Exile, Texas, Uvalde County. (original) (raw)

History in a Cedar Shingle

An Exile post office was in operation in 1890 on the ranch of W. C. Lee. Lee was the postmaster of the town that was jokingly named for its isolation and distance from civilization.

In 1896 the combination church-school had an enrollment of fifty-six students with one teacher. The church moved south to the Heard community school where it was known as the Dry Frio Baptist Church.

The town was reportedly abandoned in the mid-1940s. No cemetery or location is shown on TXDoT maps.

Exile Texas Forum

• Subject: Exile Cemetery & Schoolhouse
  I live on the Frio Cielo Ranch. This is a homeowner's association that was formed years ago from a working ranch. Fence lines have moved over the years.
  The Exile cemetery does exist, and I can see it from my property line. Exile did have a schoolhouse that burned down, according to an elderly lady I am in contact with. When the weather cools, she said she would go with me to tell what she could remember about Exile. The school was right next to the cemetery. The cemetery is not on the Frio Cielo Ranch. It is accessible through a private ranch next to our fence line.
  As I was speaking to the lady who told me she went to school at Exile before it burned down, her husband chimed in and told me he went to school there also. I hope to visit them together again soon.
  There was a post office before it burned down, but from what I understand, Exile really was not a town as we think of a ghost town being. It was a community. I will learn more from this elderly couple and be glad to share the info with you when I do. - Dave Lawrence, July 05, 2005
• Subject: Exile, Ghost Town
  I found out about the town called Exile today while I was at my mother's house. She lived on the Frio Cielo Ranch which I found out used to be the town of Exile. I came home and looked on the internet and found your site.
  I saw on your site that TXDoT maps did not identify a cemetery. There is a cemetery for the town of Exile on the Frio Ceilo Ranch. One of the other residents of the ranch and I were talking and he told me about it. I will be going back up on Friday Aug 13 and plan on going to the cemetery and taking pictures. I would love to share them with you and any other information I uncover. Thanks - W Heine, August 08, 2004

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.