Eagle Lake in Colorado County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Chesterville

Photographed by Doug Green, May 19, 2026

1. Chesterville Marker

Inscription.
In 1894, a Swedish land promoter from Chicago named John Linderholm purchased 60,000 acres of Gulf Coast prairie in portions of Colorado and Wharton Counties. Linderholm was head of the Southern Texas Colonization Company and sought to bring immigrant families to settle and farm the area.

The land was advertised by four promotional pamphlets, the first written in Swedish. There was promise of opportunity, with one pamphlet declaring "40 acres a living; 80 acres comfort; 160 acres wealth. Come to Texas!" Immigrants were attracted by a free round-trip train ticket for every 160 acres of land purchased.

The Chesterville post office was established in 1895. The town was named after William P. Chester (1869-1945), who surveyed and platted the land. Chesterville became the railroad destination for many Midwestern land-seekers and grew to have about 200 residents with a church, school, hotel, saloon and several stores.

Dr. James (Jay) G. Rodger arrived from Chicago in 1898 with a vision for maximizing railroad access for the creation of an educational center for prairie families and students across Texas. Unfortunately,

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"The Great Storm of 1900" destroyed much of Chesterville’s growth potential and the dream of "The College of Chesterville." The population declined due to land being more suitable for large agricultural enterprises, especially rice cultivation. A rice and grain storage facility still remains, built by the Andersons, one of the early families in the area. Although most historic resources of Chesterville are gone, the site remains an important example of immigrant settlement and land development in Texas.

Erected 2019 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 22601.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Immigration • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1894.

Location. 29° 36.591′ N, 96° 12.481′ W. Marker is in Eagle Lake, Texas, in Colorado County. It is at the intersection of FM 1093 and County Road 224, on the right when traveling east on FM 1093. The marker is about 1,000 feet west of the intersection of FM 1093 and FM 2764. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: East Bernard TX 77435, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally,

Photographed by Doug Green, May 19, 2026

2. Chesterville Marker

The site of the former town of Chesterville is behind (south of) the marker.

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,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 8 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Attwater Prairie Chicken Preserve (approx. 6½ miles away); Hartsville Cemetery (approx. 6.9 miles away); Hartsville Veterans Memorial (approx. 6.9 miles away); a different marker also named Hartsville Cemetery (approx. 6.9 miles away); Martin Allen (approx. 6.9 miles away); Methodism in Eagle Lake (approx. 7½ miles away); Eagle Lake High (approx. 7.6 miles away); Masonic Cemetery (approx. 7.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Eagle Lake.

More about this marker. The marker is just north of where the town of Chesterville used to be.

Credits. This page was last revised on May 20, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 20, 2026, by Doug Green of Sugar Land, Texas. This page has been viewed 17 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 20, 2026, by Doug Green of Sugar Land, Texas. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.