Garwood in Colorado County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Garwood
Photographed By James Hulse, February 25, 2022
1. Garwood Marker
Founded in 1901, the town of Garwood is located on land once occupied by Preston Gilbert, one of Stephen F. Austin's "Old 300" colonists, who acquired the acreage in 1827. In 1896, Marcus Hervy Townsend, Thomas A. Hill, and William Thomas Burford bought part of Gilbert's original league of land as a farming and ranching investment. By 1901, they had begun rice production, developed a canal and irrigation system, and platted a townsite on their land.Townsend was a lawyer and Texas legislator. Hill was a prominent merchant and banker, while Burford was a druggist and planter who served as Colorado County Sheriff from 1898 to 1902. They named their town for Judge Hiram Morgan Garwood, a friend of Townsend who never lived in Garwood or in Colorado County. Streets and avenues were named for early area settlers, other friends of the founders, and for the founders themselves.
From the town's inception, its economy has been based on rice production. The gravel industry, oil and gas production, and duck and goose hunting are also important businesses here.
Throughout its history, the small community has been an important
Photographed By James Hulse, February 25, 2022
2. The Garwood Marker in front of the Garwood Memorial Library
this page online
Sponsored by James G. and Mary E. Hopkins
Erected 1985 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 2106.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1901.
Location. 29° 26.93′ N, 96° 23.727′ W. Marker is in Garwood, Texas, in Colorado County. Marker is at the intersection of Arthur Street and Burford Street, on the right when traveling south on Arthur Street. The marker is located in front of the Garwood Memorial Library. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 502 Author Street, Garwood TX 77442, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 9 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Norman L. Lanier Memorial (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Sgt. William Foster Memorial (about 700 feet away); First Producing Gas Well in Colorado County (approx. 0.9 miles away); Nada (approx. 3 miles away); Nada Post Office (approx. 3.1 miles away); Frazarville (approx. 6 miles away); Joseph and Rachel Rabb Newman (approx. 7.6 miles away); Lakeside Sugar Refinery (approx. 9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Garwood.
Also see . . . Garwood, TX.
Garwood is on State Highway 71 and Farm Road 950 in southern(Submitted on March 2, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)Colorado County. In 1896 Marcus H. Townsend, W. T. Burford, and T. A. Hill built the Red Bluff Irrigation System to attract rice farmers to the area, and by 1901 a number of local farmers were raising rice. Source: The Handbook of TexasPhotographed By James Hulse, February 25, 20223. The view of the Garwood Library and Marker from the street
Credits. This page was last revised on March 2, 2022. It was originally submitted on March 2, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 57 times since then and 11 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on March 2, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
