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"Sure
I heard of Grits. I just never actual seen a grit before." - Joe Pesci
in My Cousin Vinny
Grit History
in a Pecan Shell
Settled by cotton
farmers around 1889. When the time came to open a post office the
town wanted to be named after General
Frederick Funston, Spanish
American War Hero. Saddened to discover that Funston
had already been so honored in Texas (see Funston,
Texas), the town settled on the more earthy name of Grit - said
to be the texture of the local soil.
The post office opened in 1901, the first store opened around 1903,
and the town had its first school building in 1908.
The Baptist church met in the Grit school until it built its own building
in 1924. Telephone service began around 1914 when the town had 30
people. It remained at 30 until the 1960s when 63 people lived in
Grit. This number held into the mid 80s, but it has since declined
back to the 1914 level of 30 citizens. The post office has since been
discontinued, but Grit remains on state maps. |
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Mason
County 1907 Postal map showing Grit
NW of Mason
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 vintage/historic photos, please contact
us. |
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