Communities & Towns
Past & Present

Addran (Add Ran) is near State highways 19 and 154 ten miles north of Sulphur Springs in north central Hopkins County. The area was first settled in the late 1850s. The community was later named by a minister who had attended Add-Ran College. A post office opened there in 1890 but closed in 1906. A local Baptist church, organized in 1915, continued to hold services until 1948. In the mid-1930s the community had a school, two churches, one business, and a number of scattered dwellings. The population reached a peak of thirty-one in 1933. Thereafter it was consistently reported at twenty-five until the mid-1970s. The school was consolidated with North Hopkins High School, and the churches and business closed. In the late 1980s a few scattered farmhouses remained.

Arbala is on Farm roads 1567 and 2081 eleven miles south of Sulphur Springs in south central Hopkins County. The area was first settled in 1857 by F. L. and Daniel Clifton and called Clifton's Prairie. C. C. Harper built a mill and gin there in 1881 and became postmaster when a post office named Arbala was established in 1899. A local school was opened before 1905, when it had 113 students. By 1914 the community had four general stores and a population of fifty. The post office was closed in 1923. In 1925 the town reported 100 inhabitants. In the mid-1930s Arbala had a church, a cemetery, one business, and a number of scattered dwellings. After World War II the population began to decline, and in 1952 the community reported only twenty inhabitants. In 1990 Arbala had a population of forty-one, a church, a community center, and a cemetery.

Beckham, six miles north of Sulphur Springs and two miles west of State highways 19 and 154 in north central Hopkins County, was named for early settlers Riley and John Beckham. John Barker settled at the site in 1864. A post office operated there from 1899 until 1904 with John S. Haggard as postmaster. In the mid-1930s Beckham had a church, a school, and a number of scattered dwellings. The school later was consolidated with the North Hopkins school district, and by the late 1980s only the church marked the site of the community.

Bethel, also known as Askew, eleven miles southeast of Sulphur Springs and two miles west of Farm Road 269 in southeastern Hopkins County, was settled in 1853 by R. E. Matthews and John and R. S. Askew. In 1860 John Askew gave land for a church that continued to be used until 1948. A post office under the name Askew operated in Mary Harden's store from 1901 to 1906, when the store closed. A local school was conducted after the turn of the century and in 1905 had an enrollment of thirty-one. In the mid-1930s the community comprised a church, a school, and a few scattered dwellings. By the early 1950s the church and school had closed. In the early 1960s the area was known as Bethel. In the late 1980s the site was marked only by Bethel Church.

Birthright, also known as Lone Star, on Farm Road 71 ten miles northeast of Sulphur Springs in north central Hopkins County, began about 1870 as a store in the ranchhouse of E. C. Birthright. A post office was established in 1871 in the store with Edward McLaughlin as postmaster. Lone Star School was a mile west of the store; the Lone Star Methodist Church met in the school until its building was erected in 1892. In 1885 the widely dispersed town, by then known as Birthright, had four steam mill-gins, three churches, a school, and an estimated population of 150. In 1890 the population had grown to 250, and a weekly paper named the Lone Star Appeal was being published. By 1893 the post office had been moved to the farm home of G. C. McCauley, a half mile northwest of the school. Around 1894 Randolph Reed opened a store 1? miles west of the original site and became postmaster. In 1925 the community reported eighty-five residents. During the mid-1930s Birthright had a post office, a school, two churches, and four stores. By 1948 only the post office, a church, and a store remained. The post office and the stores later closed, and in the early 1960s the town had two churches and a few scattered houses. In the late 1980s Birthright was a dispersed rural farming community. The population in 1990 was forty.

Blackoak (Black Oak), at the junction of Farm roads 69 and 269 in southeastern Hopkins County, was named for its location in a forest of black oak. The area was first settled around 1850. In the mid-1850s David Attaway, an early settler, donated land for a church, and a local post office was established in 1854 under the name Black Oak with David H. Campbell as postmaster. By 1885 the community had a district school, Methodist and Baptist churches, and a population of 100. In 1905 the community had two public schools, one for white children that had forty-eight students that year, and one for black children that had thirty. The post office closed in 1905, and in 1933 the town had a population of twenty-four and one business. In 1936 the community comprised two churches, a cemetery, a school, and a number of scattered dwellings. After World War II the school was closed, and most of the residents moved away. In the mid-1960s Blackoak had a church, a cemetery, and a number of scattered farmhouses. In 1988 a church and cemetery were still at the site.

Bonanza is off State Highway 19 thirteen miles south of Sulphur Springs in southwestern Hopkins County. The site was settled in the late 1860s or early 1870s. The community was originally known as Fowler's Store when M. W. Fowler secured a post office there in 1879. The post office was renamed Cold Hill in 1883 and Bonanza in 1898. By 1885 the town had a gristmill and cotton gin, Baptist and Presbyterian churches, a hotel, a blacksmith, two grocers, and a population of 100. A local public school opened around 1900, and during the 1905-06 school year it had an enrollment of sixty. In 1906 the post office was closed. The census of 1940 gave the population as forty. In 1948 the community had a store, a church, and a two-teacher school. The school was later closed, and in the late 1980s the site of the town was marked only by a number of scattered dwellings. In 2000 the community reported twenty-six inhabitants.

Branom, in western Hopkins County, was named for Merrett Branom, who settled in the area before the county was established in 1846. A school opened there around 1900, and during the school year 1905-06 it had an enrollment of thirty-eight. In 1915 the Pecan and Greenwood schools united to form the Branom school district, and the Willow Oak and Faulk Grove schools were later added. In the late 1940s Branom was a dispersed rural community. The Ray's Chapel Methodist Church was located on the corner of the school campus, and the Mount Zion Presbyterian Church was a quarter mile west. In the 1980s Branom was no longer shown on the county highway map.

Brashear, on Interstate Highway 30 and Farm Road 2653 in west central Hopkins County, was named for Joseph Brashear, who surveyed the townsite. The area was part of the Wise Ranch in 1898, when G. W. Mahoney bought the ranch, divided it into small farms, laid out the townsite, and donated land for a school, a church, and a cemetery. A post office was established at Brashear in 1899, with W. G. Crain as postmaster. A school opened the same year, and in 1905 it had an enrollment of 149. By 1914 the town had Baptist, Christian, and Methodist churches, a bank, a newspaper, a telegraph connection, and a reported population of 400. Its population was estimated at 300 in the mid-1920s and 350 in the late 1940s. In 1948 the town had six stores, four churches, a two-teacher school, and a cotton gin. The population declined during the 1960s to 280 and continued to be reported at that level in 1990. In the late 1980s Brashear had four churches, a factory, a post office, and a number of scattered houses.

Brinker, on Farm Road 69 seven miles east of Sulphur Springs in eastern Hopkins County, was settled around 1845 and named for a pioneer family. A school was built there in 1872, financed by private donations. Church services were held in the school until 1880, when a Baptist church building was erected. Smith Bromley opened a local cotton gin in 1882. A Brinker post office opened in 1901 with Susan W. Coppedge as postmistress; it operated until 1906. In the mid-1930s Brinker had a school, a church, and a number of scattered dwellings. In 1940 the reported population was twenty. In the late 1980s the community had a meeting hall, a church, and a cemetery.

Caney, off Farm Road 269 in southeastern Hopkins County, was the site of one of eighteen churches that formed the Rehoboth Baptist Association. Services were held for several years before a meetinghouse was built on land owned by G. L. Stacy. A local school was opened before 1898, when it had an enrollment of seventy-one black students. The school was later closed, and in the mid-1930s the community had the church, a cemetery, and a number of scattered dwellings. Around 1944 the Pickton oilfield was in operation near the church. In the late 1980s Caney was the site of a church and cemetery.

