Hamlin in Jones County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Hamlin
Photographed By Duane Hall, November 6, 2014
1. Hamlin Marker
Inscription.
Hamlin. . Early settler R.D. Moore conveyed 320 acres of land to the International Construction Co. (also called the Orient Land Co.) of Kansas City, Missouri, for a town site along the Panhandle Gulf Railway in September 1902. Probably named for Orient executive W.H. Hamlin, the Hamlin community was organized in 1905, the same year it received its first post office. The Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway reached Hamlin in 1906 and a newspaper, the Hamlin Herald, was first printed that same year. Hamlin was incorporated as a town and a school system was established in 1907. By autumn 1908, Hamlin had grown to more than one thousand citizens as more railroads reached the area. , Hamlin quickly became a major shipping point, with its economy based on agriculture and the railroad. Among the town’s business operations were cotton compresses, a cotton oil mill, an ice plant, a cement and plaster plant, a grain elevator, several cotton gins, an electric generating plant, an ice cream factory and bottling works, and a telephone company. Churches formed in Hamlin’s early days included Church of Christ, Baptist, Methodist and Church of the Nazarene. A movie theatre opened in 1907. Central Nazarene College was established in 1909. The Oscar DePriest School System for African American students began operation in 1925. , Oil was discovered near Hamlin in 1928, broadening the area’s economic growth with oil and gas exploration. In 1950, the town’s population was 3,564. The school system was integrated in 1965. The population of Hamlin in 1990 was 2,791. At the dawn of the 21st century, Hamlin remains a center for farming and varied manufacturing.
Early settler R.D. Moore conveyed 320 acres of land to the International Construction Co. (also called the Orient Land Co.) of Kansas City, Missouri, for a town site along the Panhandle Gulf Railway in September 1902. Probably named for Orient executive W.H. Hamlin, the Hamlin community was organized in 1905, the same year it received its first post office. The Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway reached Hamlin in 1906 and a newspaper, the Hamlin Herald, was first printed that same year. Hamlin was incorporated as a town and a school system was established in 1907. By autumn 1908, Hamlin had grown to more than one thousand citizens as more railroads reached the area.
Hamlin quickly became a major shipping point, with its economy based on agriculture and the railroad. Among the town’s business operations were cotton compresses, a cotton oil mill, an ice plant, a cement and plaster plant, a grain elevator, several cotton gins, an electric generating plant, an ice cream factory and bottling works, and a telephone company. Churches formed in Hamlin’s early days included Church of Christ, Baptist, Methodist and Church of the Nazarene. A movie theatre opened in 1907. Central Nazarene College was established in 1909. The Oscar DePriest School System for African American students began operation in 1925.
Oil was
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discovered near Hamlin in 1928, broadening the area’s economic growth with oil and gas exploration. In 1950, the town’s population was 3,564. The school system was integrated in 1965. The population of Hamlin in 1990 was 2,791. At the dawn of the 21st century, Hamlin remains a center for farming and varied manufacturing.
Erected 2000 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 12356.)
Location. 32° 52.933′ N, 100° 7.538′ W. Marker is in Hamlin, Texas, in Jones County. Marker is on S. Central Avenue (U.S. 83) north of S. 3rd Street, on the right when traveling north. Marker is located in front of parking lot for Hamlin National Bank. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 231 S Central Ave, Hamlin TX 79520, United States of America. Touch for directions.
More about this marker. At the base of the marker is a stone tablet with the inscription: "This marker is given in memory of Robert Fowler by friends and family".
Also see . . . Hamlin, TX. From the Texas State Historical Association's "Handbook of Texas Online". (Submitted on November 10, 2014.)
Photographed By Duane Hall, November 6, 2014
3. View to South in Downtown Hamlin
Photographed By Duane Hall, November 6, 2014
4. View to North Along US 83
Photographed By Duane Hall, November 6, 2014
5. Downtown Hamlin near Marker
Photographed By Duane Hall, November 6, 2014
6. Depot and Track Bed of Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway
Railroad was later acquired by Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad and depot was rebuilt by AT&SF in 1959
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on November 10, 2014, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas. This page has been viewed 994 times since then and 98 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on November 10, 2014, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas.