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Poteet
strawberry water tower
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, May 2005 |
History in
a Pecan Shell
Poteet was named
after local blacksmith / postmaster Francis
Marion Poteet. The post office opened in 1886 and by 1892 the
town had most basic businesses, including a gin, gristmill, and wagonmaker.
In the mid 1890s Henry T. Mumme arrived, opened a store and succeeded
Poteet as postmaster.
Mumme discovered artesian wells in the area in 1902 - even while the
region was suffering from a drought. When the Artesian Belt Railroad
was building through the area the Mummes donated land to the railroad
(three miles southwest of the original site) and built a new store
alongside the railroad.
Having irrigation from the wells, Mumme planted strawberries and the
rest, as they say, is history. A three-day strawberry festival was
first held in 1948 and is now an annual event.
From a population of 500 in 1914 Poteet grew to 2,300 after oil was
discovered nearby in the 1940s. From the 1970s, the population stabilized
around the 3,000 mark - peaking in the late 1980s at 3,519 and then
declining to 3,206 for the 1990 census. |
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Poteet Strawberry
Capital of Texas
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, May 2005 |
The Poteet
Strawberry Festival
Correction:
The strawberries are NOT shipped in from California. The Poteet Strawberry
Festival Association has taken great efforts to insure all strawberries
on the grounds are certified to be from the 19 local growers. Outsiders
have brought in trailers from California and sold in the city to make
a quick profit but have now dwindled. Since the annual event draws
crowds in excess of 100,000, the demand for Poteet strawberries is
greater than the supply. Unfortunately, outside strawberry markets
move into the Poteet area to take advantage of the crowds. The Association
has no control of vendors outside the Festival Grounds. However, to
assure that our guests are getting the genuine articles, all local
berries will be in newly designed boxes which state "Fresh Produce
Poteet, Texas" during Festival Weekend. The Poteet growers are also
offered locations on the Festival Grounds to sell their berries.
The Poteet Strawberry Festival grounds was bought by and maintained
by the Poteet Strawberry Association to benefit local non profits
and strawberry growers. In 1948 there were over 400 growers. Now there
are only 19. Over 33 local non profits sell food and drinks on the
grounds.
The Poteet Strawberry Festival is the largest agriculturally based
festival in Texas. When compared to the strawberry festivals across
the nation, Poteet usually is in the top three of the best.
Poteet is also the birthplace of country singer George Strait.
The mosaic in front of the Poteet Volunteer Fire Department is "Poteet
Canyon"
- Robert Martinez, Poteet Strawberry Festival Director, Poteet strawberry
grower, February 12, 2017 |
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Poteet historical
marker in front of the post office
at 4th Street and Avenue I intersection.
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, May 2005 |
Historical marker:
4th Street and Avenue I
POTEET
The town of Poteet
traces its history to the 1880s, when Francis
Marion Poteet (1833-1907) established a mercantile store northeast
of this area. A blacksmith and farmer as well as a merchant, Poteet
began providing mail service to his customers.
Poteet sold his business to Henry T. Mumme (1870-1947) before 1900.
Mumme continued to offer postal service at the store, and in 1910
he and his wife Ida (1869-1942) donated 400 acres of land for a new
townsite. Since the area had been referred to as Poteet as a result
of the early mail service, the new town was named in honor of Francis
Marion Poteet. Mumme moved his store to the new townsite in 1911.
Mumme drilled the town's first artesian water well and is credited
with introducing the cultivation of strawberries here. The artesian
water, together with the sandy soil of the region, proved ideal for
growing the berries. Known statewide for its superior quality strawberries,
Poteet has been nicknamed the "Strawberry Capital of Texas."
The town grew steadily after 1910, with the establishment of schools,
churches, homes, and businesses. It was incorporated in 1926.
(1989) |
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"Poteet Canyon"
Tile mosaic in front of the volunteer fire department by artist Milton
Caniff.
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, May 2005 |
Memorial in front
of the fire department, dedicated by Poteet family descendants, to
Frances Marion and Mary Ann Poteet and their family.
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, May 2005 |
Center plaque
on Poteet family memorial.
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, May 2005 |
Closed store
next to the City Hall
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, May 2005 |
Poteet, Texas
Vintage Photos
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1930s Poteet
store
Photo courtesy Library of Congress |
| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact
us. |
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