Bee County Historical Commission - 195 Matching Results

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The First Christian Church, Pettus

Description: Photograph of the First Christian Church in Pettus. On August 20, 1906, the First Christian Church was organized in Pettus with a membership of 25. The first building was completed in the summer of 1905. Before any church was built in Pettus the early settlers of the Pettus City community used the school building for religious services. In the summer time a brush arbor was erected in front of and joining the schoolhouse. Lanterns were used for light; they were hung on the arbor posts. Pall… more
Date: unknown

Skidmore School 1916

Description: The first school in Skidmore was a three-room wooden structure and Professor L.W. Bell was the superintendent. In about 1909 the old school building was abandoned and this large two-story red brick schoolhouse was built closer to the street. The building had four wings, built in the form of a cross. This red-brick building was condemned in the late 1920’s and razed in 1929. It was replaced with a seven-classroom that had a large auditorium and library. In the 1950’s space became a problem, … more
Date: unknown

Photographs of Skidmore

Description: Two photographs of Skidmore, Texas. The top photograph of the Skidmore Garage shows John F. Petrus standing on the right and James Galloway on the left (1922). In 1929 John F. Petrus built a large garage adjacent to the bank building and became “Mr. Fix-It”. Any job that couldn’t be done satisfactorily any place else, ended at Mr. John’s. The garage was still open in the 1970’s as the oldest business building still in use. John Ferdinand Petrus (November 30, 1893 to March 18, 1979) married … more
Date: unknown

Skidmore Mercantile

Description: Photograph of the inside of Skidmore Mercantile. Some of the early mercantile stores in Skidmore were the Farmers Mercantile Company in Skidmore in 1912 owned by John Galloway Jr. His store included Ford cars, seeds, hardware, dry goods, ready-to-wear and a complete funeral service and could care for the needs for anyone “from the cradle to the grave”; W. R. Miller’s Dry Goods Store, where the first telephone switchboard was set up; and M.J. White Store. The devastating fires in the early 1900… more
Date: unknown

Buying Sewing Supplies in an Early Skidmore Mercantile

Description: Photograph of women and one man in an early Skidmore Mercantile store. Some of the early mercantile stores in Skidmore were the Farmers Mercantile Company in Skidmore in 1912 owned by John Galloway Jr. His store included Ford cars, seeds, hardware, dry goods, ready-to-wear and a complete funeral service and could care for the needs for anyone “from the cradle to the grave”; W. R. Miller’s Dry Goods Store, where the first telephone switchboard was set up; and M.J. White Store. The devastating f… more
Date: unknown

Sullivan and 4th Street in Skidmore Early 1900s

Description: Photograph of the corner of Sullivan and Fourth Street. There are stores and shops along the street, such as "Skidmore Drug Co.," "Restaurant & Baggage Room," and "W. R. Miller Co. General Merchandise." Dr. I.N. Thompson's office was located in the Elite Hotel. A devastating fire in 1919 took its toll of Skidmore. A large block of business houses burned to the ground at the time, and it is thought to have started in an empty saloon. Businesses burned in this fire were the Elite Hotel, W.R. M… more
Date: unknown

Early Skidmore Hotel

Description: In 1890 Thomas R. Atkins started a hotel in Skidmore and for eleven months published the first newspaper, the Skidmore Pioneer. In 1894, Atkins traded his Skidmore hotel to J.K. Street for the Beeville newspaper, the Picayune. Other Skidmore hotels were the Commercial Hotel, owned by Mr. and Mrs. R.S. Summerville; the Elite, where Dr. I.N. Thompson had his office; and the Benham Hotel. As with most of the early businesses in Skidmore, they were all destroyed in one of the several fires of the … more
Date: unknown

Downtown Skidmore 1904

Description: Photograph of early Skidmore in 1904. The Elite Hotel on the corner was where Dr. I.N. Thompson had his office. A devastating fire in 1919 took its toll of Skidmore. A large block of business houses burned to the ground at the time, and it is thought to have started in an empty saloon. Businesses burned in this fire were the Elite Hotel, W.R. Miller’s Dry Goods Store, Andy Tedford’s Saloon, Gus Staples’ Garage, Howard Faupel’s Barber Shop, M.M. White’s Store, Mrs. Murray’s Café, Midway Saloo… more
Date: unknown

SA&AP Railroad Depot, Skidmore, Texas

Description: The building of the San Antonio & Aransas Pass Railroad through Bee County in 1886 was one of the greatest history-making events that occurred in this little pioneer section. Driving cattle to various markets was a tiring trip; cattle could now travel by rail. Frank O. Skidmore, a rancher on the Aransas Creek, gave SA&AP the right of way across his land and also donated land to develop the town site of Skidmore. To provide a rail connection with the Texas Mexican Railway, Uriah Lott, the man… more
Date: unknown

First State Bank, Opera House and Tuell Drug Store Skidmore, Texas

Description: Photograph of First State Bank in Skidmore. In 1907 this two-story red brick building was built which housed the bank, a drug store and the Opera House. The top story featured a large stage and was used as a movie house for theatrical plays and dances. On the ground floor adjacent to the bank was a drug store which was operated for many years by Rupert Tuell. In 1929 the bank closed its doors after the Wall Street crash. The Opera house continued to be the scene of home talent plays and oth… more
Date: unknown