Center Point, a farming community on Farm Road 2653 some twelve miles southwest of Sulphur Springs in southwestern Hopkins County, was settled before 1900. A public school was operating there by the early 1900s, and in 1905 it had an enrollment of fifty-one. By the mid-1930s Center Point had a school, a church, and a number of scattered houses. After World War II most of the community's residents moved away. Its school was consolidated with the Miller Grove School District, and by the early 1960s all that remained of Center Point was the church and a few houses. In the late 1980s it was a dispersed rural community.

Cherry Grove was off State highways 19 and 154 some seven miles north of Sulphur Springs in north central Hopkins County. A public school was operating there by 1898, when it had an enrollment of fifty-two black students. In the mid-1930s Cherry Grove had a church, a school, a cemetery, and a number of scattered houses. After World War II most of its residents moved away. Its school was consolidated with the North Hopkins School District, and by the early 1960s a church and a cemetery remained at the site. In the late 1980s Cherry Grove was a dispersed rural community.

Coffee, on Farm Road 69 and the banks of Coffee Creek, eleven miles southeast of Sulphur Springs in southeastern Hopkins County, was settled before 1900. In the mid-1930s it had a church, a school, and a cemetery. After World War II most of its residents moved away. Its school was consolidated with the Como school district, and by the early 1960s only a cemetery and a few houses remained in the area. In the late 1980s Coffee was a dispersed rural community

Como is an incorporated community on East Caney Creek at the junction of State Highway 11 and Farm Road 69, on the Louisiana and Arkansas Railway eight miles southeast of Sulphur Springs in southeastern Hopkins County. The area was first settled around 1846 when Ferdinand Carroll established a teamsters camp on the Jefferson Road on East Caney Creek. In 1858 Red Collins and Lonnie Ticer opened a store in the vicinity, and a second store opened in 1866. A post office, named Bacchus, was established for the community in 1870, but the office was renamed Carroll's Prairie in 1876. In the late 1870s the East Line and Red River Railroad was built through the town, and in 1879 the name of the community was changed to Carrollton. In 1894, to avoid confusion with the town of Carrollton near Dallas, the name was changed to Como, at the suggestion of local settlers who were from Como, Mississippi. By 1885 the town had a population of 200 and six general stores, two steam gristmills and cotton gins, a wagonmaker, a blacksmith, and a saloon. Lignite coal was discovered on the property of J. F. Smith, and by 1900 it had become one of the town's leading industries. A settlement of miners of Mexican descent developed east of Como near the mines. In 1910, after much of the town, which had been located south of the railroad tracks, burned down, the townspeople laid out a new town north of the tracks. It was built around a square with a bandstand in the middle. In 1914 Como had a population of 900, Baptist, Methodist, and Christian churches, two banks, an electric light plant, and a weekly newspaper, the Como Headlight. The community was incorporated in 1932. In the early 1930s most of the local mines closed down. Many Como residents moved away, and by 1933 the town's population was only 392. In 1948 Como had five churches, a ten-teacher school, sixteen businesses, and an estimated population of 450. After that the town grew slowly, and in 1989 it reported a population of 625 and thirteen businesses. In the early 1990s it had 585 residents and twenty-nine businesses.

Cornersville is on State Highway 11 and the Louisiana and Arkansas Railway some eighteen miles southeast of Sulphur Springs in southeastern Hopkins County. It was named for its location near the corners of Hopkins and Franklin counties. Dr. J. P. Anderson operated a store and practiced medicine in the community in 1869. The population was composed chiefly of workers in a pottery. A post office called Grotton opened in 1901, with Eugenia A. Payne as postmaster, and operated until 1905. A school named Cornersville was operating by 1905, when it had an enrollment of 105. In the mid-1930s Cornersville had two churches, a cemetery, a business, and a number of scattered dwellings. By 1948 the business had closed, but an oil refinery had been erected a quarter mile east of the center of town on the Louisiana and Arkansas Railway. In the late 1980s the community had two churches, two cemeteries, and a business. It was still listed as a community in 1990.

Crossroads (Cross Roads), at the junction of State Highway 154 and Farm Road 1567, ten miles south of Sulphur Springs in south central Hopkins County, was settled before 1900. By 1905 a public school there had an enrollment of fifty-two students. In the mid-1930s Crossroads had the school, a store, and a number of scattered houses. After World War II most of the residents moved away. The school was consolidated with the Sulphur Springs school district, and the store later closed; by the early 1960s only a few houses remained at the site. In the early 1990s Crossroads was a dispersed rural community.

Cumby, on the Louisiana, Arkansas and Texas track a half mile north of Interstate Highway 30 in western Hopkins County, was settled in 1842 by D. W. (Wash) Cole. It was named Black Jack Grove because of its location near a grove of Black Jack oak trees. The oak grove, just west of the present-day business district, was used as a camp by Texas Rangers during the days of the Republic of Texas. Freight wagoners traveling on the Jefferson road to the interior also used the grove as a campground. The Black Jack Grove post office opened in 1848 in the home of the first postmaster, John D. Matthews. Three years later D. W. Cole bought the grove from Elizabeth M. Wren as part of a tract of 307 acres. Cole ran a store, sold town lots, and donated land for a Masonic lodge that was chartered in 1852. In February 1857 the Black Jack post office was renamed Theodocias, and James M. Brown was postmaster. In May 1858 the post office again became Black Jack Grove.  By 1860 Black Jack Grove was a thriving settlement with physicians, tradesmen, and blacksmiths. The town had also earned a reputation as a tough frontier town, where the worst people in the county congregated and violent fights were common. On Christmas Day 1866 a gun battle over a horse race resulted in the death of five men. During the Civil War men from Black Jack Grove formed Company K of Col. William B. Sims's Ninth Texas Cavalry. Jim P. Williams was elected captain and Mose Brown first lieutenant. At the battle of Elkhorn, Company K was the first to plant its flag in the Union battery.  The East Line and Red River Railroad reached Black Jack Grove in 1880, and the town gradually began to lose its roughness. In 1886 the railroad and post office, in an attempt to change the town's reputation, suggested that the community be renamed. Congressman David B. Culberson suggested naming the town after his friend Robert H. Cumby, a Confederate veteran. The Independent Normal College opened in Cumby in 1895 and operated until 1905. In 1911 the town had two banks, two lumberyards, three gins, a cottonseed oil mill, and a tin shop. By 1948 Cumby had twelve stores, six churches, a broom factory, and several other small businesses. The town reached a peak population of 925 in 1929. The number of residents gradually declined to a low of 405 in 1970 before increasing to 647 by 1980. In 1985 Cumby had six small businesses and an estimated population of 690. In 1990 the population was 571.

Dike is on Farm Road 69 ten miles northeast of Sulphur Springs in northeastern Hopkins County. The site was first settled around 1850, when Michael and Elizabeth Miller built a mill and a small log schoolhouse; the mill, which became known as Smith Mill, continued to operate for some time after the Civil War but around 1887 was replaced by a gin and mill run by William Henry Moore and Bob Matthews. In 1888 Newton Rhodes opened the first store in the settlement, which during the 1870s and 1880s was known as Union Valley. In 1890 a post office was secured, and the name was changed to Dike at the suggestion of Bud Sheppard, a native of Dike, Iowa. A public school was in operation by 1905, when it had an enrollment of thirty-three. In 1914 Dike had six general stores, a blacksmith, and two physicians. The population reached 250 in 1925 but declined after World War II; in 1945 the town had 100 residents and two businesses. In 1948 Dike had two stores, two churches, a blacksmith shop, and a three-teacher school. In 1985 it comprised three churches, a post office, a business, a camp, and a population of 170. The population was the same in 1990.

