Lovelady, Texas, Houston County. (original) (raw)
Lovelady's landmark water tower has beeen dismantled.
Photo Courtesy Loren V. Stagner
History in a Pecan Shell
The town was named for Cyrus Lovelady, one of the first settlers. Mail service for the community came from Pennington from 1858 until 1872, when the railroad (the Houston and Great Northern Railroad) arrived and Lovelady got its own post office.
The population was 300 by 1885 and reached 500 just before the Great Depression.
The town has suffered from periodic fires throughout the years which has left the town without a central business district. The first was in 1892, followed by the burning of the school in 1901 and one in 1903. Another occurred during WWII with the last major fire in 1966.
Historical Marker:
Town of Lovelady
Founded by Houston and Great Northern Railroad investors as line was built through grant of Cyrus Lovelady, near communities of Nevil's Prairie, Pennington, and Weldon. Post office opened on Nov. 8, 1872. Town soon had livery, stables, blacksmith shop, and hotels, prospering as market and shipping point. By 1876 day school and Sunday school were held in a log house. A two-story structure was shared 1881-88 by Baptists and Lovelady Lodge No. 539, A.F.&A.M. Churches of other faiths were built later. The town, incorporated in 1927, is now center for ranching, pulpwood production.
1972
by
On weekend nights at Lovelady, a small town south of Crockett in Houston County, it�s not unusual to hear country music wafting through the rafters of an old school gymnasium.
About eighteen years ago, Norma Dell Jones, the valedictorian of Lovelady High School in 1952, learned that the old gym she knew so well was likely to be torn down.
She rallied others who loved the old gym and put together a restoration effort that led to the gym becoming the center of Lovelady community events and a popular country music venue in East Texas... more
Downtown Lovelady
Photo courtesy Loren V. Stagner
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The new water tower in Lovelady Photo courtesy Kevin D. Fritze, May 2006 More Texas Water Towers |
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Jesse Dean Mills |
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Lovelady, Texas Forum
- Searching for information on my great-grandmother, Nettie Bozeman Monzingo, born 1857, Louisiana. Last found in the 1900 census of Houston Co. listed as Nettie Robinson living with step-son William Henry Monzingo and family. Would like death date and burial place. Please contact Yvonne Manning Kendley at kendley@roadrunner.com Thank you. - Yvonne Kendley, April 13, 2011
- Subject: Jessie Dean Mills
On your page someone was looking for Jessie Mills from Lovelady. Well we connected. It came to pass he was a WWII baby from Australia. Ason our father begat while he was stationed there. Dad has been expired but we did inherit a brother. - Peggy Evans, March 29, 2012 - Subject: Jessie Dean Mills
I saw an article from Tony Mills requesting information on Jessie Dean Mills. I know him. Please have Tony e-mail me at peggy-evans@sbcglobal.net. Thank-you, Peggy Evans, May 09, 2007 - Subject: Jesse Dean Mills
Dear TE, I'm hoping someone can offer some information about a family connection that we have with Lovelady Tx, specifically Jesse Dean Mills who was born approx 1917. Please see the attached photo. Jesse lived in Lovelady up until about 1941 or 1942, at which time he enlisted, or was called up, for service in the US Army. Jesse was a Motor Mechanic by trade and worked for his sister Ola May's husband. Jesse served in the Medical Corps as a medic and was posted to the Pacific theatre where he spent some time in Melbourne and at the US Army Hospital in Brisbane Australia until approximately November 1944. The CO of the unit was a Major Coulson. Even though this is such a long time ago we would be very pleased to hear from anyone that can pass on any information. Regards and Thanks, Tony Mills, Wynne Melbourne, Australia, July 30, 2006 - Subject: Lovelady, Texas - New Watertower
I stumbled upon your website and noticed the photos and story about the old watertower. I really hate that it is gone, but after 70+ years, it was not aging well. I have attached a photo of the new water tower that replaced the old one, for several months they each stood on opposite sides of the railroad tracks - almost poetic! Thanks, Kevin D. Fritze, Lovelady City Council - Position 4, May 12, 2006 - Subject: Water Tower Pictures from Lovelady TX
I no longer live in Lovelady, but spent all of my life there until 3 years ago. The water tower was one of the only reasons people remembered driving through Lovelady and when I was told it would be dismantled I wanted to make sure I had some pictures. It is now gone. - Loren V. Stagner, Marble Falls, November 04, 2005
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