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Coleman County TX
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NOVICE, TEXAS

Coleman County, Texas Panhandle / Texas Hill Country

31°59'19"N 99°37'31"W (31.988664, -99.625334)

FM 702 just off U.S. Highway 84
19 Miles NW of Coleman, the county seat
37 miles S of Abilene
Population: 128 Est. (2019)
139 (2010) 142 (2000)

Novice, Texas Area Hotels ›Coleman Hotels

Novice TX - Railroad Track
Railroad tracks
Photo courtesy Gerald Massey, June 2010

History in a Pecan Shell

Once named Tyro in the 1870s, a post office opened under that name in 1880 (see 1882 map below) but closed the next year. When it reopened in 1884, the name submitted was something of a joke since the store owners there were novices in the business.

With the arrival of the railroad in 1910, the town moved one mile north to take advantage of the benefits the railroad offered. It was joined by another small town named Atoka.

First population figures available are from the mid 1920s when 200 residents were counted. The town experienced a minor oil boom in the early 1930s and the population jumped to 450. But the Great Depression reduced the populace to only 200 by the mid 1930s.

In 1971 Novice reported a population of 160, which has declined to just 142 when the 2000 census was over.

TX - Novice City Limit
Novice City Limit
Photo courtesy Gerald Massey, June 2010

Novice, Texas Landmarks

Photo Gallery

Novice TX - Novice City Hall
Novice City Hall
Photo courtesy Gerald Massey, June 2010


TX - Novice Community Center
Novice Community Center
Photo courtesy Gerald Massey, June 2010


TX - Novice Baptist Church
Novice Baptist Church
Photo courtesy Gerald Massey, June 2010


TX - Novice United Methodist Church
Novice United Methodist Church
Photo courtesy Gerald Massey, June 2010
More Texas Churches


Novice TX - Novice Cafe & Store
Novice Cafe & Store
Photo courtesy Gerald Massey, June 2010


Abandoned building
Photo courtesy Gerald Massey, June 2010


Novice TX - Abandoned building
Abandoned building
Photo courtesy Gerald Massey, June 2010


Novice TX - Abandoned building
Abandoned building
Photo courtesy Gerald Massey, June 2010


Novice TX - water tank
Photo courtesy Gerald Massey, June 2010


Novice TX - windmills
Windmills
Photo courtesy Gerald Massey, June 2010
See Windmills in Texas


Coleman County TX 1882 Map
1882 Coleman County map showing Novice as Tyro, near Blue Gap
Courtesy Texas General Land Office


Coleman County TX 1907 Postal Map
Coleman County 1907 postal map showing Novice
(NW corner of Coleman County, near Atoka, NW of Coleman)

Courtesy Texas General Land Office

Take a road trip

Texas Panhandle / Texas Hill Country

Novice, Texas Nearby Towns:
Coleman, the county seat
Abilene
See Coleman County

Book Hotel Here:
Coleman 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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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