Divide, on Farm Road 3389 ten miles southwest of the community of Sulphur Springs in southwestern Hopkins County, first formed around 1880, when a post office was established there with James Webster as postmaster. By 1885 the town had a steam gristmill, two cotton gins, three churches, a district school, and a population of 130. By 1890 its population had dropped to twenty-five, and in 1899 the post office closed. A school was in operation there around 1900, and a Baptist church was established in 1905, but by the mid-1930s the community no longer appeared on highway maps. In the 1960s Divide had a church and a number of scattered dwellings. In the late 1980s the community still had a church.

East Caney, a farming community off Interstate Highway 30 and just west of East Caney Creek nine miles east of Sulphur Springs in eastern Hopkins County, was settled before 1900. In the mid-1930s East Caney had a church, a school, a cemetery, and a number of scattered houses. After World War II most of its residents moved away. Its school was consolidated with the Saltillo school district, and by the early 1960s only a church and two cemeteries remained in the area. In the early 1990s East Caney was a dispersed rural community.

Elm Ridge, a farming community on State Highway 11 some six miles southeast of Sulphur Springs in southeastern Hopkins County, was established before the early 1900s, when a public school was operating nearby. In 1905 the school had thirty-seven students. During the mid-1930s Elm Ridge had a church, a school, and a number of scattered houses. After World War II most of the community's residents moved away. Its school was consolidated with the Como school district, and by the early 1960s all that remained at the site was a church and a few houses. In the late 1980s Elm Ridge was a dispersed rural community.

Emblem, a farming community on State Highway 71 some twelve miles northwest of Sulphur Springs in northwestern Hopkins County, was founded by G. D. Kennemore in 1876. A Baptist church was organized at the settlement in 1883. T. J. Ross had a store and gin there and became postmaster when a post office was established in 1892. By 1905 the community had a school, which that year had an enrollment of forty-eight. The Emblem post office closed in 1906. By the mid-1930s the community had two churches, a school, and a number of scattered houses. The school was later closed, but in 1985 the community still had two churches and a cemetery. In 1990 Emblem reported a population of fifty-two.

Evans Point was a railroad stop on the St. Louis Southwestern Railway twelve miles southeast of Sulphur Springs in southeastern Hopkins County. A post office opened there in 1887, and by 1890 the community had a population of fifty and a druggist, a grocer, a physician, a barber, a general store, and a blacksmith. In 1905 an Evans Point school had an enrollment of fifty. The community's post office closed in 1907. By the mid-1930s Evans Point no longer appeared on highway maps, and in 1948 no businesses remained.

Fabius was a farming community eight miles northeast of Sulphur Springs and four miles southeast of Birthright in north central Hopkins County. A Fabius post office was established in 1902 with John Newberry as postmaster. At its height just after the turn of the century Fabius had a store and a gin. In 1903 its post office was closed and the mail rerouted through Birthright. By the early 1930s Fabius no longer appeared on highway maps.

Flora, on Farm Road 69 thirteen miles northeast of Sulphur Springs in northeastern Hopkins County, is said to have been named for the many wildflowers on the surrounding prairie. A. F. and H. F. Conner settled in the area in the early 1860s. A tannery established there furnished leather for shoes and harnesses. A post office opened at the site in 1902 but closed in 1905. By the mid-1930s Flora had a school, a business, and a number of scattered dwellings. In 1940 its population was twenty-five. After World War II the school was consolidated with that of Sulphur Bluff, and by the mid-1980s the community had one business and a number of scattered houses.

Forest Academy, a farming community just off State Highway 11 and eight miles southeast of Sulphur Springs in southeastern Hopkins County, developed in the early 1850s around a combination church and school at a site in a dense forest. Each summer until the early 1900s the community, which was made up almost exclusively of Methodist families, held revival meetings in a large open-air church there. Around 1900 Forest Academy had a public school, which in 1905 had an enrollment of sixty. By the early 1930s the community had a church, a cemetery, and a few houses, and by the early 1960s only the church and cemetery remained at the site. Forest Academy was a dispersed rural community in the late 1980s.

Gafford, also known as Gafford (Gafford's) Chapel, is just off State Highway 11 in west central Hopkins County. It was named for Thomas M. Gafford, who deeded land for a church in 1881. A school was in operation there after 1900 and in 1905 had an enrollment of sixty-four. In the mid-1930s Gafford had a church, a school, and a number of scattered dwellings. In 1935 the community's school was combined with the Antioch school, and in 1943 its church was moved a half mile northwest to a location near the Cedar Grove school and cemetery. In the mid-1980s Gafford had a number of widely scattered houses.

Galilee, a farming community a mile west of Farm Road 69 and ten miles southeast of Sulphur Springs in southeastern Hopkins County, was established by the late 1890s, when a public school was operating there. In 1898 the school had an enrollment of forty-one black students. By the mid-1930s the community had a number of scattered houses and a church, school, and cemetery. After World War II most of Galilee's residents moved away. The community's school was consolidated with the Como school district, and by the early 1960s all that remained at the site was the church and a cemetery. In the late 1980s Galilee was a dispersed rural community.

Good Neighbor, on Farm Road 2285 a mile northwest of Sulphur Springs in south central Hopkins County, was established before 1900. By the early 1900s a public school was operating nearby, and in 1905 it had an enrollment of thirty-seven. In the mid-1930s Good Neighbor had a church, a cemetery, and a number of scattered houses. After World War II most of its residents moved away. The community's school was consolidated with the Sulphur Springs School District, and the church closed. By the early 1960s all that remained at the site was a community center and a few houses. In the late 1980s Good Neighbor was a dispersed rural community.

Greenpond (Green Pond), on Farm Road 1567 some nine miles southeast of Sulphur Springs in southeastern Hopkins County, was settled by Robert S. Lanier in 1870. A Baptist church was organized there in 1895. After 1900 the community had a school, which in 1905 enrolled fifty-three students. In the mid-1930s Greenpond had a business, school, church, and cemetery. Its school was later transferred to Como, and by the mid-1980s the community had only the church and cemetery and a number of widely scattered houses.

Greenview, a farming community three miles north of Bonanza in southwestern Hopkins County, was settled by Green Weaver in 1845. A school opened at the site in the 1850s. After 1900 Greenview had a public school, which in 1905 enrolled thirty-three. By 1946 the enrollment had fallen to fifteen. The school closed the following year. In 1916 a church was organized in the community; it later burned and was rebuilt. By the late 1940s Greenview had a church, two stores, a cemetery, and a number of widely scattered dwellings. Greenview still had a church and cemetery in the mid-1980s, and a new community center was built in 2000.

Greenwood is on Farm Road 900 near the Franklin county line six miles south of Saltillo in far eastern Hopkins County. It was established around 1859 and originally known as Penn after the Penn family, prominent local settlers. A store opened there in 1874, and a post office named Penn operated from 1880 until 1906. By 1885 the town had three churches, a school, a steam gristmill and cotton gin, a general store, a blacksmith, a harnassmaker, and a population of sixty. In 1892 the town had a reported population of 100. Penn during the mid-1930s had two businesses, a school, a church, a cemetery, and a number of scattered dwellings. By 1940 its population had fallen to fifty. After World War II its population continued to decline, reaching twenty in 1952. About then the community's name was changed to Greenwood. In the 1970s its population grew slightly to thirty-five. In 1985 the community had a church and a number of farm houses, and in 1990 its population was still listed at thirty-five.

