Nixon in Gonzales County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Nixon Ice and Water Company and Poultry Processing Plants
Photographed by James Hulse, November 15, 2025
1. Nixon Ice and Water Company and Poultry Processing Plants Marker
Around 1920, J.W. Holmes and Sons (Fred and Forest) bought the Nixon Ice and Water Company from Mr. Norton and expanded the company to include a soft drink bottling company. The location soon became a popular "hang-out" for the towns people, where they could enjoy a cold soft drink, eat ice cream, buy ice and all the while have access to the swimming pool adjacent to this location.
Forest Holmes further expanded his business when he started buying turkeys, dressing them out, and packing them in ice to allow for distant delivery. It was the beginning of poultry processing in Nixon. Soon chickens replaced turkeys, as Nixon and Smiley chicken growers began to expand with most of the initial growth during WWII. While Holmes continued to market ice packed chickens, a new entrepreneur, Lillard Chessher, started Mrs. Chessher's Chickens. His market niche was selling chickens that were cut up, frozen and packaged. Nixon now had two large, well known processing plants selling dressed poultry all across America.
Captions
(Photo #1) Nixon Ice and Water Company Plant.
(Photo #2) Holme's Poultry Plant.
(Photo #3) Poultry dressing line.
(Photo #4) Chessher's Poultry Plant.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1908.
Location. 29° 16.089′ N, 97° 45.884′ W. Marker is in Nixon, Texas, in Gonzales County. It is at the intersection of West 2nd Street and E 2nd Street, on the right when traveling north on West 2nd Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 105 W 2nd St, Nixon TX 78140, United States
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Regionally, this marker is in the Hill Country. It is also in the American South. 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, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: The First Cotton Gins in Nixon (here, next to this marker); Nixon (here, next to this marker); Southern Pacific Railroad Promotes Nixon Townsite (here, next to this marker); Nixon Depot and Cattle Pens (a few steps from this marker); The John T. Nixon Ranch (a few steps from this marker); First Baptist Church of Nixon (approx. Ό mile away); Rancho (approx. 1.9 miles away); Site of Old Town of Union Valley (approx. 6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Nixon.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 24, 2025. It was originally submitted on November 24, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 53 times since then and 18 times this year. Photo 1. submitted on November 24, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
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