Gainesville in Cooke County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
G.H. Ragsdale
(April 1, 1846 - March 25, 1895)
Photographed by Joe Lotz, August 23, 2026
1. G. H. Ragsdale Marker
Tennessee native George Henry Ragsdale came to Cooke County in 1867. He was elected to three terms as county surveyor. By observations and a self-taught education, he became an expert naturalist, chiefly in ornithology, small mammals, fossils and geology. Ragsdale acquired hundreds of specimens and bird eggs, donating and selling many to the Smithsonian Institution. He published dozens of articles, contributed to major studies and was cited in other works. Ragsdale had a column in the Gainesville Hesperian with advice on fauna, flora, geology and weather. His legacy is also seen in a fossil oyster (ostrea franklini ragsdalei) and snail (rabdotus dealbatus ragsdalei) named by his contemporaries.
Erected 2013 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 17486.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical date for this entry is March 25, 1846.
Location. 33° 37.955′ N, 97° 7.619′ W. Marker is in Gainesville, Texas, in Cooke County. It is at the intersection of Fair Avenue and Elizabeth Street, on the right when traveling north on Fair Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1619 Fair Ave, Gainesville TX 76240, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Prairies & Lakes Region. 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 walking distance of this marker: James Menees Lindsay (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Fairview Cemetery (about 500 feet away);
this page online
More about this marker. Marker can be seen from the road.
Photographed by Joe Lotz, August 23, 2026
2. G. H. Ragsdale Marker
Photographed by Joe Lotz, August 23, 2026
3. G. H. Ragsdale Headstone
Credits. This page was last revised on August 25, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 23, 2026, by Joe Lotz of Flower Mound, Texas. This page has been viewed 10 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 23, 2026, by Joe Lotz of Flower Mound, Texas. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.