Grubbe, also known as Grubbs, a farming community off State Highway 154 twelve miles south of Sulphur Springs in southern Hopkins County, originated before 1900. A school was operating there around the turn of the century and in 1905 had an enrollment of forty-nine. In the mid-1930s Grubbe had a church, a school, and a number of scattered houses. After World War II most of its residents moved away. Its school was consolidated with the Sulphur Springs school district, and by the early 1960s all that remained of the community was a few houses. In the late 1980s Grubbe was a dispersed rural community.

Gum Pole (Gumpole) was a farming community 1½ miles south of the Willow Springs Church and fifteen miles east of Sulphur Springs in eastern Hopkins County. The community was established before the Civil Warqv by, among others, Esquire Caid, John Woodward, John Richmond, Marion Wheeler, Bill Rolph, and Tom Crump. The community is said to have been named for a house built of gum poles by Warren Wheeler. A school was constructed at the community in 1877 and continued operating until the 1930s, when it was consolidated with the Greenwood school. By the mid-1930s Gum Pole was no longer shown on the county highway map.

Hatchettville, a farming community on Farm Road 3236 some nine miles northeast of Sulphur Springs in northeastern Hopkins County, was named for E. L. Hatchet, who opened a store a half mile east of the Independence schoolhouse in 1908. The store later closed, and by the mid-1930s the community had only a few widely scattered farmhouses. In the late 1980s Hatchettville was a dispersed rural community.

Hulsey was twelve miles southwest of Sulphur Springs and four miles northwest of Bonanza in southwestern Hopkins County. It was settled before 1901, when a post office opened there with Hamp D. Knight as postmaster. At its height Hulsey had a store, a church, and a number of scattered houses. In 1905 its post office was closed, and mail service was transferred to Miller Grove. By the mid-1930s Hulsey was no longer shown on the county highway map.

Independence, just off Farm Road 3236 and eight miles northeast of Sulphur Springs in north central Hopkins County, was founded after the Civil War. A school was established there in 1888 on land donated by William Reed, and later a church was built. In 1905 the school had an enrollment of thirty-two. During the mid-1930s Independence had the church and school and a number of scattered dwellings. The school later closed, and in the mid-1960s only the church remained. In the late 1980s Independence was a dispersed rural community.

Liberty, also known as South Liberty, a rural community in southwestern Hopkins County nine miles southwest of Sulphur Springs on Farm Road 1567, was first settled around the time of the Civil War. L. A. Matthews obtained a patent for land at the site in 1859 and sold the property to W. S. White in 1861. A church was organized in 1887; W. E. Middleton was pastor. Middleton and a missionary named Wimms organized revival meetings. The community for a time was known as South Liberty to distinguish it from North Liberty in the northern portion of the county, but its name was eventually shortened to Liberty. A public school was operating there by 1905, when it had an enrollment of 102. In the mid-1930s Liberty had a church, a cemetery, a school, and a few scattered farmhouses. The school later closed, but in the mid-1980s the community still had a church, a cemetery, and a few houses.

Mahoney, on Farm roads 1537 and 69 seven miles northeast of Sulphur Springs in northeastern Hopkins County, was founded in 1900 when George W. Mahoney purchased the former Kimberly Ranch, divided the land, and sold parcels to settlers. Mahoney donated land for a school, a cemetery, and Baptist and Methodist churches. He placed advertisements in newspapers across the state. In 1901 W. D. Davis was granted a post office under the name White Oak. A school with the same name began operating after 1900 and in 1905 had an enrollment of fifty. The post office was closed in 1904, but the town continued to prosper, and at its height prior to World War I it had a sawmill, two cotton gins, a barber shop, a doctor's office, a syrup mill, and a blacksmith. By the mid-1930s the village was known as Mahoney and had a school, two churches, one business, a number of scattered houses, and a reported population of fifteen. The school and one of the churches were later closed, but in the mid-1960s the town still had a church, a cemetery, and a number of farmhouses. In the late 1980s Mahoney was a dispersed rural community.

Martin Springs, just off State Highway 11 and four miles south of Sulphur Springs in central Hopkins County, was settled by Mrs. A. M. Ardis in 1873. In 1877 she sold her home to Crofford Martin, for whom the community was named. A public school was operating there by 1900 and in 1905 had an enrollment of 108. By 1920 the community had two churches, a school, a mill, a gin, and a store. Martin Springs consisted of a church, a school, a cemetery, and a number of scattered dwellings in the mid-1930s. In 1940 its population was estimated at fifty, and in the mid-1960s only the church and a number of houses remained. During the late 1980s Martin Springs was a dispersed rural community.

Miller Grove, at the junction of Farm roads 1567 and 275, fourteen miles southwest of Sulphur Springs in southwestern Hopkins County, was probably first settled sometime in the late 1840s. Members of a family named Miller, for whom the community is named, were among the earliest residents. A Presbyterian church is said to have been organized there in 1848. A post office was established around 1869 with J. J. Hill as postmaster. By 1885 Miller Grove had a steam grist and saw mill, a district school, three churches, and a population of thirty. The population grew to more than 100 in the early 1890s, and in 1905 the Miller Grove public school had an enrollment of 114. In the late 1940s the town had two churches, three stores, a gin, a feed mill, a hardwood sawmill, and a machine shop. The Miller Grove population in 1948 was estimated as 250, and the consolidated high school had ten teachers. In the early 1980s Miller Grove had a cemetery, a sawmill, a school, two churches, four stores, and a number of scattered houses; its population in 1990 was estimated at 115.

Mount Sterling, a farming community off Farm Road 1537 six miles northeast of Sulphur Springs in east central Hopkins County, was settled sometime before 1900 and named for the Sterling family. In 1905 the public school had two teachers and an enrollment of sixty-eight. During the mid-1930s Mount Sterling had a church, a school, a cemetery, and a number of scattered houses. After World War II most of the residents moved away. The school was consolidated with the Sulphur Springs school district, and by the early 1960s all that remained of the community was a church and a cemetery. In the late 1980s Mount Sterling was a dispersed rural community.

Mount Zion, a rural community on State Highway 11 fifteen miles northwest of Sulphur Springs in northwestern Hopkins County, was settled before 1898, when it had two schools, one with fifty-six white students and one with nineteen black. During the mid-1930s Mount Zion had a school, a cemetery, three churches, and a number of scattered houses. After World War II most of its residents moved away. The schools were consolidated with the Cumby school district, and by the early 1960s all that remained of the community was a church and a cemetery. During the late 1980s Mount Zion was a dispersed rural community.

Nelta is on Farm Road 71 fourteen miles northeast of Sulphur Springs in northeastern Hopkins County. It was first settled by Howard Hargrave in 1843. A post office called Pleasant Hill was opened by Daniel Hudson in 1849 and closed in 1866. Another post office named Nelta was granted in 1884. By 1892 the community had a mill and cotton gin, a general store, a physician, a barber, and a population of twenty-five. A public school was in operation by 1905, when it had an enrollment of forty-six. In 1906 the post office was closed. During the mid-1930s Nelta had two churches, a cemetery, a store, and a number of scattered houses. The school was later transferred to Sulphur Bluff, but in the early 1960s Nelta still had two churches, a cemetery, and a store. In 1990 its estimated population was thirty-six.

New Birthright, a farming community a mile west of Birthright and nine miles northeast of Sulphur Springs in north central Hopkins County, developed around the time of World War II, when residents from old Birthright moved there to be closer to the junction of State highways 19 and 154 and Farm Road 71. In the late 1940s the community had several businesses, a church, a cemetery, and a number of scattered houses. By the early 1960s only the church, the cemetery, and a few houses remained. During the late 1980s New Birthright was a dispersed rural community.

