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History
on a Pinhead
The community was established enough in 1899 to support
a 53 pupil (one teacher) school. By the late 1930s, the three-room
school taught 183 primary students and 27 high school students.
By the 1960s, there were still no population figures or businesses
reported and the houses were scattered. Four businesses were reported
in the 1980s with two churches.
On Gethsemane,
Texas
Photographer's
Note:
There is this “place on a map", (my Street Atlas ones) and also
on Google Maps. However, that is about all there is to this place,
a place on a map. It doesn’t even qualify for a sign. I did investigate
this area and came up with three churches and a road sign and that
is about it. Don’t know about any history. However, when I drove into
the Bethlehem Baptist Church I thought I was traveling into nowhere.
In fact I started to turn around and go back and give up. However,
the road was so very, very small and narrow through the east Texas
Piney woods it was almost impossible to do a “turn around.” Even though
the road was so very small it was in very good driveable shape. With
my experience in doing this type of thing I had already learned that
roads into backwood churches are kept up very well. Pretty soon I
came to the end of the road and the church.
After I took all the pictures it came to me - how in the world did
they ever find this place in the back middle of nowhere for a church.
But, with looking at the date of origin on the “cornerstone” of 1867
I realized that there is no telling what this area looked like 143-years
ago. It could have been that all these “woods” weren’t there. That
could be a very interesting story yet, that could be like so much
other things in this day and time - “ Gone With The Wind.” - Gerald
Massey, January 31, 2010 |
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Gethsemane
UM Church welcome sign
Photo courtesy Gerald
Massey, 2010 |
Bethlehem
Baptist Church welcome sign
Photo courtesy Gerald
Massey, 2010 |
Bethleham
Baptist Church cornerstone
Photo courtesy Gerald
Massey, 2010 |
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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