Near Mertzon in Irion County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Arden Community

Photographed By Tom Anderson, June 17, 2019

1. Arden Community Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

This ranching community was named for John Arden, a sheep raiser who arrived in 1876. After 1900, small homesteaders moved into the area. Joe Funk gave land for a school and cemetery in 1903. Baptist, Church of Christ, and Methodist congregations shared the schoolhouse for worship. Camp meetings were held at "the Grove" on Rocky Creek. In 1916 the school moved to a brick building at this site. Following a series of droughts, Arden began to decline. The post office closed in 1942 and the school in 1947. A frame polling station replaced the brick schoolhouse here.

Erected 1979 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 59.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1876.

Location. 31° 26.621′ N, 100° 45.993′ W. Marker is near Mertzon, Texas, in Irion County. Marker is on Farm to Market Road 853, 10.8 miles north of U.S. 67, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Mertzon TX 76941, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 7 other markers are within 15 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Sherwood Cemetery

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(approx. 10.3 miles away); Irion County (approx. 11.4 miles away); Sherwood Courthouse (approx. 11.4 miles away); Dove Creek Battle/Texas Civil War Indian Trouble (approx. 13.2 miles away); Anti-Tuberculosis Colony No. 1 (approx. 13.3 miles away); Knickerbocker Schools (approx. 14.6 miles away); Knickerbocker (approx. 14.7 miles away).

Also see . . . Arden, Texas - The Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association (TSHA) (Submitted on July 1, 2019, by Brian Anderson of Humble, Texas.)

Photographed By Brian Anderson, November 24, 2020

2. Arden Community Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on November 25, 2020. It was originally submitted on July 1, 2019, by Brian Anderson of Humble, Texas. This page has been viewed 180 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on July 1, 2019, by Brian Anderson of Humble, Texas. 2. submitted on November 25, 2020, by Brian Anderson of Humble, Texas.