Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > The Lighter Side

ROAD TRIP: A BBM Game

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jpwagoneer1964:
Duncanville, Texas

The origin of Duncanville can be traced as far back as 1840, with the community's beginning as a small settlement. It was not until some forty years later, with the construction of the Chicago, Texas and Mexican Central Railroad connecting Dallas and Cleburne that Duncanville began to emerge as a town. The coming of the railroad to Duncanville changed the community. The railroad line connecting Dallas to Cleburne was to be completed not later than April 15, 1881. With time running short to complete the railroad on time, a shortened method of railroad construction was adopted at an open field owned by James R. Horne and G.H. Finley. Doing this allowed the railroad to arrive in Cleburne two hours ahead of the deadline and a switching station was later built in the open field. It was called Duncan switch.

In 1881, Charles Nance arrived by train at Duncan Switch to visit his sister, Mrs. William Horne. Finding the area much to his liking and envisioning a bright future for this part of Dallas County, Mr. Nance made the decision to stay in this area. He formed a partnership with Chris Horne, for fifty dollars purchased a lot from G.H. Finely, and built the first building, Nance Brothers, at Duncan Switch.

In August of 1881, Nance forwarded a petition to the Post Office Department in Washington, D.C. to establish a post office. Residents at that time were receiving their mail at post offices in Cedar Hill, Wheatland, or Jim Town. His application was returned with a notation to choose a different name because there was already a post office in Jasper County, Texas with the name of Duncan. There had been individuals in the community who had refused to sign Nance's original petition and many others who were hard to convince, so he simply added "ville" to Duncan, so it now read Duncanville. The petition was returned to Washington and, in early October 1881, he received the order to open the new post office under the name Duncanville.

With Mr. Nance as the first postmaster, the post office opened in the general store and the first mail bags were received October 1, 1882.The growth and development of Duncanville occurred along the railroad tracks. In 1883, a large two-room depot was constructed immediately adjacent to the railroad tracks. Over time, businesses began emerging along the east side of the tracks. The first businesses to be established were the cotton gin, two general stores, and a doctor's office.

Mark

Fran:
Entrance, AB

memento:
EBENEZER, TEXAS
Ebenezer is a tiny rural community located off Recreational Road 255 about thirteen miles northwest of Jasper in northwestern Jasper County. Settlement began in the area by 1860 when pioneers William P. M. and Mary Ann Dean established a family graveyard. In 1861 they gave land for both the cemetery and the Ebenezer Methodist Church. Circuit-riding ministers used the log building for both Methodist and Baptist congregations. A new building replaced the structure after it burned in the 1890s. In the early 1900s a third building served as both a church and schoolhouse. Highway maps of the 1930s showed the school in Ebenezer that served area farming families. Sometime after this the school closed, and the church was deactivated in 1965. Though Ebenezer was still shown on maps in the 1990s, no population estimates were available in 2000. The Ebenezer Methodist Church and Ebenezer Cemetery received Texas Historical Markers in 1986 and 1987 respectively.

MaineWriter:
Rock Crusher, TX

 Near the Bachelor Prong of Hords Creek, the railroad had built a large steam-driven roller-type rock crusher for creating roadbed material.

A post office was open from 1912 to 1914, when the town had two stores. The town reached its population peak about this time with 400 persons, most of them employed moving, crushing and hauling away rock.

In 1916, three schools combined to comprise the Rock Crusher school district.

In the 1920s and 1930s Coleman county roads were supplied with gravel from the crusher.

During the Depression, the town was down to 150 inhabitants. The crusher was removed and the large hole which was left became a small lake.

The town was deserted by the 1960s and the lake was filled with silt.

Leslie

jpwagoneer1964:
Richland Hills, Tx

    
 
Welcome Home!

The City of Richland Hills is a vibrant, progressive community strategically located in the crescent of Northeast Loop 820 and Texas State Highway 121 in Northeast Tarrant County. The convenient location provides residents easy access to all of the amenities offered within the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.

The roughly 8,132 residents also enjoy some of the best housing values in north Texas in stable, well-kept neighborhoods with large lots and attractive, affordable homes. With forty-nine percent of city revenues received from sales tax and property taxes paid by businesses, residential property taxes are among the lowest in Tarrant County.

The City's schools are in the acclaimed Birdville Independent School District (BISD) {http://www.birdville.k12.tx.us/}. Within a ten-minute drive, Tarrant County College {http://www.tcjc.cc.tx.us} offers a wealth of classes. Several major colleges and universities are also within easy driving distance.

The City has a well-equipped Library and Parks and Recreation Department. The City offers a wide variety of activities including preschool, youth, adult and senior citizen classes, plus special events and building rental. Three public parks offer tennis courts and jogging trails.

Richland Hills accommodates more than 320 businesses which includes two of the top twenty largest industrial parks in Tarrant County. Both Midway Business Park and Richland Industrial Park front State Highway 121. Businesses also have access to the vast labor force in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex with the Richland Hills Trinity Railway Express Station {http://www.trinityrailwayexpress.org}. The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) {www.dfwinfo.com} projects the rail station to be the second busiest stop on the line between Fort Worth and Irving.

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