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History in
a Pecan Shell
In
1881, the town's founder, Robert Emmett Wilson, bought property here.
In 1888 he built a store on the north side of the Keller-Grapevine
road. In 1897 the town was named after the Jellico Ranch -
which had been named after a town of that name in Tennessee.
At its height, the town's post office served about 300 people. The
Jellico general store closed in 1912 as neighboring towns like Keller
and Grapevine
grew. According to the Handbook of Texas, "the only reminder
of Jellico today is a shopping center called Jellico Corners." |
The newly arrived
Anelle McCarty Kloski being displayed near what might be Tarrant County's
oldest structure, Jellico, Texas 1934.
Photo courtesy Anelle McCarty Kloski |
Jellico
Texas Forum
Subject: First House in Tarrant County?
I was born in
an old house where Jellico, Texas used to be. The house was called
the old Thompson place, because my mother said it was built by the
Sal Thompson family, before my grandmother Nellie Page, bought it.
One room of the house was an original log cabin. My mother said
that someone had come out before I was born (1934) to take a stone
from the old house to be put in the cornerstone of the new post
office being built in Ft.
Worth. They said it was the first house built in Tarrant County,
though I cannot confirm that with the historical society. I can
not trace this story, and I once visited the post office but the
historical people there said they had no record of that.
I wish they had taken a picture of the old log house, but I guess
it wasn't considered very fancy at the time. All I have is a photo
[above] of me soon after I was born. I am being held by my mother,
Florence Page McCarty, next to what must have been the chimney of
the old house. I was born in November of 1934. I was always sorry
I wasn't born in the log room, instead of the "better" one next
to it. I remember being in the house but not much about it. My grandmother
later tore the old house down and built another.
It seems to be part of a park now, and the sign there says "Big
Bear Creek Greenbelt". I was born right across the street from that
park area, where the creek crosses the road. If anyone has any information
about the post office cornerstone, the house, or other residents
of Jellico, I would appreciate them contacting me at: akloski@sierrabourne.net
(This address should be good for the rest of my life. - Anelle Kloski,
September 17, 2011)
Thank you. - Anelle McCarty Kloski, Forest Ranch, California, March
21, 2006
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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
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