Rising Star, Texas. (original) (raw)

Downtown Rising Star
Photo courtesy historictexas.net, 6-04

History in a Pecan Shell

Rising Star began with the arrival of six families from Gregg County who settled here in 1876 .The settlement was originally called Copperas Creek but had a name change when D. D. McConnell of Eastland suggested the new name. In 1880, after the old post office had been closed, a man named Tom Anderson opened a post office/ store in his home. By 1889 Rising Star had five businesses and in 1904 it had a bank, hotel, school, two newspapers, and dry goods and drug stores.

The Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad arrived in 1911 when they connected through Cross Plains. The first oil found in Eastland County was near Rising Star in 1909, but the town was spared the boom that Ranger and Breckenridge saw. In 1920 a major discovery was made but city officials went to great lengths to insure order by passing strict regulations. Workers ignored the town and built a camp five miles west. A year later the boom was over and the new town melted away.

Rising Star City Market. A WPA project?
Photo Courtesy Barclay Gibson, April 2013

Methodist Church in Rising Star
Photo courtesy historictexas.net, 6-04
More Texas Churches

Rising Star City Limit sign
Photo courtesy historictexas.net, 6-04

Rising Star, Texas Forum

Subject: Rising Star, Texas
My grandmother had the 1st. set of twins born there. I think in Eastland County, but not sure. One was named after Truman Higginbotham White and the other was named after the other owner. Truman H. White and his brother who died at 18mo. Marshall and Mary White, parents. Grand-daddy White had a wood leg he had made after he got it caught in a peanut thrasher. The Store brought 2 sets of cribs, highchairs, and chester-drawers that were made of beautiful wood. One set for each boy. It was a gift. My parents farmed, then moved to oil field work, then back to "Star ", Cleo "Shook" and Howard White. Bet if you ask the old people they can really give you stories about Daddy. I am also 1st cousin to the Longs. Aunt Rene " Rieghly Long's wife," and Aunt Claudia May "Bill Gardner's Wife" were Mom's sisters. Aunt Sue Gardner as ya'll called her. You may not even want to know any of that. But Thanks anyway, Patsy Nixon, January 07, 2006

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