Woodlawn, Texas, Harrison County. (original) (raw)

History in a Pecan Shell

The community dates from the 1850s when the Bethesda Baptist Church was organized. It was later renamed the Woodlawn Baptist Church, which provided the name for the community.

Things got rolling in the 1870s with arrival of the The Texas and Pacific Railroad. A post office was granted in 1874 and ten years later the population was reported at 100. The community shipped cotton and fruit and was supported by two general stores, a gin and a gristmill. In the 1890s the number of gins and gristmills stood at four.

Woodlawn seemed satisfied with the figure of 100 residents, for it continued to use that number into the 1940s when it declined to just 70.

In the 1960s, the Woodlawn gas field was developed and the population increased. From the mid 1960s through 2000, the estimated population has been given as 370.

Starlight Baptist Church
Photo courtesy Gerald Massey, January 2010

Texas Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories, landmarks and vintage/historic photos, please contact us.