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History in
a Pecan Shell
The town was settled
in the late 1850s. Growth was slow and it wasn’t until 1885 that the
community received a post office, built on the ranch of one S. A.
Schott. The name Ethel was suggested by storekeeper W. H. Burgin,
who also served as the town’s first postmaster.
The 1900 population was eighty-one but by this time there was little
hope of a railroad
connection. The post office closed in 1902 and the Great Depression
reduced the population to a mere 25 people where it remained until
the boom of the 1990s when it exploded to 40 residents. |
The transmission
tower
Photo courtesy Mike
Price, November 2007 |
Photographer's
Note:
The community of Ethel is dominated by the transmission tower shown.
It is about a mile from the center of the community. It is 1999 feet
tall, making it the second tallest structure in the state, just after
the ERA tower which is about 30-40 miles away.
The cemetery is a little south of 'town'. The grave shown was the
oldest I saw, but I made no real effort to search it thoroughly. Most
graves were rather old, 50-75 years or older.
The's no indication that there is/was any commercial development in
the area. The community consists of about 20 homes from trailers to
very nice modern homes. I only saw one that looked to be really old.
- Mike
Price, November 2007 |
| 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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