New Tira, a farming community on State highways 19 and 154, 1? miles west of old Tira and twelve miles north of Sulphur Springs in north central Hopkins County, was established in 1947, when Erwin Chapman built a store and gin at the site and B. C. Lawson moved his store there from Weirville. The stores later closed, and by the mid-1960s only a few scattered houses remained. In the late 1980s New Tira was a dispersed rural community.

North Hopkins, also known as North Hopkins School, is on Farm Road 71 four miles west of Birthright in north central Hopkins County. In 1943 five schools in northern Hopkins County united to form a rural high school; three other schools joined later. The school employed eleven teachers in 1948. During the mid-1960s North Hopkins also had a church and a store. The community still had a school, a church, and a business in the mid-1980s.

North Liberty, a farming community on Farm Road 1537 six miles northeast of Sulphur Springs in central Hopkins County, was founded sometime after the Civil War. The community grew up around a Baptist church that had first been organized at Tarrant after 1846. In 1870, when Tarrant ceased to be the county seat, losing the county government to Sulphur Springs, the church met in the nearby Mount Sterling schoolhouse. In 1888 a new church building was constructed at the present site of North Liberty. The community was never very large. In the mid-1930s it had the church, a cemetery, a school, and a few scattered farmhouses. The school later closed, but in the mid-1980s the community still had a church and a few houses.

Oak Dale, or Oakdale, a farming community at the junction of Farm roads 3236 and 71, twelve miles north of Sulphur Springs in north central Hopkins County, was first settled in the early 1850s. A combination church and school existed by 1868. A public school was operating in the community by 1900 and in 1905 had an enrollment of sixteen. In the mid-1930s Oak Dale had a school and a number of scattered houses. After World War II most of its residents moved away. The school was consolidated with the Sulphur Bluff school district, and by the early 1960s all that remained of the community was a few scattered houses.

Oak Grove, also known as Pleasant Valley, a farming community a mile east of State highways 19 and 154 and twelve miles north of Sulphur Springs in north central Hopkins County, was first settled around 1850 by the William Robert Chapman family. The community was originally known as Pleasant Valley, but the name was later changed to Oak Grove for a nearby stand of oak trees. Sometime after the Civil War Chapman built a horse-powered cotton gin there. A public school was operating by 1900 and in 1905 had two teachers and an enrollment of thirty-eight. In the mid-1930s Oak Grove had a school and a number of scattered houses. After World War II most of its residents moved away. The school was consolidated with the North Hopkins district, and by the early 1960s all that remained of the community was a few scattered houses.

Oakland (Oak Land) was a farming community on Farm Road 2653 eleven miles northwest of Sulphur Springs in northwestern Hopkins County. It was settled by the early 1900s, when a public school was operating; in 1905 the school had an enrollment of thirty-eight. In the mid-1930s Oakland had the school, two churches, and a number of scattered houses. After World War II most of the residents moved away. The school was consolidated with the Sulphur Springs school district, and by the early 1960s all that remained of the community was the church and a few houses.

Peerless, also known as Gay's Mills, Hilldale, and Fairyland (Fairy Land), was a farming community on Farm Road 71 eleven miles northwest of Sulphur Springs in northwestern Hopkins County. Eli Lindley moved to the area in 1842. In the 1850s a small settlement developed there; it was called Gay's Mills for a water-powered flour mill operated by John D. Gay. In the 1870s the community was known as Hilldale, but its post office, established in 1880 with J. A. Leeman as postmaster, was called Fairyland (or Fairy Land). The latter name is said to have derived from the idea that the young girls at local dances looked like fairies, and that the local hilly terrain made the community seem like a fairyland. In 1885 the town had several steam gristmills and cotton gins, a broom factory, a church, a district school, and an estimated population of 400. Around 1891 the town name was changed to Peerless. This name is said to have been adopted after a family named Cotton planted a brand of potatoes called Peerless. Heavy rains prevented the harvest, and the overripe potatoes began to rot, giving off a pungent odor that wafted through the community, prompting the new name. By 1900 Peerless had two churches, two gristmills and cotton gins, and a population of 250. In 1905 the town school, still called Fairy Land, had two teachers and an enrollment of forty-six. The post office closed sometime after 1900, and during the 1920s the population dropped to 150. In the mid-1930s Peerless had two churches, a school, a cemetery, three businesses, and a number of scattered houses. Its population remained at a constant level until after World War II; in 1948 the town still had a population of about 150. After that time no further population estimates were available. In the late 1980s Peerless still had two churches, a cemetery, and two businesses.

Pickton, at the junction of State Highway 11 and Farm Road 269 fifteen miles southeast of Sulphur Springs in southeastern Hopkins County, was first settled around 1856 by M. D. Jackson. A small settlement grew up in the area in the late 1870s, and in 1879, when the East Line and Red River Railroad was built, the community became a station. A committee appointed to pick a name for the station decided on Pick Town, which the railroad changed to Pickton. A post office was established in 1881 with William Richardson as postmaster. In 1885 the community had a steam gristmill and cotton gin, a district school, and an estimated population of sixty. By the early 1890s two churches had been established, and the population had grown to 100. Surrounded by fertile sandy soil and water from springs, Pickton prospered. In 1905 the school had two teachers and an enrollment of 153. By 1914 the estimated population was 300; it reached 500 in the mid-1920s. After World War II the community began to decline. In 1948 Pickton had eight stores, three churches, a cotton gin, a ten-teacher school, and a population estimated at 500, but by the early 1950s the number of residents had dropped to 320. The population fell to 250 by 1966 and to ninety by the early 1970s. In the mid-1980s Pickton still had three churches, a post office, a school, four businesses, a cemetery, and a number of houses. In 1993 the population was estimated at ninety, and the community reported thirteen businesses.

Pine Forest, a farming community in southeastern Hopkins County six miles north of Pickton on Farm Road 269, also known as Mount Pisgah, was first settled in 1853 by Joseph T. Minter. Minter donated land for a Methodist church that was organized a few years later by Methodist minister P. B. Bailey. The community was originally known by the biblical name of Mount Pisgah, but the name was later changed to Pine Forest. A post office under the name Pine Forest operated from 1889 until 1905; Richard M. Askew was the first postmaster. In 1890 Pine Forest had a church, a school, a steam cotton gin and gristmill, a general store, a blacksmith, and a population of fifty. The public school had an enrollment of forty-seven in 1905. In the mid-1930s Pine Forest had two schools, two stores, a cemetery, and a number of scattered houses. The population in 1940 was seventy-two. By the mid-1970s the stores and schools had closed, but the Methodist and Church of Christ churches continued to operate. The population was fifty-one in 1990.

Pleasant Grove, a rural community in western Hopkins County just off Interstate 30 three miles east of Cumby, was first settled in the 1870s. Among the earliest settlers in the area were the Palmer, Gaddy, Pogue, Middleton, Bailey, Lackey, Beck, and Collins families. A Baptist church was built in 1890, and by the turn of the century two schools were operating. In 1905 a white school had an enrollment of fifty-six, and a black school had an enrollment of thirty-eight. In the mid-1930s Pleasant Grove had a school, a cemetery, and a number of scattered houses. By the mid-1960s only the cemetery and a few houses remained. No population estimates were available.

Pleasant Hill, on Farm Road 2297 six miles south of Sulphur Springs in south central Hopkins County, was probably first settled in the 1840s. A post office was established there in 1849 and operated until 1866. The community derived its name from its location on a small rise near a side branch of Birch Creek. A local Methodist church was organized in 1854 with a Rev. Carter or McCarter serving as first pastor. A new two-story church building was erected in the 1880s. The lower floor was used for church and Sunday school, and while the Grange, Greenback, Temperance, and other societies occupied the second story. A school was operating in the community before the turn of the century; in 1898 it had an enrollment of eighty-three black students. By the 1930s the community consisted of the church, the school, a cemetery, and a few scattered houses. The school was later consolidated with the Sulphur Springs school district, and in the 1960s only the church and cemetery still remained. In the late 1980s Pleasant Hill was a dispersed rural community.

