Guion, Texas, Taylor County ghost town. (original) (raw)

History in a Pecan Shell

Settlement was reported as early as 1879, and three years later it was serving as a stage and mail stop for the Abilene to San Angelo run. The Guion post office opened in 1884, closing sometime after 1930, when nearby Ovalo took the responsibility. In the mid-1880s a small building was used as a school and a Union church. The Lemon's Gap Baptist church moved to Guion in 1883 and held its first service in the union church on September 12, 1886. Later the Guion school consolidated with Lemon's Gap schools.

The town had no cemetery of its own. the dead were interred in either Lemon's Gap, McBee, Cedar Gap, or Bradshaw cemeteries. In the early 1890s Guion only had twenty-five residents with a store, mill, gin and blacksmith shop.

When the railroad came through in 1910 the original settlement became known as Old Guion and the community was moved three miles to be near the railroad.

Although the town retained a population of eighteen from 1925 through 1990, nothing remains of the community. All that remains at "old" Guion is the ruins of the stagecoach station keeper's residence.

Guion High School Basketball Team, 1923-24
Photo courtesy Marisa Neel

"I took a picture of the photo from a 93 yr old lady that attended school there. She had the original. The names in the back are also attached. It's a great photo. Enjoy! - Marisa Neel, Bulverde, TX, October 19, 2021

Names of the Guion High School Basketball Team, 1923-24
Photo courtesy Marisa Neel

1907 Taylor County postal map showing Guion SW of Abilene
near Lawn & Audra
From Texas state map #2090
Courtesy Texas General Land Office

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