Athens Weekly Review
January 28, 1926--20 Years Ago Column
Items taken from the Weekly Review issue of Jan. 18, 1906
Excerpts from an article, "Some Early Local History,"
by Mrs. Belle Easterwood. (Article read at teacher's Institute,
Nov. 25, 1905.)
Turning backward the pages of time to the period of a half
century ago one finds Henderson County sparsely settled. The few
citizens discussed often the location for the county site.
Commissioner's Court convenes at Buffalo on the Trinity River,
and granted a petition to change the county site to a place
called Center in what is now the "Mallard Prairie"
community. This place failed to satisfy the people in about three
years a petition was granted permitting the selection of an
entirely new site. Two places were selected. The present site and
another about two miles north at a Mr. Cavit's place. Having
determined on the permanent site naming the town followed. The
name Athens was suggested by a girl not more than sixteen years
of age. The young lady, Miss Dulcena Holland, lived about six
miles North of the selected site. She later lived in Athens where
for many years she was affectionately known as "Aunt Dul'
Avriette."
A sale of lots took place in 1850. E. J. Thompson who was then or
later, County Clerk, acted as auctioneer.
The corner lot, now occupied by the Collins building, sold for
$70.00. Prices for other lots ranged downward to the barter value
of a cow and calf.
The first house was a log one about where the warehouse of the
Kidd and Spencer furniture establishment now stands. (The site
referred to is the block occupied by the buildings housing the C.
B. Gould Grocery, Carrol & Lehr Undertakers and Smith Motor
Co.) (1926)
The famlies of E. J. Thompson and Joab McManus occupied the
house. The former moved in, in the morning, and the latter in the
afternoon of the same day.
Old Newspaper of Henderson County
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