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Texas
Ghost Town PORTERVILLE,
TEXASLoving County,
West Texas
A West Texas Ghost Town
25 miles NE of Pecos
2 miles S of Mentone
Population: 0
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| | Temple
Theater in downtown Porterville, early 1900s
Photo courtesy Larry Randall |
History
in a Pecan Shell
Originally named Juanita, after a woman no
one remembers, the town was renamed by Doctor Phil Porter of Michigan who started
a health colony there in 1905. Porter was convinced that the West Texas climate
was healthy and wholesome. |
| | Site
of Porterville today
Photo Courtesy Charlene Beatty Beauchamp |
| Doctor
Porter platted the townsite in1908, and modestly named it Porterville. A post
office opened under the old name of Juanita in 1909 but officially changed the
name to Porterville, Texas a year later. |
| | Church
- The oldest building in Loving County
Photo Courtesy Charlene Beatty
Beauchamp |
| The townspeople
donated money and labor to build a community building / school / church. Completed
in 1909, it was moved to Mentone (in 1931) where it still stands - the oldest
building in the county. The school held classes until 1935 when a new school was
built as well as the standing courthouse - the only one Loving County has ever
had. |
| | An
abandoned gravel quarry is known to locals as the "Grand Canyon"
Photo
Courtesy Charlene Beatty Beauchamp |
| | Mentone
as seen from the "Grand Canyon" near Porterville
Photo Courtesy
Charlene Beatty Beauchamp |
Much
needed Irrigation was planned, but too many dams were built and the water level
dropped. The acreage under irrigation dropped from slightly over 1,000 to 600.
People started moving away around 1913.
As the water became scarce and
unfit for drinking, oil was discovered and Mentone
came into existence - just 2 miles to the northeast.
Porterville residents
drifted to Mentone until no one
was left.
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Porterville
Texas Forum
Subject: Porterville Temple Theater Photo
This
photo was taken in downtown Porterville in the early 1900s and shows the Temple
Theater in the background. The ladies in the wagon most likely are Capitola (Newton)
Goodrich and her younger sister Celinda Newton. The Newton Girls were born and
raised in Eaton County, Michigan. Porterville's school teacher Miss Celinda Newton
returned to her home town in Eaton County, Michigan. Mrs Goodrich and her husband,
lived their lives in Loving County, Texas. They are buried in Charlotte, Eaton
County Michigan. - Larry Randall, Springport, Michigan, December 08, 2005
I
have a post card addressed to "Miss Celinda Newton" Dixieland, Texas. postmarked
1908. Ms. Newton was a school teacher in Porterville, Tx . It appears that they
must have used this mailing address before there was one closer.
Ms.
Newton is mentioned in the Porterville history, Loving County,TX online. She was
a sister to Mrs. Floyd Goodrich, longtime residents of that area. They were from
near here in MI. I am into a study of Porterville. - Larry Randall, Springport,
Michigan, March 17, 2005
Anyone wishing to share history, stories or photos
of Porterville, Texas, please contact
us.
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