The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 58, July 1954 - April, 1955 Page: 93
650 p. : ill., maps (some col.), ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Town, Community Name Origins Reveal Texas History 93
Despite an oil boom in 1916, and a population zoom to 8oo by
192o, present population is close to zero.
When the original name of Water Valley had to be changed
with the establishment of a postoffice in the 188o's, so many sug-
gestions failed of approval that John Whitley chose Jonah (Wil-
liamson County). As might be expected, Dixie (Grayson Coun-
ty) was settled by Confederate veterans after the Civil War. A
popular brand of tobacco accounts for Razor (Lamar County).
Hawkins (Wood County) was so named because Hawkins, a
member of a Texas and Pacific Railroad crew, left his name
whittled on a tree.
Hereford (Deaf Smith County), named for the Hereford cattle
near by, has since become famous as the "Town without a Tooth-
ache," because of the fluorine and iodides in the soil. A recent
Business Week item reported that this Panhandle town has special
railroad rates to ship its drinking water to all parts of Texas. Dawn
(Deaf Smith County) developed around a store called "Dawn of
Civilization."
Ever hear of Dime Box (Lee County)? Ratcliff, the postman,
often asked to do shopping for the settlers when he went to town,
placed a box at the store and required his customers to deposit
a ten-cent fee for running errands. This made the town a natural
as a starting point for the March of Dimes campaign in 1944.
Fair Play (Panola County) deserves better than its thirty-five
population in 1950. When the postoffice was established in 1851,
a traveler was impressed with the fair rates and treatment he re-
ceived at John Allison's general store, boarding house, and black-
smith shop.
These are typical of the names one would expect to find in
Texas: Alamo (Hidalgo County), Amigo (Smith County), Ante-
lope (Jack County), Bonanza (Hopkins County), Buffalo Gap
(Taylor County), Cactus (Webb County), Cottondale (Wise
County), Cotton Center (Hale County), Cotton Gin (Freestone
County), Cowboy (McCulloch County), Dinero (Live Oak
County), Frijole (Culberson County), Lariat (Parmer County),
La Paloma (Cameron County), Los Indios (Cameron County),
Maverick (Runnels County), Mesquite (Dallas County), Mexia
(Limestone County), Muleshoe (Bailey County), Mustang (Den-
ton County), Oilton (Webb County), Paisano (Presidio County),
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 58, July 1954 - April, 1955, periodical, 1955; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101158/m1/114/: accessed April 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.