Branchville, Texas, Milam County. (original) (raw)

History in a Pecan ShellWhile one might assume the town was named for being on a watercourse, it may have actually been named after a "branch" store. Merchant W. B. Easterwood had a store in operation in Port Sullivan, when he expanded - opening a branch here. The name became official when the post office opened in 1878. (It closed in 1908.)

From a modest population of 20 in 1884, it blossomed into 85 by 1896.

In 1903 Branchville had three schools. Thirty white students were taught by a single teacher in one building and two one-teacher schools taught a total of 133 black students. In the 1940s, Branchville had a population of 100 and its schools integrated in the 50s and consolidated with Cameron schools in the 1970s.

Branchville Sign
Photo courtesy Tracy Burries-Hall, November 2010

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