|
|
 |
History
in a Pecan Shell
The town came into being with the arrival of a wagon train from Georgia
in 1875. Jesse H. Ratcliff, built a sawmill here in the mid 1880s.
The post office opened in 1885 (see Ratcliff
1887 postmark below) and named in Ratcliff's honor. Ratcliff sold
his mill in 1901 to the Central Coal and Coke Company. This new operation
evolved into a huge lumber operation known by the four Cs in it's
name - The Four
C Mill.
The population swelled to 5,000 people and Ratcliff was spared the
fate of many East Texas
towns because of the size of the milling operations. But as the forests
were cut, the writing was on the wall for Ratcliff. By 1920 almost
all of the trees had been cut. The town declined until a reforestation
project was launched in the 1930s. Davy Crockett National Forest
was established and the Ratcliff Recreation Area opened.
Ratcliff has two Texas historical markers: one
for the town and another for the Four
C Mill. |
 |
Historical Marker:
RATCLIFF
About 1875, a 32-wagon
train of settlers came here from Georgia. Jess H. Ratcliff (1844-1920)
built a sawmill about 1855, drawing more people. Post office opened
1889 (webmaster's note: correct
date is 1885, see Ratcliff 1887 postmark
below)
with Ratcliff as postmaster, and town soon had several stores. Professional
men included Drs. H.L. McCall and Jake Jackson. Sold 1901 to Louisiana
and Texas Lumber Co., then to Central Coal and Coke Co., sawmill became
a vast complex, running until 1917, when it closed. Turning to logging
or other enterprises, the community survived, although many residents
moved away. The Ratcliff schools consolidated (1955) with Kennard.
1972 |
Four C Mill Historical
Marker
On State Hwy 7, 0.5 mile W of Ratcliff
Photo courtesy Dustin
Martin, April 2018 |
Historical Marker:
FOUR C MILL
R.M. Keith, agent
for Central Coal & Coke Co., Kansas City, Mo., in Oct. 1899., began
purchasing the virgin pine timberlands of this region. Lumber for
construction of a new mill was cut by a small sawmill bought by Keith,
Jan. 10, 1901, from local landowner, J.H. Ratcliff. Although known
as"Four C" mill, it was operated by the Louisiana and Texas Lumber
Co., organized by Keith in July 1901. The mill began sawing lumber
in June 1902, producing 300,000 board feet per 11-hour day. The Texas
Southeastern Railroad laid tracks from Lufkin;
tram roads and tap lines were built into the forest to haul fresh-cut
timber to the mill.
The company built houses and a "company store" at the mill, and several
logging camps in the forest to house and feed lumberjacks. Hostility
erupted when Town of Ratcliff was begun nearby, competing for the
workers' trade. Between the mill and Ratcliff the company erected
a 16-foot fence, which was dynamited several times, thwarting the
attempts to establish a company-controlled town.
By 1917, the company had exhausted the 120,000 acres it had purchased.
The mill was shut down and dismantled in 1920, due to shortage of
good timber. Nearby Ratcliff Lake was the Four C millpond.
1973 |
 |
Dog
trot houses by Bob Bowman
"...Few of the old-time dog trot homes are left in East
Texas... [A] well-preserved dog trot house near Ratcliff in Houston
County. It was a beauty to behold, framed by crepe myrtles and
cedar trees..." |
| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history
and vintage/historic photos, please contact
us. |
|
|
HOME
Texas
Gulf Coast
East
Texas
Central
Texas North
Central
Texas South
Texas
Panhandle
South
Texas
Texas
Hill Country
West
Texas
Texas
Ghost Towns
Texas
Counties
