulf Coast East East Texas North Central Texas North Central Woutn Central Texas South Panhandle Texas Panhandle
South South Texas Hill Texas Hill Country West West Texas Ghost Texas Ghost Towns counties Texas Counties

Texas Escapes Online Magazine »   Archive Issues » Home »
TEXAS TOWNS & COUNTIES TEXAS LANDMARKS & IMAGES TEXAS HISTORY & CULTURE TEXAS OUTDOORS MORE
Texas Counties
Texas Towns A-Z
Texas Ghost Towns

TEXAS REGIONS:
Central Texas North
Central Texas South
Texas Gulf Coast
Texas Panhandle
Texas Hill Country
East Texas
South Texas
West Texas

Courthouses
Jails
Churches
Schoolhouses
Bridges
Theaters
Depots
Rooms with a Past
Monuments
Statues

Gas Stations
Post Offices
Museums
Water Towers
Grain Elevators
Lodges
Stores
Banks

Vintage Photos
Historic Trees
Cemeteries
Old Neon
Ghost Signs
Signs
Murals
Gargoyles
Pitted Dates
Cornerstones
Then & Now

Columns: History/Opinion
Texas History
Small Town Sagas
Black History
WWII
Texas Centennial
Ghosts
People
Animals
Food
Music
Art

Books
Texas Railroads

Texas Trips
Texas Drives
Texas State Parks
Texas Rivers
Texas Lakes
Texas Forts
Texas Trails
Texas Maps
USA
MEXICO
HOTELS

Site Map
About Us
Privacy Statement
Disclaimer
Contributors
Staff
Contact Us

 
Website Content Copyright Texas Escapes LLC. All Rights Reserved