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Lovelady's landmark
water tower has beeen dismantled.
Photo Courtesy Loren V. Stagner |
History in
a Pecan Shell
The
town was named for Cyrus Lovelady, one of the first settlers. Mail
service for the community came from Pennington
from 1858 until 1872, when the railroad (the Houston and Great Northern
Railroad) arrived and Lovelady got its own post office.
The population
was 300 by 1885 and reached 500 just before the Great Depression.
The town has
suffered from periodic fires throughout the years which has left
the town without a central business district. The first was in 1892,
followed by the burning of the school in 1901 and one in 1903. Another
occurred during WWII
with the last major fire in 1966.
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Historical Marker:
Town of Lovelady
Founded by Houston
and Great Northern Railroad investors as line was built through grant
of Cyrus Lovelady, near communities of Nevil's Prairie, Pennington,
and Weldon. Post office opened on Nov. 8, 1872. Town soon had livery,
stables, blacksmith shop, and hotels, prospering as market and shipping
point. By 1876 day school and Sunday school were held in a log house.
A two-story structure was shared 1881-88 by Baptists and Lovelady
Lodge No. 539, A.F.&A.M. Churches of other faiths were built later.
The town, incorporated in 1927, is now center for ranching, pulpwood
production.
1972 |
Music
in an Old Gym
by Bob
Bowman
On weekend nights at Lovelady, a small town south of Crockett
in Houston County,
it’s not unusual to hear country music wafting through the rafters
of an old school gymnasium.
About eighteen years ago, Norma Dell Jones, the valedictorian of Lovelady
High School in 1952, learned that the old gym she knew so well was
likely to be torn down.
She rallied others who loved the old gym and put together a restoration
effort that led to the gym becoming the center of Lovelady community
events and a popular country music venue in East
Texas... more |
Downtown Lovelady
Photo courtesy Loren V. Stagner |
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The
new water tower in Lovelady
Photo
courtesy Kevin D. Fritze, May 2006
More Texas Water
Towers |
Lovelady,
Texas Forum
Searching for
information on my great-grandmother, Nettie Bozeman Monzingo, born
1857, Louisiana. Last found in the 1900 census of Houston Co. listed
as Nettie Robinson living with step-son William Henry Monzingo and
family. Would like death date and burial place. Please contact Yvonne
Manning Kendley at kendley@roadrunner.com Thank you. - Yvonne Kendley,
April 13, 2011
Subject:
Jessie Dean Mills
On your page someone was looking for Jessie Mills from Lovelady.
Well we connected. It came to pass he was a WWII baby from Australia.
Ason our father begat while he was stationed there. Dad has been
expired but we did inherit a brother. - Peggy Evans, March 29, 2012
Subject:
Jessie Dean Mills
I saw an article from Tony Mills requesting information on Jessie
Dean Mills. I know him. Please have Tony e-mail me at peggy-evans@sbcglobal.net.
Thank-you, Peggy Evans, May 09, 2007
Subject:
Jesse Dean Mills
Dear TE, I'm hoping someone can offer some information about a family
connection that we have with Lovelady Tx, specifically Jesse Dean
Mills who was born approx 1917. Please see the attached photo. Jesse
lived in Lovelady up until about 1941 or 1942, at which time he
enlisted, or was called up, for service in the US Army. Jesse was
a Motor Mechanic by trade and worked for his sister Ola May's husband.
Jesse served in the Medical Corps as a medic and was posted to the
Pacific theatre where he spent some time in Melbourne and at the
US Army Hospital in Brisbane Australia until approximately November
1944. The CO of the unit was a Major Coulson. Even though this is
such a long time ago we would be very pleased to hear from anyone
that can pass on any information. Regards and Thanks, Tony Mills,
Wynne Melbourne, Australia, July 30, 2006
Subject:
Lovelady, Texas - New Watertower
I stumbled upon your website and noticed the photos and story about
the old watertower. I really hate that it is gone, but after 70+
years, it was not aging well. I have attached a photo of the new
water tower that replaced the old one, for several months they each
stood on opposite sides of the railroad tracks - almost poetic!
Thanks, Kevin D. Fritze, Lovelady City Council - Position 4, May
12, 2006
Subject:
Water Tower Pictures from Lovelady TX
I no longer live in Lovelady, but spent all of my life there until
3 years ago. The water tower was one of the only reasons people
remembered driving through Lovelady and when I was told it would
be dismantled I wanted to make sure I had some pictures. It is now
gone. - Loren V. Stagner, Marble Falls, November 04, 2005
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| 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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