Whitney in Hill County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Whitney

Photographed by Mansfieldphoto.com, January 12, 2025

1. Whitney Marker

Inscription. Whitney, the first railroad town in Hill County, was established in 1879 on the route of the Houston and Texas Central Railroad and was named for railroad investor Charles A. Whitney. Lots in the new town were sold at a "Grand Picnic" on November 25, 1879. An eager crowd bid on the lots which sold at prices ranging between $100 and $750. Several merchants who purchased lots established "tent stores" while carpenters worked night and day to complete wooden frame stores. Soon a central business district was in operation. The new town included a post office, bank, school, several churches, civic organizations, a newspaper, and many businesses. The opera house was the cultural center for entertainment, offering theatrical and musical productions and, later, movies. Several devastating fires burned much of the downtown area over the years, but the citizens rebuilt each time. The building of nearby Whitney Dam caused the town's population to expand in the late 1940s and early 1950s, and brought increased tourism from those visiting the newly created Lake Whitney. The town of Whitney observed its 100th birthday on November 25, 1979. A centennial celebration included a parade, musical entertainment, and fireworks.

Erected 1996 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 5790.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Places. A significant historical month for this entry is November 1884.

Location. 31° 57.054′ N, 97° 19.31′ W. Marker is in Whitney, Texas, in Hill County. It is on W Washington Street near S Colorado Street (Farm to Market Road 933), on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 111 W Washington Street, Whitney TX 76692, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Prairies & Lakes Region.

Globally,

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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: Whitney Messenger (here, next to this marker); Boesch House (approx. 0.2 miles away); King Memorial United Methodist Church (approx. 0.2 miles away); Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church (approx. 0.6 miles away); Whitney Memorial Park (approx. 0.7 miles away); Carver Homestead (approx. one mile away); Bethlehem Cemetery (approx. 1.7 miles away); Towash (approx. 3.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Whitney.

Also see . . . Whitney, Texas, from Wikipedia. Whitney is a town in Hill County in Central Texas. The population was 1,833 at the 2000 census. Whitney is a rural lakeside community, and site of the very first bass fishing tournament. Created by the local newspaper, it took place on Lake Whitney in 1955 with 73 teams participating. (Submitted on September 23, 2012, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.)

Whitney Marker next to 111 W Washington Street image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mike Stroud, 15

2. Whitney Marker next to 111 W Washington Street

Whitney Marker at Memorial Park (between the buldings) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mike Stroud, September 14, 2012

3. Whitney Marker at Memorial Park (between the buldings)

Photographed by Mike Stroud, September 14, 2012

4. Whitney Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on June 24, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 23, 2012, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 1,380 times since then and 50 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on June 24, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. 2, 3, 4. submitted on September 27, 2012, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.