Voca, Texas, McCulloch County. (original) (raw)

San Saba River Bridge, Voca, Texas San Saba River Bridge, early 1910s Photo courtesy texasoldphotos.com

History in a Pecan Shell

First established in the late 1850s and early 1860s, Voca remained the real Texas frontier for some time after most Indian hostility had ceased.

The name is an abreviated version of Avoca, Arkansas which meant enough to John and W.C. Deans that they applied for a post office under that name in 1878.

Voca had 120 citizens in the mid-1880s.

The town had a gin, a gristmill and two stores. The San Saba river was crossed by a bridge constructed about 1910. The population was 100 from the 1890s through 1960s. It declined by half and has remained estimated at that level ever since.

Mr. Co Wisdom of Brady, Texas (who contributed to the Fredonia, Texas page) had this to say about Voca:

"There are several things I can tell you about the area and pictures I can show you. There is the foundation and remains of the old Martin/Brown schoolhouse on our place, which most Voca students attended (including my 94-year-old aunt who lives across from me). The teacher lived with our family in the house and [performed] odd jobs for her board. But that is in the Voca area. Most of my family which were Browns lived in Fredonia along with some Millers and Hendersons."

Mt Tabor Church and Cemetery, Voca Texas The closed Mt. Tabor Church and Cemetery 4 miles SE of Voca Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, January 2006
Mt Tabor Church interior, Voca Texa The closed Mt. Tabor Church interior Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, January 2006

Voca, Texas Forum

Subject: Voca,TX
I was born in Brady,TX in May of 1944 and all of the best memories was in Voca staying with my grandparents Cal and Nancy Willis, me and my grandmother setting on the front gate after my grandfather passed away waiting for Jack and Monetta Edmiston to drive by and pick us up so we could go to church on Sundays and Wednesday nights. I hold those memories closest to my heart and always will. My aunt and uncle was Elgin and Bevo McLerran. Sincerely - Wilfred C Speck JR, December 06, 2005

McCulloch County TX 1907 Postal Map

1907 Postal Map showing Voca in SE McCulloch County
From Texas state map #2090
Courtesy Texas General Land Office

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