DUNLAY, TEXAS

Medina County, Hill Country

29° 20' 55" N, 98° 59' 26" W (29.348611, -98.990556)

Highway 90
6 Miles W of Castroville
8 Miles E of Hondo the county seat
Population: 119 (2000, 1990)

Dunlay, Texas Area Hotels › Hondo Hotels

Road view
Photo courtesy William Beauchamp, June 2012

History in a Pecan Shell

Dunlay may hold the record for “aliases” with no fewer than six alternate names. From the original name of Enterprise, it was also known as Enterprise Station, Interprise, Harper, Summit, Baldwin and Murray.

In the early 1880s, the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railroad arrived. In 1890 a post office was granted. Two years later the town had a population of forty with a cotton gin, general store and a saloon for entertainment. Dunlay’s final change of name occurred in 1895 when town and post office were named after Jerry Dunlay, a train conductor.

Dunlay broke through the 100 resident ceiling in 1914 although it wasn’t until the mid 1960s when it reached 150. The post office closed in the mid 1970s and the population started drifting back toward 100.

Photographer's Note:
From looking at maps I would guess the old road from Castroville to Hondo went through this place as it's a several roads crossings as well as the Railroad. - William Beauchamp

A closed store
Photo courtesy William Beauchamp, June 2012

Hermann Sons Building
Photo courtesy William Beauchamp, June 2012

1940s Medina County map showing Dunlay
(E of Hondo)
Courtesy Texas General Land Office

Take a road trip

Texas Hill Country

Dunlay, Texas Nearby Towns:
Hondo the county seat
Castroville
San Antonio
See Medina County

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