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History in
a Pecan Shell
All that is left of Rosita / White Point today is a cemetery.
The White Brothers (Eddie and Frank) were ranching
in the area as early as the mid- 1850s. East
Texas rancher Darius C. Rachal brought a herd here to graze
and fell in love with the open coastal prairie. The White Brothers
sold Rachal land and he settled in.
In 1867 a Yellow Fever outbreak killed a sizeable portion of the
tiny populace, hitting the White family hardest. The name White
Point is said to either have been named after the Whites, or
the appearance of the white dunes or bluffs along the coast.
Mr. Rachal prospered
and extended his business into cotton
farming. He opened a gin and a store in 1879. Rachal applied for
a post office submitting applications under the names White Point
and Rachal, but both names were rejected by postal authorities.
Finally, in 1892, with Rachal as postmaster. Rosita, Texas
came into being. Although it was closed in 1919.
In the 1920s, most of Rosita’s residents moved to nearby Odem.
Although the area was depopulated, the Rachal Family remained and
continue to own what was once White Point / Rosita.
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Photographer's
Note:
Located in Southern San
Patricio County this marker tells the tale of the small community
of White Point or Rosita, Texas. The marker is located in Odem,
Texas in their park in the middle of town. - William
Beauchamp |
San
Patricio County 1920s Map
showing Rosita near Nueces Bay
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 and recent
or vintage/historic photos, please contact
us. |
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