News Story:    Bronte Incorporated 1907

Contributed by Brenda Scott Hines
April 2011

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The Bronte Enterprise, September 3, 1964 {Historical and Progress Edition}
75th Diamond Jubilee Celebration

BRONTE INCORPORATED

        Bronte Incorporated in 1907; G. S. Arnold, Town's First Mayor

 Bronte was incorporated in 1907; G. S. Arnold was first mayor and the first 
recorded session of the City Council was held on July 17, 1907.  Members 
participating in that meeting were J. B. Reilly, W. A. Good, W. H. Maxwell, 
T. C. Price, and T. R. Butler.  E. G. Walton was secretary and H. L. Mobley 
was treasurer.  This much is known.

Just exactly when the town began to be called Bronte is not know.  The post 
office department said several years ago than an application was made for a 
post office in 1888.  "Bronco" was suggested as a name but rejected by the 
Postal Department, as there was already a post office by that name.  "Bronte" 
was finally decided upon, named after Miss Charlotte Bronte, famed English 
novelist.  According to the Post Office Department, the Bronte application 
was made and approved April 19, 1890, but according to old timers here who 
remember those days, it was in the fall of 1890 before post office facilities 
became available.  The Post Office department says the first post master here 
was George S. Kelly.
 
Mr. R. E. Cumbie remembers that the first store in Bronte, was a grocery store, 
built by Dr. W. F. Key in 1890.  He said that they had to go to Hayrick for 
their mail until about Nov. 1, of that year, when the first post office was 
established in the Harris residence near our present ball park.  The late 
E. B. Fletcher corroborated the statement by saying in 1947 "Dr. W. F. Key 
started this town."  The late M. Lasswell, who came here from Bosque County, 
said in 1956 that when they came here in 1885 there was nothing but ranches and 
his father filed claim on vacant land.
 
So it is generally agreed that "old Bronte" as a town came into being shortly 
after the county was organized in 1889.
 
Old Bronte was located some half mile southwest of its present location, a little 
west of the present school buildings and was built there because of the 
availability of water from the West Kickapoo Creek.
 
When it was learned soon after 1900 that the Orient railroad was planning to 
come through this section, talk began of moving the town to the railroad.  
The move began in 1906.


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