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MARKHAM, TEXAS
Matagorda County,
Texas Gulf Coast
28°57'47"N 96°4'4"W (28.962944, -96.067712)
FM 1468 and FM 2431
6 Miles NW of Bay City the county seat
32 Miles S of Wharton
90 miles SW of downtown Houston
22 miles NE of Palacios Bay
ZIP code 77456
Area code 979
Population: 1,138 (2000) 1,206 (1990)
Markham, Texas Area Hotels ›Bay
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History in
a Pecan Shell
First named
Cortes, Texas, the community has a post office under that name briefly
(1901-03). In 1903 the post office was renamed to honor an engineer
for the Southern Pacific railroad.
By 1914 Markham had a respectable population of 500 residents and
was a stop on the Texas and New Orleans railroad. By the mid 1920s,
the population shed 100 residence, bringing it down to 400.
Markham formed its own independent school district by the mid 1930s
and had about a dozen businesses in operation. During WWII
the population had grown to 700 which dropped to 300 for the 1950
census.
1965 reported growth to 750 but by 1970 it had dropped again to
just over 600.
The 1990 census had increased to 1,206 and by 2000 it was ten businesses.
The population was 1,138 for the year 2000.
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Oil Well Pumping
Rig
A plaque on the
rig had the following information:
"J.S. Abercrombie Mineral Company
Oil Well Pumping Rig
In 1920, near Clemville, Texas,
J.S. Abercrombie Mineral Company put this pumping rig into operation
on a new oil well at a location west of Little Tres-Palacios Creek
and south of the present El Dorado Road. In 1927 the well went dry,
and the pumping rig was not used again.
In 1980 J.G. "Pappy" Stone donated this example of an early oil well
pumping rig to A.W. "Al" Hurta, Matagorda County Commissioner precinct
No. 4. The same year it was moved to this location and restored as
a reminder of the county's oil production in the early years of this*
century."
*"The twentieth century, of course." - Terry
Jeanson, September 2012 |
1920s map showing
Markam in north central Matagorda
County W of Bay City
From Texas state map #10749
Courtesy
Texas General Land Office |
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