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  Texas : Towns A-Z / Texas Panhandle :

LORAINE, TEXAS

Mitchell County, Texas Panhandle
Highway 20/80, and FM 644
10 miles E of Colorado City
48 miles E of Big Spring
58 miles W of Abilene
Population: 731 (1990) 656 (2000)

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Loraine Texas closed gas station and downtown
View of downtown Loriane
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, February 2007
History in a Pecan Shell

Loraine has three stories in connection to its name. One states that it was named in honor of the wife of a railroad officer, another claims the French provence of Lorraine and a third says it was to honor Loraine Crandall, the wife (or daughter) of local landowner Parson Crandal.

Established on the Texas and Pacific Railway in the 1880s, Loraine was first a cotton and cattle shipping point and development was slow. The town was granted a post office in 1890, and a school was constructed three years later. In 1905, the aforementioned Parson Crandall bought land from the railroad and had the town platted. With its streets laid out, the town grew rapidly. It's first paper was published in 1906 and by 1914 the population was estimated as 800 citizens with more than forty businesses.

The 1920s saw the installation of its own public water system, as well as high school and grade school facilities and by the 1930s the population was thought to be between 700-750 people.

Loraine's hospital opened in 1938, and throughout the 1940s the Loraine Cooperative Association handled the dairy interests for several nearby counties. The population increased to over 1,000 in the 1950s but industry and businesses declined. By 1986 only six businesses were still solvent. The population had been in a decline but has rebonded in recent years to the present 656.
Loraine Texas Dry Goods store
Downtown Loraine
Loraine Methodist Church, Texas
Loraine Methodist Church
Loraine Texas tin man water tower
Loraine Texas  underpass and train Union Pacific
Photos courtesy Barclay Gibson, February 2007
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This page last modified: May 1, 2007