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    Midlothian
    Midlothian
    Midlothian
    Ebook129 pages30 minutes

    Midlothian

    By Karen Kay Esberger

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    About this ebook

    Before becoming an incorporated town in 1888, Midlothian was a farming community. Once the railroads arrived in 1882 and 1886, cotton production became an essential crop for the area. In the 1960s, cement production developed into the key industry because of the natural limestone chalk and shale formation in the area.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherArcadia Publishing
    Release dateSep 13, 2010
    ISBN9781439639856
    Midlothian
    Author

    Karen Kay Esberger

    Author Karen Kay Esberger is a native of Midlothian who has always been interested in local history. She has written numerous articles for genealogical and historical publications, and is the author of Images of America: Midlothian.

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      Book preview

      Midlothian - Karen Kay Esberger

      author.

      INTRODUCTION

      Although a few Anglo settlers arrived in the area as early as 1847, Midlothian itself was not established until two railroads had crossed here. The Gulf, Colorado, and Santa Fe Railway began running trains through the area they called Midlothian in 1882 and held a major sale of town lots in 1883. Then the Houston and Texas Central crossed that line in 1886. Residents of the nearby village called Lebanon, established 1848–1850, moved their businesses and homes to the proximity of the railroads. The railroads also brought an influx of new residents from the Old South who had previously raised cotton and saw that the soil around Midlothian would also produce plentiful cotton crops.

      Lying along the Balcones Escarpment, the area contained numerous springs, as well as the headwaters of Waxahachie Creek. The fertile and well-watered soil supported the growth of cotton, wheat, rye, barley, peaches, and feed for livestock, including beef and dairy cattle. Gins and cattle pens were built beside the railroads to facilitate processing and transporting to markets.

      The residents voted to incorporate Midlothian in 1888 and elected a mayor and city council. By 1892, the town boasted two gins, two general stores, one drugstore, one hardware and agricultural implement establishment, one livery stable, one saddle and harness shop, one millinery shop, one confectionery, one furniture store, three grocery stores, one hotel, one bakery, one barbershop, one blacksmith and wagon repair shop, and one newspaper, along with a population between 700 and 800.

      Midlothian enjoyed slow but steady growth until the 1980s. Then, from 2,322 residents in 1970, the number jumped to 3,219 in 1980, to 5,040 in 1990, and to 7,480 in the year 2000.

      After a major fire in the downtown area in 1893, businessmen began constructing brick buildings. By the time the Sanford fire map was drawn in 1898, over half of the brick business houses that were to be located in the town were already in place. These were mostly located in the 200 block of West Avenue F and on the west side of the 100 block of North Eighth Street, also called Main Street. Construction on the east side of Main Street followed soon, as the last major brick business building went up in 1913.

      During the years when Ellis County was a national leader in cotton production, the cotton growers and other participants in that field were able to build nice houses. Several lovely Queen Anne–style homes were built in the 1890s and 1900s.

      Around 1920, many nice brick homes, as well as large frame ones, were built with Hog Creek oil money. Local businessman Tom Moore Dees heard of a showing of oil and gas near Hogtown, renamed Desdemona, on Hog Creek in Eastland County, Texas. He obtained a large block of leases and made plans to drill. Friends in Midlothian wanted to invest, so Dees formed the Hog Creek Oil Company and sold stock at $100 per share. After oil was found in September 1918, the stockholders received $10,230 for each share. The Hog Creek money also purchased many of the early automobiles in town.

      As soon as Midlothian was established in 1883, churches and schools were constructed. All except one of those early churches have been

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