Posey, also known as Reuben, a rural community in north central Hopkins County ten miles northwest of Sulphur Springs on Farm Road 71, was first settled by Aden Posey around 1846. After the Civil War a small community grew up around a gristmill operated by a man named Jones. A two-room public school was in operation around the turn of the century. A post office was established in 1902 under the name Reuben but was renamed Posey four months later in honor of Aden Posey. The post office was discontinued in 1906, and the mail was sent to Peerless. At its height between 1910 and 1920 Posey had a gin, a school, two stores, a blacksmith shop, and a Baptist church. The gin burned in 1925 and was not rebuilt. In the mid-1930s the community had the church, the school, two stores, and a number of scattered houses. The population in 1940 was twenty. The school was consolidated in the early 1940s with North Hopkins school. In the early 1960s Posey still had a church, a cemetery, and a few houses. In the late 1980s it was a dispersed rural community.

Reilly Springs (Reily Springs), a rural community nine miles southeast of Sulphur Springs at the junction of Farm roads 1567 and 2560 in southeastern Hopkins County, was named for James Reily, who in 1841 and 1842 bought up several tracts of land in the county that had been given to soldiers as pay for service in the Texas Revolution. One of the early wagon trails from Shreveport, Louisiana, passed through the land. A camping place at a group of springs grew into a village called Reily Springs. After the Civil War a number of businesses were established in the area, including two gins, a gristmill, a sawmill, and a brick kiln. In 1867 Steve Tucker built a store and gin, and a tanyard operated in the community for several years. A post office was granted in 1871, but the post office officials mistakenly changed the spelling to Reilly. In 1885 Reilly Springs had two steam gristmills and cotton gins, three churches, and an estimated population of 200. A school was built the same year on land donated by Col. J. A. Weaver. By the turn of the century the town had three schools, which during the 1905-06 school year had a combined enrollment of 189. At its height during the 1920s Reilly Springs had an estimated population of 300. The town began to decline in the early 1930s, and by 1939 the population had dwindled to sixty. In 1948 Reilly Springs was the site of a justice court, a voting precinct, two churches, a store, a gin, and a three-teacher school. The town's population continued to decline after World War II, falling to forty in 1952. The school and stores closed, and by the mid-1970s the town had only the Methodist and Baptist churches, a cemetery, and the old school building, which was used as a community center. In the late 1980s Reilly Springs was a dispersed rural community. The population in 1990 was forty-four.

Richland was on Farm Road 69 near the banks of Richland Creek six miles east of Sulphur Springs in east central Hopkins County. The small community was centered around a Baptist Church organized in a brush arbor in 1869 with eighteen members. A public school was operating after the turn of the century and in 1905 had an enrollment of ninety-six. In 1948 the community had the Baptist church, a cemetery, a store, a school, and a few scattered houses. The store later closed, and by 1952 the school had been consolidated with the Sulphur Springs school district. In the late 1980s only the church and cemetery still remained.

Ridgeway, on State Highway 11 and the St. Louis Southwestern Railway ten miles west of Sulphur Spring in western Hopkins County, was named for a pioneer family named Ridgeway and because of its location on a drainage ridge between White Oak Creek and the Sulphur River. A store was opened in 1887 to accommodate the construction gang for the railroad, and a post office was established in 1888 with J. A. Leeman as postmaster. By 1890 the community had two general stores, three mills and gins, two blacksmiths, a druggist, and an estimated population of 100. A public school was in operation by 1905, when it had an enrollment of forty-five. By 1929 the population had grown to 250. During the early 1930s, however, Ridgeway began to decline and by 1933 had fallen to a population of 150 and four businesses. In 1948 the community had three stores, two churches, a gin, and a school. The school was later consolidated with the Sulphur Springs school district, and in the early 1960s only two churches, a cemetery, and a number of scattered houses remained. The population in 1966 was estimated at 130, but by 1976 it had fallen to fifty-four. In the late 1980s Ridgeway was a dispersed rural community with approximately fifty residents.

Ruff was a farming community three miles from Ridgeway near Branom in western Hopkins County. A post office was established there in 1899 but closed in 1905. The community was never very large, and by the mid-1930s it was no longer shown on county highway maps. In 1948 it had a voting box at the Branom school. By the early 1960s only a few scattered houses remained at Ruff. No population estimates are available.

Saltillo is at the junction of U.S. Highway 67, Farm Road 900, and the St. Louis Southwestern Railway, sixteen miles east of Sulphur Springs in far eastern Hopkins County. It was first settled around 1850 by John Arthur, who opened a store, mill, and gin and named the place for Saltillo, Mexico. The settlement's location on the old Jefferson wagon road made it a popular camp for teamsters. A post office was established there in 1860 with Moses F. Russell as postmaster. A second store was opened on the opposite side of the road, and for a time the community was also known as Twin Groceries. By 1885 Saltillo had a water-powered gristmill, two churches, a school, and a population of sixty. The St. Louis Southwestern built a line 1½ miles north of the settlement in 1887, and one of the stores and the post office moved to the train station site. A public school was in operation by 1905, when it had an enrollment of eighty-four. In 1909 the Gulf Pipe Line was laid through the county a half mile east of Saltillo, further spurring its growth. By 1914 the town had an estimated population of 350 and a number of stores, several barbershops, and a bank, a printing shop, and a newspaper (the Saltillo Signal). The town continued to prosper during the 1920s, but in the early 1930s its population decreased. By 1933 Saltillo had an estimated 250 residents and eleven businesses, and in 1940 it had a consolidated school, a Masonic lodge, three churches, six businesses, and a population of 250. At that time a Methodist church and a cemetery remained at the old townsite. In 1964 Saltillo still had a high school, three churches, four stores, and a population of 270. By 1990, however, it had 200 residents and two businesses, while Old Saltillo had the church and cemetery.

Sand Hill (Sandhill), a farming community in northern Hopkins County fourteen miles northeast of Sulphur Springs and three miles east of Tira off Farm Road 1536, was settled before 1900. A public school was operating there by 1905, when it had an enrollment of about thirty. In 1928 the school was consolidated with that of Tira, but the building continued to be used for a time as a community center and church. In the mid-1930s Sand Hill had the former school building and a number of scattered houses. After World War II most of its residents moved away, and by the early 1960s all that remained was a few scattered houses. In the late 1980s Sand Hill was a dispersed rural community.

Seymore (Seymour), a farming community at the junction of State Highway 154 and Farm Road 1567, ten miles south of Sulphur Springs in south central Hopkins County, was named for Hart Seymore, who settled there around 1865. A school was in operation by 1888; Bill Funderbunk had a store during the early 1900s; and a Baptist church was organized in 1914. In 1905 the public school had an enrollment of ninety-four. The community included three stores, a one-teacher school, a church, and a cemetery in 1948. The school was later consolidated with the Sulphur Springs Independent School District, and many Seymore residents moved away. By the mid-1960s all that remained of the community was a church, a cemetery, and a few scattered houses. In the late 1980s Seymore was a dispersed rural community.

Shady Grove was a farming community on Farm Road 2297 a mile west of Shooks Chapel and four miles south of Sulphur Springs in south central Hopkins County. A public school began operating there sometime before the mid-1880s, and in 1905 the community had two schools with a total enrollment of 123. A Baptist church was organized at Shady Grove in 1883 and met in the schoolhouse from 1883 until 1892, when a church building was erected. In the mid-1930s the community had the church, two schools, and a number of scattered houses. The schools were later consolidated with the Sulphur Springs school district, and by the mid-1960s only the church and a few farmhouses remained. By the 1980s the community was no longer shown on highway maps.

