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

History in a Pecan Shell

Founded in the early 1880s, the town was first called Spring Creek. When the post office opened (1893) the name officially became Avo. The Texas Central Railroad built through Jones County in 1900, and storekeeper J. L. Crostwaite moved his store / post office three miles to the railroad. This new post office took the more finished name of Avoca.

The town had a very respectable population 500 people in 1908, but that proved to be the record high. Hardships and drought - not to mention the brighter lights of distant cities reduced the number of Avocans. By 1940 it was down to a mere 150, reaching about 121 for the 1980 Census - the same number in use for 2010.

Bethel Lutheran Church NE of Avoca
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, July 2004

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