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The Vogelsang
building on Avenue G.
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, January 2014 |
History in
a Pecan Shell
The town was named
in honor of Henry Rosenberg, a Swiss immigrant, who settled in Galveston
and from 1874 to 1877 was president of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa
Fe Railway Company.
The area was originally settled around 1823 by members of Stephen
F. Austin's Old
Three Hundred. Mirabeau
Lamar and Jane Long resided in nearby Richmond.
A timeline of significant events in Rosenberg History:
In 1880 the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway railroad built
three miles to the west of the Richmond
– the Fort Bend County
Seat – because Richmond refused a
right-of-way. This scenario played itself out numerous times in Texas
history and it usually resulted in the disappearance of the refusing
town. Richmond being a county seat
made them a rare exception.
1881: a post office was granted
Rosenberg also became the headquarters for the New York, Texas and
Mexican Railway.
[See Pierce, Texas for the
story on the construction of what was then called the “Macaroni Line”and
the naming of towns along the route.]
1889: the Union Depot was constructed.
The Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad purchased 200 acres from
the heirs of the Henry Scott league and platted a city square between
the river and railroads The present location of Jackson School.
During this period of their history, Rosenberg was a tent city with
only a few permanent buildings in place. The roads were either dusty
or mud – depending on the weather. Nicknames of Mudville or Mud City
were often applied to the town.
1894: Wells Fargo opened an office in Rosenberg.
A new resident, who later became mayor - R. T. Mulcahy, raised money
for the first school.
An immigration of Czechs, Poles and Germans boosted the population
between 1890 and 1900 to 1,000 people.
1898: Rosenberg incorporated its school district, and built
a new school.
1902: the "City of Mud" was incorporated into the city of Rosenberg.
Robert H. McCormick became the town's first mayor and the Cumings
Drug Store became the location for the town’s first telephone.
R. T. Mulcahy (The Father of Rosenberg) completed Robert McCormick's
unfinished term of Mayor.
1903: and a Masonic lodge was established in 1903.
1906: 100 telephone subscribers required switchboard which
was set up in Kubena's Boot Shop
1912: the first electrical generating plant was built, and
Rosenberg had fifty-six businesses.
1913: The town had its worst flood. Others occurred in the
years 1922, 1929 and 1957.
1914: a volunteer fire department was formed.
1920s: oilfields were developed and Rosenberg briefly became
a boomtown. The first hospital was built in 1922.
1945: Rosenburg had an estimated 3,457 residents and by 1956
it had almost doubled to 6,210 Rosenbergers.
1946: Rosenberg and Richmond
merged to form the Lamar Consolidated ISD.
Industries and production in the Rosenberg area include petroleum,
sulfur, natural gas, salt, clay, sand, and gravel. On the more edible
side, they produce livestock, rice, sugar, and sorghums. Cotton
has also been a time-tested economic crop. |
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Buildings along
3rd Street
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, January 2014 |
Building at the
Rosenberg Railroad Museum at Ave. F and 3rd St.
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, January 2014 |
Abandoned building
across from the post office on Avenue G.
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, January 2014 |
Vogelsang Building
Historical Marker
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, January 2014 |
1907 postal map
showing Rosenberg, Richmond, and
the Brazos River running through Fort
Bend County
(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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