Sherley (Shirley), previously known as Barker Springs and as Frazier, is a farming community on State Highway 19 eight miles southwest of Sulphur Springs in southwestern Hopkins County. It was first settled around 1870 and was originally called Barker Springs after a local pioneer family. The Barker Springs Baptist Church was organized in 1881, and Presbyterian and Methodist churches were established sometime later. In 1887 the community received a post office; it was called Frazier and was housed in the store of Robert L. Frazier. When Andrew N. Smith became the postmaster in 1889, the town name was changed to Sherley. By 1892 Sherley included a general store and three churches. A public school was in operation there by 1900 and it had an enrollment of forty-nine in 1905. That year the post office was closed and local mail was routed through Sulphur Springs. In the mid-1930s Sherley consisted of the school, two churches, two cemeteries, and a number of scattered houses. The school was later consolidated with those of Sulphur Springs, and by the mid-1960s the Sherley community included two churches, two cemeteries, and a few houses. In the late 1980s Sherley was a dispersed rural community.

Shirley was a small farming community located on Farm Road 71 about ten miles northeast of Sulphur Springs in northern Hopkins County. This settlement probably began by the early 1900s. Highway maps in the 1930s show a school and scattered farms in the area. The community no longer appeared on maps by the 1990s. Another rural community in southwestern Hopkins County was named Sherley, sometimes spelled Shirley.

Shooks Chapel, also known as Shooks, is a farming community on State Highway 154 four miles south of Sulphur Springs in south central Hopkins County. It was first settled around 1887, when a Methodist church was organized on land donated by Gus Joiner. Wiley W. Shooks, after whom the community was named, served as its first pastor. A one-room frame church was built in 1888, and in 1916 it was replaced by a larger building. By the mid-1930s Shooks Chapel consisted of the church, a cemetery, a school, and a number of scattered houses. The church continued to expand, and in 1950 an education annex with six classrooms and a kitchen was added. The school was eventually consolidated with the Sulphur Springs school district, and by the early 1960s only the church, the cemetery, and a few houses remained. In the late 1980s Shooks Chapel was a dispersed rural community.

Sulphur Bluff, at the junction of Farm roads 69 and 71, eighteen miles northeast of Sulphur Springs in northeastern Hopkins County, was settled by Robert and Hesakiah Hargrave in 1842 on a bluff overlooking the Sulphur River three miles north of the present location. Robert Hargrave built a workshop, mill, and gin; on May 12, 1849, he became first postmaster. The county's first election was held at Sulphur Bluff in 1846. Hargrave moved the mill, shop, and post office to the present location in 1850; other settlers followed, and the original site was abandoned. By 1885 the town had a steam gristmill, three cotton gins, three churches, a school, and an estimated population of 250. A bank opened after 1900, and by 1905 two local public schools were in operation with a total enrollment of ninety-six. The town continued to prosper during the first two decades of the twentieth century, and by 1925 the population had reached 300. A small oil boom followed the discovery of oil two miles south of town in 1936. In 1947 the community had six stores, three churches, a consolidated high school, and a population estimated at 350. During the 1950s the population declined to 280 and many businesses closed. By the mid-1960s only three stores remained. In 1990 Sulphur Bluff had a population of 280 and one business. Ten years later, the high school had eighty-five students.

Sulphur Springs, the county seat of Hopkins County, is at the junction of Interstate 30 and State highways 11, 19, and 154, in the central portion of the county. The town was originally known as Bright Star when stores and a hotel were first built at the site, which had become a popular camping place for teamsters hauling commodities west from Jefferson. A Methodist church was organized in 1852 and a Baptist in 1859. A post office named Bright Star was established in 1854, and the Odd Fellows' Lodge continued to bear that name until 1949. Bright Star was incorporated possibly as early as 1852. Dr. O. S. Davis deeded the public square to the county when the town was rechartered and became the county seat in 1870. The name was changed to Sulphur Springs in 1871, when the mineral springs in the area were being advertised to make the town a health resort. By 1885 Sulphur Springs had Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, and two African-American churches, a high school, several private schools, a flour mill, planing and saw mills, furniture factories, foundries and machine shops, wagon factories, tanneries, three hotels, an opera house, two banks, two weekly newspapers (the Sulphur Springs Gazette and the Hopkins County Echo), and a reported population of 2,500. Central College, a Methodist institution, was organized in 1881 and became Eastman College in 1895. A courthouse was built on the east side of the public square in 1882 after Tarrant lost the position of county seat. After the building burned in 1894, a new granite and limestone courthouse in the Romanesque Revival style, designed by James Riely Gordon, was built. Sulphur Springs continued to prosper during the early years of the twentieth century, and by 1914 the number of inhabitants topped 5,000. The town adopted a home-rule charter in 1917 and a commission-manager government in 1947. The population remained steady until after World War II and subsequently grew steadily. In 1970 the city reported 10,642 inhabitants and 298 businesses; the 1990 population was 14,062. Industries included manufacture of a variety of products, including men's work clothing, women's dresses, mattresses, dairy equipment, transmission parts, ready-mix concrete, sheet-metal products, movable shutters, high-pressure valves, and petrochemical products. Among the local tourist attractions are the Hopkins County Museum and Heritage Park, which contains a number of historic houses, and the Music Box Gallery, a collection of more than 150 music boxes.

Sunny Point, a farming community off Farm Road 275 fifteen miles southwest of Sulphur Springs in southwestern Hopkins County, was settled before 1900. A public school was operating there by the early 1900s, and in 1905 it had thirty students enrolled. During the mid-1930s Sunny Point consisted of the school, a church, a cemetery, and a number of scattered houses. After World War II most of its residents moved away. The school was consolidated with the Cumby school district, and by the early 1960s all that remained was the cemetery and a few houses. During the late 1980s it was a dispersed rural community.

Tarrant, the first county seat of Hopkins County, was near the junction of State Highway 19/154 and Farm Road 1537, four miles north of Sulphur Springs in the central part of the county. The area was first settled by David Hopkinsqv and his family in the winter of 1842-43. When Hopkins County was organized in 1846, the site was chosen as county seat over another site a few miles away and was named Tarrant in honor of Texas Ranger and Indian fighter Gen. Edward H. Tarrant. Soon thereafter a log house was constructed as a temporary home for records and courthouse business, and in 1847 a post office was established. By 1850 Tarrant was a thriving community, and around that time it included a school, a steam gristmill, a blacksmith shop, a brick kiln, a Masonic lodge, a general store, a tannery, the Hopkins Hotel, a small Methodist college, and a newspaper named the Texas Star. In 1852 a jail was built of logs, and by 1854 a new two-story frame courthouse had been constructed at the center of town. Tarrant continued to grow for the rest of the 1850s, despite the fact that it was occasionally made inaccessible by flooding in the surrounding Caney and White Oak creeks. During Reconstruction, in the fall of 1868, Capt. Thomas M. Tolman, the commander of the Union garrison at Sulphur Springs, transferred the county records there so that they would be more accessible. After the military occupation ended, the records were returned to Tarrant by its citizens, but on July 1, 1870, the seat of justice was moved permanently to Sulphur Springs. Tarrant, its situation exacerbated by its isolated site, thereafter declined rapidly. Its post office closed in 1871. During the early 1990s only a few scattered farmhouses and a cemetery remained in the area.

