History
Belle Plain
First official county seat of Callahan County, 1877-1883. The first unofficial county seat was Callahan City where the commissioners court was organized, July 30, 1877, and several civil and probate cases filed by an invalid election, October 13th, and a valid election, December 9, 1877 Belle Plain was selected. On January 16, 1883, the county seat was located at Baird.
History
Belle Plaine Cemetery
Residents of the short-lived community of Belle Plaine were burying their dead at this site as early as 1878. Although the presence of unmarked graves suggests earlier possible usage, the oldest marked grave, that of sixteen-year-old Virgil Hill, dates to that year. Belle Plaine residents informally established a community cemetery here on vacant land.
History
Callahan County
Formed from Bexar Territory, created February 1, 1858; recreated August 21, 1876; organized July 3, 1877. Named in Honor of James H. Callahan, 1812-1856 soldier in the Texas Revolution, captain of the Texas Rangers. County Seat, Callahan City, 1877; Belle Plain, 1877-1883; Baird, since two early military roads, the Chisholm Trail, and the first government telegraph line traversed this region.
Architecture
Callahan County Courthouse
The county seat moved from Belle Plain to Baird in 1883, and a courthouse, designed by noted architect F.E. Ruffini, was built at this site. The county hired another noted architect, J. Riely Gordon, in 1900 for a larger courthouse; J.E. Flanders was the supervising architect.
Military
Camp Pecan, C.S.A.
This Civil War camp of the Texas frontier regiment was located 21 miles southeast. Established in 1862 as one of a line of posts a day's horseback ride apart. The number of men guarding the frontier were few. Trouble came from all directions with Indian threats and raids from the west and plundering renegades and deserters from the east. Food, supplies, clothing and horses were constantly scarce.
Architecture
Clyde First Methodist Church
Organized in 1884, the Methodist congregation at Clyde met in private homes until their first church building was erected on this site in 1904. The white frame structure was replaced in 1936 by this sanctuary, built of stone donated by church members.
History
Community of Clyde
Settlers began moving to this area when the Texas and Pacific Railroad completed its line in December 1880. Many located near the commissary of railroad crew foreman Robert Clyde, for whom the town is named. A post office was established in 1881. The schoolhouse was used for church meetings and local court proceedings.
History
Cross Plains Review
Belmont L. Shields founded the Cross Plains Review in April 1909, when the town was sited on Turkey Creek. He wanted the newspaper established before the railroad came to town, which occurred when the Texas central arrived in 1912 and most businesses and homes moved one mile to the new townsite. After publishing for five years, shields sold the paper to L. P.
Military
Fort Mason-Camp Cooper Military Road
Route for U.S. 2nd Cavalry and supplies from San Antonio to Fort Mason (about 100 miles south of here) to Camp Cooper (about 65 miles north) in campaigns of 1851-1861 against Plains Indians. Great military men of American history traveled this road, including Robert E. Lee (later a commanding general, C.S.A.) and George T. Thomas, "Rock of Chickamauga.
History
Hittson Ranch Headquarters on Battle Creek
Nearby Battle Creek was given its name in 1840 by a small band of men who had traveled to this area in search of hostile Indians. A fight took place near the creek when a raiding party attacked the group. Approximately, twenty years later, cattleman John Hittson (1831-1880) established his ranch headquarters at the site of the battleground.
History
J. D. Windham
(Feb. 13, 1816 - Jan. 11, 1901) Born in Alabama, moved to Texas 1839. Married Frances Monteith and had nine children. Was first doctor in Brown County, 1865; and in Callahan County, 1874; owned general store; planted county's first orchard here in Tecumseh. Recorded 1966.
History
Old Cottonwood Cemetery
OLD COTTONWOOD CEMETERY FOR HIS MILITARY SERVICE WITH THE REPUBLIC OF TEXAS, GEORGE WASHINGTON GLASSCOCK, SR. (1810-68) RECEIVED A LAND GRANT INCORPORATING THE FUTURE SETTLEMENT OF COTTONWOOD. HIS WILL CONVEYED THIS LAND TO HIS DAUGHTER, SARAH JANE GLASSCOCK HALL, WHOSE HUSBAND, PHIDELLO WILLIAM HALL, WAS A TEXAS LEGISLATOR (1870-74). IN 1875, J. W.
History
Old Fort Phantom Hill Corn Road
Founded 1851 for supply operations between Austin and the frontier post of Fort Phantom Hill. Traversed the county diagonally from the northwest to the southeast. Although regular troops withdrew from Phantom Hill 1854, and supply line was discontinued, road was often used by emigrants, troops, surveyors, others. (1967)
Architecture
Prew House
Typically Victorian in style. Built in 1906 by Frank X. Prew, who emigrated from Wisconsin in 1889, desiring to live in a young country. He began a small farm and worked on railroad. Structure is mainly pine. The oak wainscoting downstairs has decorative beading, as does woodwork on windows and doors. Gingerbread trim appears on front gable.
History
Site of Cottonwood Springs
After Indians on High Plains were subdued (1874) by Gen. R. S. MacKenzie, settlers started to pour into this area, where they found abundant game, water, and good soil for ranching, farming. Cottonwood Springs, at head of Green Briar Creek, was one of first villages founded (in 1875). The town soon became a trading center for southeastern part of county.
Transport
Texas & Pacific Railway Depot
The Texas & Pacific Railway arrived here in 1880, platting a town near the work camp of Matthew Baird, surveyor and engineer. In 1881, the T&P built a roundhouse and immigrant house, and moved a depot building to this new railroad division point. The town of Baird prospered and became county seat in 1883.
History
William Jeff Maltby
(December 7, 1829 - June 27, 1908) A native of Illinois, William Jeff Maltby gained fame as a frontiersman, veteran of the Mexican War and American Civil War and Texas Ranger. Maltby began his Texas exploits about 1850, building frontier forts for the U. S. Army. He retired to Callahan County in 1878 and developed a nursery that earned him national recognition as a fine horticulturist.
Elsewhere in Texas
Hear it from the road
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