Rusk, TX history, landmarks, attractions, historic sites, photos. (original) (raw)
RUSK, TEXAS
Cherokee County Seat, East Texas
31� 47' 54" N, 95� 9' 0" W (31.798333, -95.15)
U.S. 69, 84 and 110
FMs 23, 241, 343 and 768
14 miles SE of Jacksonville
43 miles NW of Lufkin
31 miles E of Palestine
30 miles W of Mount Enterprise
37 miles NW of Nacogdoches
40 miles S of Tyler
125 miles SE of Dallas
160 miles N of Houston
ZIP code 75785
Area codes 430, 903
Population: 5,602 Est. (2019)
5,551 (2010) 5,085 (2000) 4,366 (1990)
Rusk, Texas Area Hotels
Jacksonville Hotels | Palestine Hotels
Photo courtesy Shelby Lavender
"Melons grown by Hulen Wilcox" c. 1950. Mr. Wilcox (who appears somewhat reluctant to add one last melon) and two unidentified helpers.
Photo courtesy Arcadia Publ. & Cherokee Co Hist Commission
History in a Pecan Shell
Named for Thomas Jefferson Rusk who signed the Texas Declaration of Independence, Rusk also was the birthplace for James Stephen Hogg and Thomas Campbell who were the first two Governors of Texas to be born in the state.
A timeline of significant events in Rusk:
1846: Rusk becomes county seat
1847: Post office granted, courthouse and jail built
1850: Population 355 residents
1851: Stephens and Carter Academy was opened - to later become the Rusk Male and Female Academy
1870s: When bypassed by the International-Great Northern Railroad, Rusk built its own railroad to Jacksonville - a railroad with wooden rails.
1880s: Population more than triples to nearly 2,000
1877: Work begins on State Penitentiary which later becomes the Rusk State Hospital
1893: Rail line constructed linking prison with (what is now) Maydelle
1903: Gov. Thomas M. Campbell helps pass a bill extending the Texas State Railroad from Rusk to Palestine.
1927: Courthouse square paved
1929: Population reaches 2,750
1936: Population reaches 3,859
1952: Population reaches its zenith at 6,617
Rusk, Texas Landmarks/Attractions
- The Heritage Center of Cherokee County - a block off Rusk�s courthouse square
- The Bonner Bank Building c. 1865 - first bank in Cherokee County
- Old Rusk Penitentiary Building: c. 1878 - U.S. 69 and Avenue "A"
Downtown Rusk
Photo courtesy Lori Martin, December 2005
Rusk City Hall & Fire Station
Photo courtesy Lori Martin, December 2005
First United Methodist Church of Rusk
308 N. Henderson Street
Photo courtesy Lori Martin, December 2005
Historical Marker:First United Methodist Church of Rusk Organized in 1849, this congregation was first served by the Rev. Henderson D. Palmer (1812-1869). A circuit riding minister, Palmer received his license to preach in 1838 in Nacogdoches County. The first deed for the Methodist church property in Rusk was recorded on May 22, 1850. The first church building was erected the following year. A second sanctuary was built in 1896 during the pastorate of the Rev. A. A. Godbey. Those serving on the building committee were E. L. Gregg, J. W. Summers, and J. F. Mallard.
The present building was completed in 1920 while the congregation was under the leadership of the Rev. J. W. Goodwin. It was dedicated in 1935, when the building debt was retired. The dedication day was referred to as a great day in the life of the church. All three Methodist sanctuaries have stood on this site. There have also been three parsonages. The first, built in 1879, was replaced by a second home in 1947. Recent additions to the church property were an educational building in 1961 and parsonage in 1981.
For over a century, the First United Methodist Church of Rusk has been a vital part of the community. Many descendants of early members continue to be active in the life of the church.
1986
First Presbyterian Church
Photo courtesy Lori Martin, December 2005
Churches in Rusk, Texas
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/
More Texas Churches
Photo courtesy Robert Grimes, August 2006
Footbridge Garden Park
The 546 foot bridge is two blocks east of the square
at the end of 5th Street at Lone Oak in Rusk
Rusk Nearby Attractions/Destinations:
- Fairchild State Forest - 13 miles west of Rusk on Highway 84
- Jim Hogg Historic Site - 2 miles NE of Rusk on Highway 84
- Texas State Railroad - In Rusk State Park:
Train ride 25 miles to Palestine and return.
1-800-442-8951
See also Texas State Railroad by Archie McDonald, PhD
Photo courtesy Dana Goolsby, October 2010
Rusk Sunday Drive
- Rusk : Mark Twain might have lived here
(from "East Texas Sunday Drives" by Bob Bowman)
Rusk, Alto, Jim Hogg State Park, Caddo Mounds State Historic Site, two ghost towns, and the longest footbridge in the United States Rusk Tourist Information
Rusk Chamber of Commerce: 1-800-933-2381
Website:www.rusktx.com
Workmen at the state prison foundry at Rusk
Courtesy Arcadia Publishing & Cherokee Co Hist Commission
Rusk, Texas Chronicles
- The wooden-tracked railroad by Bob Bowman
The Rusk Tramway
It wasn�t the longest railroad in East Texas. And it certainly wasn�t the most profitable. But it taught its builders, the good people of Rusk, how not to run a railroad... - Prison House
"In the late 1800's and 1900's my house served as a prison house..."
 |
Rusk High School - 1920s Photo courtesy texasoldphotos.com |
|---|
"These were taken at some kind of old Factory. My mom said it was a Foundry. Not sure. The property is for sale and it is all fenced in. It is located on highway 84 outside of Rusk toward Maydelle." -
Lori Martin December 2005
"Rusk has a history of involvement in the Civil War and you'll find a... gun factory site on U.S. 84 west of the city." -
Rusk : Mark Twain might have lived here
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.