Lindale in Smith County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Site of Flora
Photographed by Randal B. Gilbert, December 26, 2015
1. Site of Flora Marker
Inscription.
Site of Flora. . James K. Beene settled in this area in 1845 and established a post office called Flora in 1849. John and Delila Austin and their daughter and son-in-law, Mary and Willis Jones, bought adjacent farms in 1850. Flora community grew up around their properties on the Dallas-Shreveport Road. By 1853, James Monroe Luckey had opened Flora's first store and Carmel Baptist Church was organized nearby. The first sale of a town lot in Flora was recorded in 1855. By 1860 the town boasted three doctors, two blacksmiths, a Masonic lodge and three stores. The hardships of the Civil War years brought about the decline of the thriving community. By 1871 all the businesses were gone, the Masonic lodge had moved to Garden Valley, and Flora became a ghost town.
James K. Beene settled in this area in 1845 and established a post office called Flora in 1849. John and Delila Austin and their daughter and son-in-law, Mary and Willis Jones, bought adjacent farms in 1850. Flora community grew up around their properties on the Dallas-Shreveport Road. By 1853, James Monroe Luckey had opened Flora's first store and Carmel Baptist Church was organized nearby. The first sale of a town lot in Flora was recorded in 1855. By 1860 the town boasted three doctors, two blacksmiths, a Masonic lodge and three stores. The hardships of the Civil War years brought about the decline of the thriving community. By 1871 all the businesses were gone, the Masonic lodge had moved to Garden Valley, and Flora became a ghost town.
Erected 2001 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 12385.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1845.
Location. 32° 33.179′ N, 95° 27.692′ W. Marker is in Lindale, Texas, in Smith County. It is on Old Mineola Highway (County Route 431) 0.2 miles west of Lem Pool Road (County Route 4119), on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 19616 Old Mineola Highway, Lindale TX 75771, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, and in the Piney Woods. 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.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 31, 2026. It was originally submitted on December 26, 2015, by Randal B. Gilbert of Tyler, Texas. This page has been viewed 1,281 times since then and 55 times this year. Photos:1. submitted on December 26, 2015, by Randal B. Gilbert of Tyler, Texas. 2. submitted on March 30, 2026, by Jeff Leichsenring of Garland, Texas. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
