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Milford Main
Street circa 1908
Click on image to enlarge
Old photo
courtesy Bill Parrish |
History in
a Pecan Shell
Cheap land prices
(.50 an acre) in the 1850s attracted an influx of settlers who migrated
from Cherokee County.
In 1854, a townsite was set up on high ground and named Milford.
William R. Hudson, the town's developer had read about a thriving
town in Massachusetts and named the community after it. Hudson's combined
residence and general store, was built; Hudson built a store/residence/post
office.
In 1892 Milford's population reached 800. It was home to a community-financed
school called the Milford Academy and the other with the seemingly
fictitious name of Mollie Poe's Private Lone Star Institute.
A two-story building serving multiple community functions was burned
during the Civil War. The Dallas and Waco Railway reached Milford
when they had a population of just 150 and in the 20th Century, Milford
became a stop on the Waco - Dallas Interurban (1926).
In 1902 a Presbyterian College for women opened although it closed
in 1929 - an early victim to the Great Depression.
The population peaked at 1,200 in 1929 - falling to just 717 in 1931.
It reached rock-bottom in 1968 when only 490 Milfordians called the
town home. |
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St. James A.M.E.
Church
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, 2005 |
Historical marker
Saint James
A.M.E. Church
This church was
organized by the Rev. Joshua Goins, Sr., in 1883. Services began in
the home of Pleasant Zollicoffer and moved to the Odd Fellows' Hall
before this church structure was erected in 1907. This building exhibits
exceptional craftsmanship and incorporates Gothic Revival style details
such as twin towers and gabled facade and Romanesque style rounded
windows. Saint James is Milford's oldest African - American church
and building.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
1992 |
Main Street
Milford, Texas
Circa 1908
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Hanging out at
the icehouse, Milford, Texas
Note Dr. Pepper sign
Photo
courtesy of Bill Parrish, Meadow Vista, CA. |
Pedestrians,
sidewalk, and dentist office
Photo
courtesy of Bill Parrish, Meadow Vista, CA. |
Corner drug store
and church
Photo
courtesy of Bill Parrish, Meadow Vista, CA.
|
| 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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