There are no known maps
of this area before 1898.
The earlier maps address this location as 205 East Elm,
but in 1916 it is addressed as 301 East Elm.
From 1923 on, it is known as 303 East Elm Street.
However the newspaper article about the fire
calls it 301 East Elm Street.
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south
side - 1898 map
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south
side - 1904 map
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south
side - 1909 map
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south
side - 1916 map
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south
side - 1923 map
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"In 1929, Noble J. Hieronymus,
and his wife Esther M., were rooming at 303 East Elm Street. He was
a printer at Democrat - Voice Publishing Company." (Coleman
City Directory, 1929 - Hudspeth.)
south
side - 1930 map
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south
side - 1948 map
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Sometime between 1930 and 1948 the north and south halves of this lot was
partitioned into two house sites, with the north half being addressed at
311 San Saba Street. A
house was built here before 1948.
"In 1962, William T. Bell,
and his wife Clara, were residing at 301 E. Elm Street." (Polk's
- Coleman City Directory, 1962.)
A house was there yesterday, and now there is only
a pile of charred lumber and contents, as a spectacular fire last night
completely consumed the William T. Bell home at 301 East Elm. Flames
leaped high in the air, as hundreds of Coleman residents watched firemen
battle to keep the flames from spreading to nearby houses. Cause
of the fire has not been determined and no one was home when the blaze
was reported at 9:45 p.m.
DATES BACK BEFORE TURN OF CENTURY
Old Coleman Home Burns
An old Coleman home - built before the turn of the century - was destroyed
by a raging fire last night. It was the William T. Bell Home at 301
East Elm. Mrs. Sarah E. White who resides at 310
S. Colorado Street, advises the newspaper that the house was purchased
by her mother, the late Mrs. M. E. Walker in either 1905 or 1906, and that
the house was completely remodeled at that time. Mrs. Walker purchased
the house from a Mr. Lanham, and it was an old house at the time.
It is not known whether the Lanhams built the house. Anyway, it is
presumed that the house was originally built well before 1900, perhaps
as far back as the 1880's. Mrs. White has a copy of an old tax receipt
on the property, which indicates that total taxes for one year wer $3.25,
quite a contrast to taxes of today.
Another reader called, just before press time, to report that the old
Walker home had an underground cistern under the back porch. According
to the information, Judge Lanham, Judge Woodward and Judge White were neighbors
and together they brought in a man to dig cisterns for them. Coleman
had no water supply at that time. It is presumed that all of the
old cisterns have been covered for many years.
(The Coleman County Chronicle
or Coleman Democrat-Voice, August 5, 1965.)
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"In 2002, the Sacred Heart
Catholic Church Rectory was located at 303 E. Elm Street. Their telephone
number was 625-1348." (Verizon Telephone Directory
- Coleman, Texas, October 2002.)
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