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History in
a (water-logged) Pecan Shell
Although the area was first settled in the mid 1850s, the Civil War
and Indian attacks delayed the establishment of a town. The name on
the post office application was originally Westerville, but
residents were notified that another town had already taken the name
for their post office.
One resident who had been enjoying Dickens's The Pickwick Papers,
suggested the name Pickwick and this was the name submitted on the
new application. The name was granted by the postal authorities and
breaking slightly with the tradition of first post offices being in
stores, Pickwick's first post office was set up in the town's blacksmith
shop.
Silas Wester, who was to have been the town's namesake became the
town's first postmaster. The post office was opened in 1903 and remained
open through WWII.
Dispite the addition of a cotton gin, store, school, church, and sawmill,
Pickwick remained small. In 1919 the town's doctor moved, and the
town lost several of its businesses. The town was purchased in 1939
for the proposed Possum
Kingdom Reservoir.
But even though the land might have been sold - Pickwick didn't have
to die - the post office and the store it operated from were moved
two miles east of the former site. Likewise, the Pickwick school was
moved. "New Pickwick" didn't take. The school operated under another
name LuKingdom (for some unexplained reason) and by 1946 the store
and post office closed.
Pickwick still managed to report a population of thirty in the late
1960s. In times of drought, the old Pickwick iron bridge is said to
be visible. |
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| 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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