Tazewell (Tasewell) a farming community on Farm Road 2297 six miles south of Sulphur Springs in south central Hopkins County, was first settled in the mid-1870s. Dr. Granville G. Kemper opened a store there in 1887 and secured a post office under the name Tazewell. The name is said to have come from a story involving a man named Tase. Reportedly, his wife asked him what they should name the town, and after much discussion, she suggested the name "Tase." Supposedly the husband replied, "Well," and the town was thus named Tasewell. The post office authorities accepted the name but changed the spelling to Tazewell. In 1890 the community had an estimated twenty-five residents, a gristmill and gin, a general store, and a shoemaker. Around 1900 a two-story building was constructed, and a Woodmen of the World Lodge occupied the upper floor. In 1904 the post office was closed, and local mail was sent to Sulphur Springs. The stores later closed, and by the mid-1930s the community had only a few widely scattered houses. No recent population estimates were available.

Thermo, on Farm Road 1870 and the Louisiana and Arkansas Railway, five miles east of Sulphur Springs in eastern Hopkins County, was founded around 1900. A brick manufacturing plant was established in 1910. The community was originally known as Crush, after a large rock crusher near the townsite. The rock was used for construction of railroad lines. The town's name was later changed to Thermo, for the Thermo Fire Brick Company, which produced fire-resistant brick. In the mid-1930s the community had the factory and a number of houses. In the late 1980s the factory was still in operation. The community was still listed in 1990.

Tinrag (Tenrag) was a farming community on State Highway 11 a mile east of Gafford's Chapel and six miles west of Sulphur Springs in west central Hopkins County. It began as a flag station on the St. Louis Southwestern Railway, probably before 1900, and its name is a backwards spelling of Garnit, the name of some local farmers. In the mid-1930s Tinrag had several businesses and a number of scattered houses. Local children attended the nearby school in Gafford's Chapel. By the early 1960s only a few farmhouses remained, and by the 1980s Tinrag was no longer shown on county highway maps.

Tira is on Farm Road 1536 thirteen miles north of Sulphur Springs in north central Hopkins County. It was originally known as Chapman Arm for Jimmy Chapman, who settled there in 1850. A Methodist church was organized at the community just after the Civil War, and in 1898 a post office under the name Tira, a corruption of the biblical name Tyre, was established, with Allen L. Payton as postmaster. Will Godfrey opened a gin in 1900, and a public school began operating shortly thereafter. By 1914 Tira had three general stores, a grocer, two cotton gins, and an estimated population of 100. Its post office was closed in 1919, but Tira continued to prosper during the 1920s and early 1930s. In the mid-1930s Tira had a Methodist church, a school, three stores, and a population of 200. In 1945 the Tira School was consolidated with several other schools to form the North Hopkins School. During the 1950s many Tira residents moved away, and by 1952 its population had dropped to forty. The last store closed in 1961, when its owner, Lloyd Smiddy, died. The town, however, began to grow again during the 1960s and 1970s; the population reached 115 in 1966 and 249 in 1986. During the same period a number of new homes were built, and two service stations, a cafe, and a welding shop opened. In 1975 the town incorporated. In 1989 Tira reported a population of 273, and in 1990, 237.

Union, also known as Yesner, is on County Road 2444 east of State Highway 154 and six miles south of Sulphur Springs in southern Hopkins County. A log church with split-log benches was built there in 1850 and used by several denominations. The town had a post office called Yesner from 1901 to 1906; at one time it also had a church, a school, a general store, a gristmill, and a cemetery. The oldest marked grave (1875) is that of Thomas Jeffgamblin. In 1885 the church was named the Union Baptist Church; at that time its membership numbered 100. Thereafter the community was known as Union. A school operated there from the late 1800s until 1946, when it was consolidated with the Sulphur Springs school district. Local crop farming later gave way to dairying, beef cattle, and hay production. The population of Union was reported as 200 in the 1980s. In 1985 a Texas Historical Commission marker was placed just outside the gates of the Union cemetery.

Weaver, on U.S. Highway 67 twelve miles east of Sulphur Springs in eastern Hopkins County, was established in the late 1880s as a station on the newly constructed St. Louis Southwestern Railway. In 1887 C. W. Bryant, who operated a store at the site, was appointed ticket agent for the railroad, and the following year the White Oak post office was moved to his store. The new post office was named for J. A. Weaver of Sulphur Springs, who was instrumental in locating the town and securing the right-of-way. A public school began operating around 1900, and in 1905 it had an enrollment of seventy-three. By 1914 Weaver had four general stores, two gins, a telephone connection, and an estimated population of 200. The post office closed, and by 1925 the population dropped to 100. In 1948 Weaver had three stores, two churches, a one-teacher school, a cemetery, and a population of 100. The school was later consolidated with Saltillo school, and by the mid-1970s the population had fallen to thirty-five. In the late 1980s Weaver was a dispersed community with a store, a church, and a few scattered houses. The population in 1990 was estimated at thirty-five.

Weir, also known as Weirville, is off State highways 19 and 154 thirteen miles north of Sulphur Springs in northern Hopkins County. It grew up around a garage operated by James E. Weir in the early 1930s. Weir expanded the business, adding a blacksmith shop, a store, and a service station. At its height in the mid-1930s Weirville had the Weir garage, a school, and a number of scattered houses. Weir later retired because of poor health and sold the store. Two other stores briefly operated at Weirville, but by 1976 all that remained of the community was a Domino hall and a few widely scattered houses. The town's name was later shortened to Weir. In the late 1980s Weir was a dispersed rural community.

White Oak Junction, also known as White Oak, a farming community in eastern Hopkins County eight miles east of Sulphur Springs on Interstate 30 and U. S. Highway 67, was established at Veal's store on the old Jefferson Road in 1847. A post office was established there the same year under the name White Oak. The White Oak Masonic Lodge was established in 1855, and a school, known as White Oak Academy, was one of the early schools in the county. By 1885 White Oak had a steam gristmill and cotton gin, two churches, a school, and an estimated population of 150. The town began to decline two years later when the St. Louis Southwestern Railway bypassed the town. In 1888 the post office was moved to nearby Weaver, a station on the railroad. The school continued to operate after the turn of the century and in 1905 had an enrollment of fifty. In the 1930s White Oak had the school, a church, a cemetery, and a number of scattered houses. After World War II the school was consolidated with the Saltillo School District, and by the early 1960s only the church, a cemetery, and a few houses remained. In the late 1980s the town, now known as White Oak Junction, was a dispersed rural community.

Who'd Thought It was a farming community in northern Hopkins County east of Tira and just north of Sand Hill off Farm Road 1536. It was probably established sometime after 1900. Levi Kearny operated the first store. How the town acquired its unusual name is not known. At its height prior to World War II, Who'd Thought It had two stores and a number of scattered houses. Children attended school in nearby Sand Hill. The stores later closed, and in the late 1980s the community was a ghost town. No population estimates were available.

Woodland was a farming community in southeastern Hopkins County eleven miles southeast of Sulphur Springs and three miles east of Como. Settled in the early 1850s, Woodland was the site of one of the county's first cemeteries. A post office operated from 1855 until 1866; John I. Bird was the first postmaster. In the early 1930s Woodland had a church, a cemetery, and a few scattered houses. The church was later closed, and in the early 1980s only the cemetery remained. No population estimates were available.

Yesner was a farming community in south central Hopkins County four miles northwest of Reilly Springs and a half mile east of the Union church. It was named for Max Yesner, a Sulphur Springs businessman. A post office operated from 1901 until 1906; Charles J. Hamrick was the first postmaster and suggested the name. At its height around 1900 Yesner had several stores and a gin. By the mid-1930s the community no longer appeared on highway maps.