Noodle, Texas, Jones County. (original) (raw)

	Old Gin at Noodle, Texas Photo courtesy Jack Williams More Cotton Gins

History in a Pecan Shell

The town took its name from Noodle Creek. According to folk tradition the name meant "nothing" or signified a dry creek bed. Settlement in the region began in 1882 with the arrival of Anderson Criswell, a shepherd. Later settlers came for the land that was priced at a mere $5 per acre.

In 1898 Noodle had a store and in 1900 a post office opened which operated until 1924.

In 1883 the first school, Willow Creek, was established at Criswell's ranch. Local residents built a school building in Noodle six years later and named it Cross Roads.
By 1920 the town had added a gin, a blacksmith shop, and a garage.

In 1929, after consolidating with the Horn school district, Noodle used bonds to build another school, the Noodle-Horn school. The first church services in Noodle were held in the original schoolhouse.

In the mid-1980s Noodle had one store, a gin, and two churches.

Noodle's population did not exceed forty between 1950 and 1986. It was still reported as forty in 1990.

See Noodle, Texas by David Knape

Noodle, Texas Forum

• Subject: Noodle Texas
  I was actually raised in Noodle and went to school there as were my brothers. I was married in the Noodle Church of Christ and actually lived in the house next door on the south side of the church. The house was purchased by Mr. & Mrs. Tony and was torn down.
  We were taught in school that the word Noodle came from an Indian scout that was in search of water and he came across the creek just north of Noodle and it was dry. In his language noodle meant dry. - Melissa Nichols Beasley, Wichita Falls, Texas, August 04, 2008
• Subject: Noodle Texas
  I just read the article on Noodle, TX and thought it might be of interest to you to know that the one of the first if not the first postmaster of Noodle TX was actually a postmistress, Julia Mitchell Vaughan. She was first the postmistress of Funston, TX following the death of her husband, Wiley Vaughan and then became the postmistress of Noodle---this would be between 1900 and 1905. Julia Mitchell Vaughan Bray was my great grandmother. Thank you. - Kathryn Smith Martin North Chili, NY, March 05, 2006

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