Italy, Texas. (original) (raw)

The name:
Italy bears no cultural ties to the "Old Country"and if there are citizens of Italian heritage - it's merely coincidental. The name was contributed by the postmaster of 1880 who imagined the climate of Texas comparable to that of Italy.
History in a Pecan shell

A timeline of significant events in Italy, Texas:
1860: Scattered settlement begins
1879: the brothers Aycock built the first house and use it as a combination of house, store and post office. The town was split over what the name should be - some wanting Egypt and others Italy. Gabriel J. Penn, the Waxahachie postmaster settled the matter for them by filling in the blank on the application with the name Italy. The postal authorities gladly accepted Italy (there was already an Egypt in Wharton County).
1890: The population reaches 500 Italians (not really Italians, but what else are you going to call them?)
1891: A big year for Italy. The Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad arrived (actually in December 1890), the first newspaper was published, and the town was officially incorporated.
1900: population is 1,061
1901: The International-Great Northern Railroad reaches Italy
1913: The Electric Interurban between Waco and Dallas comes through Italy (Electricity for the city was provided by Waco)
1920s: Italy had five gins, a compress, and a cottonseed oil mill.
1925: The population reaches 1,500 and the Italy Independent School District was established.
1930: Italy starts the Great Depression with a population of 1,230 people and 45 businesses.
1960: Italy's population remains nearly the same with only 1,183 people and half the businesses.

Italy Today

Italy is the home of the S. M. Dunlap Memorial Library.

Because of its slow growth from the 30s, Italy is a town that should be visited on an Ellis County trip. It remains very representative of a North Texas cotton town of the 1930s.

Italy Fire Department & City Hall, circa 1926

The Corley Bell Tower plaque

Italy High School
1909 postcard courtesy rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/
More Texas Schoolhouses

St. L. & S.W. Depot, Italy, Texas
1910 postcard courtesy rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/

Katy MKT Depot, Italy
1946 postcard courtesy rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/
More Texas Depots

1920s map showing Italy (SW Ellis County) and the railroads
From Texas state map #10749
Courtesy Texas General Land Office

Italy, Texas Chronicles

Back Home in It-lee, Texas, USA by Jeanne Moseley

"... His career in radio broadcasting took him to Dallas, Louisville, Providence, Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York and then back to Los Angeles, where he became well known as a premier broadcaster. As a young boy on Italy's Ward Street, his favorite pastime was listening to Gene Autry's radio show ..."

Italy, Texas Forum

I was born in Milford Texas and was familiar with Italy. I used to go to the movie in Italy on the interurban (because we had no movie). My brother (Dick Murray) ran a radio repair shop in Earl Shives drug store. if anyone remembers me - please write. - Flora Murray (Henderson), Milford, Ellis, Texas. Email: flo_h_2001@yahoo.com

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