Aransas Pass in San Patricio County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Great Land Lottery of Aransas Pass

Photographed by James Hulse, August 31, 2021

1. Great Land Lottery of Aransas Pass Marker

Inscription. In 1909, real estate developers E.O. Burton and A.H. Danforth embarked upon a land promotion scheme to take advantage of available land in Aransas Pass. They hired journalist W.H. Vernor to produce the "Aransas Pass Progress" which promoted Aransas Pass and the pending land sale across the country by U.S. Mail. Promoter A.D. Powers was hired to carefully handle the sale to avoid its being seen as a lottery by the postal department.

Six thousand tickets each, representing a town lot, were sold for $100 each. Ticket holders were then to come to Aransas Pass to bid on lots; they were not to bid more than $100, and thus the tickets could be exchanged directly for lots.

Nearly all 6,000 lots were sold during the auction sales in December 1909. All went well until postal inspectors who had secured tickets purposefully overbid, which muddled the sale and led to several legal battles. As a result of the Great Land Lottery of 1909, Aransas Pass did see substantial growth. The money collected in overbids went into a trust that eventually served to fund public and school ibraries, including the one at this site.

Erected 1992 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 2262.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education

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• Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical month for this entry is December 1909.

Location. 27° 54.556′ N, 97° 8.934′ W. Marker is in Aransas Pass, Texas, in San Patricio County. It is at the intersection of North Lamont Street and West Wheeler Avenue, on the left when traveling north on North Lamont Street. The marker is located in front of the Public Library. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 110 North Lamont Street, Aransas Pass TX 78336, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American South

and on the Gulf Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the Republic of Texas,

and one of the Confederate States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: VFW (within shouting distance of this marker); John Wiebel VFW Post 2932 (within shouting distance of this marker); First United Methodist Church (approx. half a mile away); Aransas Pass First Baptist Church (approx. 0.6 miles away); Terminal Railroad (approx. 0.7 miles away); Cementerio San Antonio de Padua (approx. 2½ miles away); Eleventh Airborne Memorial (approx. 3.2 miles away); Late Pleistocene Ingleside Fauna (approx. 4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Aransas Pass.

The Great Land Lottery of Aransas Pass Marker in front of the Public Library image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, August 31, 2021

2. The Great Land Lottery of Aransas Pass Marker in front of the Public Library

The view of the Great Land Lottery of Aransas Pass Marker and the Public Library from the street image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, August 31, 2021

3. The view of the Great Land Lottery of Aransas Pass Marker and the Public Library from the street

Credits. This page was last revised on September 30, 2021. It was originally submitted on September 29, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 718 times since then and 44 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 30, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.