Bon Wier, Texas history, landmarks, photos, vintage map, travel, hotels & more. (original) (raw)

History in a Pecan Shell

Established as a railroad stop in 1905 on the Jasper and Eastern Railway, the name is an amalgam of the names B. F. Bonner and R. W. Wier, employees of the Kirby Lumber Company.

The Kirby Lumber company was eager to exploit the vast timber in the area and a post office was granted in 1906, giving a sense of permanence to the community even if (when) the timber played out.

From 1918 through 1924 logging operations were intense and after a three year hiatus they resumed in 1927 until 1929. The final phase lasted from 1932 to 1935.

The Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway (later the AT&SF) bought out the tiny Jasper and Eastern Railway in the late 1940s. Enough timber was left to keep smaller local mills in production through the 1990s.

The town peaked in the late 40s with a population estimated to be 500. The decline in population since then has been slight � reaching 475 for the 1990 census.

See Bon Wier Historical Marker ›

Bon Wier historical marker
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, December 2010

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