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BLOSSOM, TEXAS
AKA BLOSSOM PRAIRIE
Lamar
County,
Central Texas
North / East Texas
33°39'41"N 95°23'1"W (33.661395, -95.383675)
Hwy 82 and FM 196
9 miles E of Paris the county
seat
14 miles W of Clarksville
ZIP code 75416
Area code 903
Population: 1,402 (2020)
1,494 (2010) 1,440 (2000) 1,439 (1990) |
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The town today
refers to itself as Blossom Prairie, the original name of the
community.
History in
a Pecan Shell
Davy
Crockett is said to have entered Texas near present Blossom. William
Patton, Crockett’s nephew crossed the Red River into Blossom Prairie
in November of 1836 and a three year-old who later became Texas Ranger
Ben Dragoo came to Blossom Prairie with his family in 1838.
By 1873, The roadbed for the Texas & Pacific Railroad was graded,
but no track materialized. For three years there was a gap between
Texarkana
and Brookston. Freight was transported
by wagon, to bridge the gap - passing through Blossom. Later, a passenger
and freight depot was built on Front Street.
Blossom Prairie Academy was established in 1884 at this time the town’s
population was around 1,000. The town of Blossom Prairie was incorporated
on January 8, 1886 and the name was shortened to the present Blossom
two years later. Lamar College was founded in 1889.
Vice President John Nance Garner, who is usually associated with Uvalde,
Texas once attended school in Blossom. His lifelong friendship
with Sam
Rayburn was based on their common NE Texas upbringing.
Blossom was once famous for its mineral water and wells were said
to have numbered one hundred. The only one remaining today is in Blossom’s
City Park.
Professor J. Valenza’s excellent Taking
the Waters in Texas (UT Press, 2000) includes Blossom on her map
of Springs and lists Bell’s Mineral Wells, Blossom Wells and Beauchamp
Wells as three different names in the Blossom vicinity.
Hotels opened to house the patrons “taking the waters.” A portion
of the former Burke Hotel is now a residence.
Cotton growers could have their
cotton ginned and baled at one of the two Blossom gins. There were
also two brick manufacturers. A hardware store is one of two remaining
buildings in town made of Blossom Brick. By 1903, Blossom had one
bank, two in 1910, and a third in 1919.
Blossom still has mineral water in the City Park although the hotels,
bathhouse and brickyards are now gone.
Blossom’s population dipped down to about 650 people at one point
during the Great Depression. Today many Blossomites commute to Paris
and the population is now a respectable 1,494. |
Blossom,
Texas Attractions / Landmarks
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The Blossom
Museum and Civic Center
Located at 215 Pine Street in Blossom
Directions: South of Highway 82 on Faucett Street. Go one block and
turn left on Pine Street. Museum is on the left. Hours: Fridays from
10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Chamber of Commerce: None
City Offices: 903-982-5900 is the number we received from the telephone
company for the city offices in Blossom. |
"R.V. Womack
& Co. Store, Blossom, Texas."
Early 1900s.
Photo
courtesy texasoldphotos.com
More Texas Stores |
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Blossom,
Texas Forum
Subject:
Blossom Museum
If you will go to Lamar Co TX Genweb, then scroll down to Blossom
Museum, you will find a short history of Blossom, TX. I live there,
and work at the Museum.
Blossom has lots of history, and we work to preserve the history
in our genealogy section, and museum which has small items that
were either used by Blossom residents, or happen to be items like
those that Blossom people probably used. We have information about
Blossom from the time it was incorporated, up to the present time.
Our genealogy section has family files, which are furnished by family
members interested in preserving their family history and sharing
it with others. At the present we have six ladies that do volunteer
work there, and we're all very proud of what has been accomplished
in just a few short years.
The museum is also a library, utilized by people that live in and
around Blossom. - Peggy Johnston, March 18, 2005
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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
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