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PANOLA, TEXAS
Panola County, East
Texas
32° 21' 29" N, 94° 5' 29" W (32.358056, -94.091389)
Junction of U.S. Hwy 79 and FM 9
20 Miles NE of Carthage the county
seat
ZIP code 75685
Population: 296 (2000)
Panola, Texas Area Hotels >
Carthage
Hotels |
History in
a Pecan Shell
Once named Latex,
Texas for it’s location on the Louisiana – Texas state line, it
grew around a gas lease that was brought in in the mid 1920s.
The company built housing for its employees and shortly thereafter,
businesses sprang up to serve the community. The name was changed
to Panola.
By 1896 the population was 150. With the closing of the post office
in 1913, population dwindled. The town is now what is referred to
as a dispersed community. |
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Photographer’s Note:
“In 1954, the year I got out of high school, I landed a job as a mail
clerk with United Gas, the largest natural gas company in the world.
United Gas was a dual company that consisted of the Union Producing
Co, and the United Gas Pipeline Co. Union Producing Co. would drill
for and get the gas, United Gas Pipeline Co. would transport it and
United Gas Corporation would distribute it and sell it.
United Gas Pipe Line Company, in their network of pipelines would
have to have “compressor stations,” warehouses, work forces, and (in
the early times) furnished housing for the maintenance crews. These
stations in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s would require very large facilities.
One of their main facilities was located at Panola. Panola also had
a golf course that is still in existence today.
The compressor station, warehouse and other support buildings are
still there but not in use. All are now behind security fences and
are only ghosts of their past. This place was really something in
its heyday. I worked for United Gas for seventeen years from 1954
until about 1972. All that I have written, I observed firsthand as
I was there.” - Gerald
Massey |
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Gas pipeline
company old water tower
"Ghosts of their past."
Photo courtesy Gerald
Massey,
2009
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The golf course
that is still in existence today
Photo courtesy Gerald
Massey, 2009
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1907 Panola
County Postal Map showing Panola
E of Carthage
From Texas state map #2090
Courtesy
Texas General Land Office |
| 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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