History
City of George West
Founded 1913 by George Washington West, rancher and civic leader, who secured railroad route through Live Oak County and provided several municipal buildings and plots for others. Became county seat in 1919. Market and shipping point for cattle and cotton. (1967)
History
Crossing of Old Ox-Cart Roads
From the early days of spanish colonial Texas well into statehood, the only "Highways" in the area were primitive dirt roads. Although many had names, others were simply called "ox-cart roads" for the sturdy mexican carts so frequently seen on them.
History
Early Schools in Live Oak County
Until the 1870's, Live Oak county had private schools taught by clergymen and ranch employees in cabins, brush arbors, dugouts. County Judge G.W. Jones initiated (1876) community schools with tuition set at 71/2 cents a day per student. In time there were 43 of these small schools.
History
Early Schools in Live Oak County
Until the 1870s, Live Oak County had private schools taught by clergymen and ranch employees in cabins, brush arbors, dugouts. County Judge G.W. Jones initiated (1876) community schools with tuition set at 7 1/2 cents a day per student. In time there were 43 of these small schools.
History
Echo Stagecoach Depot and Post Office
Known as "Mount Echo" or "The Point", this site once belonged to empresario James McGloin. His daughter and son-in-law, Elizabeth and Patrick Murphy, ran a general store at Echo. John Bernard Murphy (1822?-1884) and his wife Margaret Mary (Healy) (1833-1907), both born in Ireland, settled here in the 1850's and built a two story ranch house. J.B.
History
Felix Longoria
The funeral rites of Three Rivers native Felix Longoria advanced public debate on the status and rights of Mexican-Americans and military veterans. Private first class Longoria enlisted in the U.S. Army in Nov. 1944 and was killed during the Battle of Luzon in the Philippines. His parents received his posthumous medals, while his wife and daughter moved to Corpus Christi after the war.
History
George West Cemetery
The George West Cemetery was originally part of the George West Ranch. The ranch dates to the 1880s, when George Washington West (1851-1926) and his wife, Kitty Searcy West (1858-1939), purchased 140,000 acres in Live Oak County. On March 4, 1916, George set aside six acres of his vast ranch for use as a community and Live Oak County Cemetery.
History
Gussettville
Founded by Irish catholics of McMullen and McGloin colony in 1830's. Called "Fox nation" for the Fox family, was renamed Gussettville in 1850's in honor of N. Gussett, owner of general store. First Catholic church in Live Oak County built here 1874. Land for church and part of the cemetery was given by Thomas Shannon and his wife Anne.
History
Jessy Franklin Gray
(1895-1968) Educator, soldier, politician, and businessman, Jessy Franklin Gray was born in Wilson County on December 5, 1895. Passing the state teachers exam at 17, he taught in Oakville and became school superintendent. Resigning when the United States entered World War I, Gray attended army officers training camp at Leon Springs Military Reservation in San Antonio.
History
Lagarto Cemetery
In the early 1870's an unknown traveler died at the home of Samuel and Mary Beall, proprietors of a general store in the ranching town of Lagarto. The Bealls buried the man at a site on their property. In 1876, land surrounding the gravesite was formally set aside as the Lagarto Cemetery when Sam and Mary Beall sold two acres of their land to J.W. Ramey, Cornelius Clay Cox, and T.P.
History
Lagarto College
Site of Live Oak County's only college. Opened 1884, with 4 teachers. Promoted locally to further town's growth (population 500). Once-prosperous Lagarto failed after 2 railroad bypasses. School closed, 1895. Two story building was moved and used as a ranch house.
History
Live Oak County
Created by legislature Feb. 2, 1856, and organized August 4 with Oakville as county seat. Formed from San Patricio and Nueces Counties. Named for its Live Oak trees. County seat moved, 1919, to George West on railroad. Center for ranching, farming, petroleum production and processing. Recreation areas include Tips State Park and Lake Corpus Christi.
History
Live Oak County Jail
Oakville, seat of Live Oak County from 1856-1919, first called "on the sulphur," was near a Nueces River crossing called Puente de la Piedra (Rock Crossing). Joseph Bartlett built a stone courthouse and attached log jail in 1857 as a center of authority. The county became part of the growing cattle industry following the Civil War.
History
Loma Sandia Prehistoric Cemetery
Native American bands that inhabited the southern Texas and northern Mexican gulf coast before European colonization were hunter-gatherers. In this vicinity starting in 1973, Texas Highway Department (later Texas Department of Transportation) archeologists excavated burial grounds of Native Americans in two separate soil strata. The older graves date from the middle archaic period (around 850 B.C.
History
Oakville
So named from its Live Oak trees county seat from 1856 to 1919 of Live Oak County, which was created February 2, and organized August 4, 1856
History
Oakville Post Office
Irish immigrants settled this area as part of the John McMullen and James McGloin Mexican land grant. Located on the sulphur tributary of the Nueces River, this site was known as "on the sulphur". Live Oak County was organized in 1856 and "Oakville" was named county seat.
History
Old Dobie Ranch, Birthplace of J. Frank Dobie
(Sept. 26, 1888-Sept. 18, 1964) A strong individualist and noted folklorist who added a new dimension to literature of Southwest. Collected and published more than 30 volumes of folk tales and legends. His works best preserve the heritage of people of the brush country--the rancher, the miner and the cowboy. (1970)
History
Site of Three Rivers Glass Factory
Opened 1922 by company headed by Charles R. Tips (b. 1892), the founder of town of Three Rivers. Powered by local natural gas, plant used quartzose sand mined in area to make glass bottles for milk and other beverages and jars for food and cosmetics, attaining annual gross sales of a million dollars.
History
Site Planned for a Regional Trade Center: Simmons, Texas
Originally ranch land, bought in 1900 by Dr. C.F. Simmons (Wealthy St. Louis manufacturer of "Liver Regulator"), who also built this all-faiths church, 1908. After Simmons' son and heir died of snake bite, he sold 60,000--acre ranch to 4,200 small farmers and provided buildings for this rural community. (1969)
History
Thelma Laura Pugh-Lindholm
A fourth-generation Texan, Thelma Pugh-Lindholm descended from Irish emigrants Thomas and Margaret (McCann) Pugh, who purchased from Empresarios McMullen and McGloin in 1835 a Mexican league and labor of land across the Nueces River from present-day George West. Born in 1898 to grandson Charles and Lucy (Crawford) Pugh, Thelma grew up on the original Pugh homestead.
History
Three Rivers
Founded March 1913 by Charles R. Tips. An investor chartered June 12, 1913, as Hamiltonburg--named for local family. Town lot sale began July 4, 1913. Townsite renamed by U.S. Postal Department May 1, 1914, to mark fork of three rivers--Nueces, Atascosa and Frio. Present interests are ranching, farming, gas, oil and recreation.
History
Town of Dinero
Dinero was settled in the year 1838 by farmers and ranchers. The town was first named "Barlow" after the local ferry operator. The townspeople were instrumental in organizing Live Oak County, 1856; they started a school by 1858. By about 1872, rumors of money ("dinero" in Spanish) buried here led the town to change its name. A post office was established in 1885.
History
Town of Whitsett
Situated on 1835 land grant of Mexico to John Houlihan. At this site in 1800's was water and a camp for cross-country drives of cattle, hogs. Town arose in 1913 when San Antonio, Uvalde & Gulf railroad was built here and post office opened. Named for ranch family donating right of way and townsite. Soon shipped steers by thousands to northern markets. International fame began 1924 when H.A.
Elsewhere in Texas
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