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Downtown Clyde
Photo courtesy Mike
Price, March 2008 |
History in
a Pecan Shell
Clyde's beginning
was naturally tied to Baird's
since Clyde was the next stop on the Texas and Pacific Railroad. It's
said that the name came from Robert Clyde's camp for the railroad
workers, established in 1880. Enough people stayed after the railroad
moved on - and in 1881 they got a post office.
Some of Clyde's first residents were a colony of Portuguese,
who didn't stay long. They may have realized how far from the sea
they were and moved on. Another group of Irish families transmigrated
from Pennsylvania.
The Bankhead Highway - the first transcontinental road across
the U.S. - included Clyde on it's route and Clyde also was gaining
a reputation for fruits and vegetables. It was publicized as being
"The California of Texas." Clyde has been blessed with abundant underground
water, but droughts in 1886-87, 1930-36, 1949 to 57, and 1983-85 have
reduced the once-popular slogan to a historical footnote.
Clyde has had a string of bad luck with tornadoes. (Has anyone had
good luck with them?) The first occurred in 1895 and destroyed the
Catholic Church. In 1938 the school was destroyed along with other
buildings. Fourteen people were killed. Another occurred in 1950 and
took the lives of five more of Clydes citizens. The most recent was
in 1989. |
Area
Recreation
Lake Clyde - 5 miles south of Clyde.
On the headwaters of the Pecan Bayou.
www.tpwd.state.tx.us.htm |
Clyde, Texas
Chronicles
The
California of Texas by Mike Cox
The Callahan County
community got its name from one Robert Clyde, a railroad construction
crew foreman who operated a commissary in the vicinity when the Texas
and Pacific laid tracks through that part of West Texas in December
1880. A year later, enough folks had settled in the area to support
a post office that Washington approved designating as Clyde. Though
historical sketches of Clyde the town offer nothing more about Clyde
the man, he must have been a likable enough sort to be honored in
such a way. Or maybe early residents lacked imagination.
Someone representing Clyde's second generation did a little better
in the 1920s when civic boosters painted "The California of Texas"
on the town's water tower. That tank held H2O drawn from a sizable
aquifer beneath the town, enough to sustain the kind of agricultural
produce that came from the Golden State. Alas, Clyde's nickname faded
along with the paint and the abundance of water.
One thing Clyde ought to be remembered for is a tale from the early
1900s about an area farmer and his prized jack, a long-eared, four-footed
Casanova with quite a reputation. Local farmer-rancher-businessman
John Berry, who late in life wrote a little book about Clyde and some
of its colorful characters and notable events, told the story in his
"The Hills of Home." ... more |
| "There are
6-8 old gas stations along highway 18. My best guess is that at some
time it was highway 80. It would have been more than 50 years ago.
Clyde could not have supported that many stations as I'd guess 75%
of it's population growth has come in the last 30 years." - Mike
Price, March 2008 |
Highway
180 old gas station
Photo courtesy Mike
Price, March 2008 |
| "The rundown
building on Interstate 20. In the late 50's there was a sign labeling
it as a Uranium Sitting House, if you can believe it." - Mike
Price, March 2008 |
Clyde local
and tourist information:
Clyde Chamber of Commerce: 915-893-4221
PO Box 257 Clyde TX 79510
Clyde Economic Development Corporation: 915-893-0058
PO Box 257 Clyde TX 79510
Clyde City Hall: 915-893-4234
222 Oak Street Clyde, TX 79510
www.clydecityhall.com/ |
| 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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