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History in a Pecan
Shell
Settlement began around 1835 and according to one legend, the
town was named by none other than Alamo
defender Davy Crockett. It was supposedly Crockett’s suggestion that the (then-nameless)
town be named for the American Revolution’s General Baron de Kalb.
DeKalb College was founded in 1839 and prospective residents were screened
by the landowners who donated the school land.
DeKalb was the first
seat of Bowie County by 1841 although growth was slow until it became a stop
on the Texas and Pacific Railroad in 1876. It wasn’t until 1890 that the town
had a population of 500. This figure doubled to over 1,000 by 1930.
It
remained primarily an agricultural economy – bolstered by the Red River Army Depot.
The 1980 population of 2,200 declined slightly for the 1990 census to 1,976 and
by 2000 it was 1,769.
DeKalb Today
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Dan
Blocker's grave in the Woodsmen Cemetery, near downtown DeKalb.
Photo
courtesy of John DeBusk | |
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