Commercial Hotel in Skidmore 1912

Description: Postcard showing people sitting on the porch of the "Commercial Hotel" in Skidmore. The picture was taken on December 4, 1912. The names of the individuals sitting on the porch are on the back of the postcard going from left to right. The Commercial Hotel was destroyed by fire.
Date: unknown

Skidmore High School in 1929

Description: Postcard showing the Skidmore High School in 1929. This modern seven-classroom school was built with a large auditorium and library after the old high school was condemmed in the late 1920's. Professor R.J. Gladney was superintnedent then. This high school was used until the present one was built in 1953, when a larger high school became necessary.
Date: unknown

Main Street Skidmore 1910

Description: Photograph of Main Street in Skidmore in 1910. The "Elite Hotel" can be seen on the corner of the street next to "W. R. Miller & Co. General Merchandise." Dr. I.N. Thompson had his office in the Elite Hotel, and the first telephone switchboard was located in the W.R. Miller store. Most of the businesses seen along main street burned in a fire in 1919.
Date: unknown

Inside a Confectionary in Skidmore

Description: Photograph of the inside of a confectionery in Skidmore. At one time Skidmore had two confectionary stories. One was called The Little Gem Confectionary, which was owned and operated by John Galloway. The store sold fish, toilet articles, stationery, Coca-Cola and sundry other items. It was also used for Mr. Galloway’s office since he was the Justice of the Peace. Another confectionary store in Skidmore was Ed Crow’s Palace of Sweets Confectionery, featuring the first popcorn machine and th… more
Date: unknown

Inside of an Early Skidmore Mercantile

Description: Photograph of a group of men inside of a mercantile store in Skidmore. One of boys behind the counter is J. J. Jenkins. Some of the early mercantile stores in Skidmore were the Farmers Mercantile Company in Skidmore in 1912 owned by John Galloway Jr. His store included Ford cars, seeds, hardware, dry goods, ready-to-wear and a complete funeral service and could care for the needs for anyone “from the cradle to the grave”; W. R. Miller’s Dry Goods Store, where the first telephone switchboard was… more
Date: unknown

Fowler Saloon in Skidmore

Description: Postcard showing men standing in the Fowler Saloon in Skidmore. Skidmore In the early 1900’s the population of Skidmore was close to 3,000. Skidmore had eight stores, three saloons, two drug stores, three garages, three churches, a lumber yard, bakery shop, two gins, a newspaper, and the First State Bank of Skidmore (1907-1937). Most of these businesses were burned in the fires that almost destroyed Skidmore through the early years of the 1900’s.
Date: unknown

Street Scene in Skidmore Early 1900's

Description: Photograph of the corner of Patricio and Fourth Street in Skidmore in the early 1900's. Some of the stores along the right side of the street are the Magnolia Saloon, U. S. Post Office, and the Confectionery and Ice Cream Parlor. Fires in 1900, 1916, 1918 and a devastating fire in 1919 destroyed most of the businesses in Skidmore.
Date: unknown

Cotton Gin and Stock Pens in Skidmore

Description: Two photographs taken in Skidmore, Texas. These two pictures of a cotton gin and stock pens represent two important economical activities in early Skidmore. In the early part of the 1900’s, Charles Blaschke and Joe Beyer built a cotton gin near the old overpass. The cotton was carried by hand in baskets from the ginstand up to the press to be made into bales. This gin was sold and later burned. T.C. Buerger built a gin on the Blaschke property in the residential section of Skidmore. Charles … more
Date: unknown
Creator: Skidmore Historical Society

Skidmore Downs

Description: Photograph of a group of people surrounding a horse named Little Joe at Skidmore Downs. Among the people pictured are Bobby Ortiz, Bobby Ortiz Jr. and Santos Jaramillo, Little Joe's owner.
Date: unknown

Ellen O'Toole Corrigan

Description: Photograph of Ellen O'Toole Corrigan widow of John Corrigan. In 1826, Ellen's father, Jeremiah O’Toole, rode horseback from New York to the Aransas Creek after he heard that Irishmen could get land grants from the Mexican government. By 1831 he had 12,000 acres on the Aransas Creek six miles east of present Skidmore. Mr. O’Toole’s brother and his family later joined him. In 1848 Ellen married John Corrigan, and the settlement was name in his honor. Several times the settler had to flee because… more
Date: unknown

Caesar High School 1913-1914

Description: A picture of students in front of Caesar High School in 1913-1914. Located in the northern part of Bee County, the settlement of Caesar was started in the early 1890’s. Most of the settlers were farmers and ranchers. Not much remains of the settlement of Caesar today, but it once had a post office, store, school, gin, and a Baptist Church.
Date: unknown

Orangedale Public School 1913

Description: Photograph of children that appear to be playing in front of the Orangedale School in 1913. In the early 1900’s the Wangeman Ranch was divided into small tracts and sold mostly to people from Northeastern and Eastern States who wanted to settle here and produce citrus fruits, particularly oranges. From which they derived the name Orangedale, and it was lcated about five miles west of Beeville on the road to Mineral. Around 1906 the settlers began to arrive to Orangedale. Included among these… more
Date: unknown

Third Courthouse for Bee County, 1879

Description: The two-story building was built on the site of the present courthouse by Viggo Kohler in 1878 for a bid of $3,425. The lumber used to build it was hauled from St. Marys in Refugio Co. It had a 40X50 ft. rock foundation with a portico 8 X 18 ft. The portico had four octagon columns made from eight-inch square solid timbers. The county officials moved in on May 12, 1879. It was destroyed by fire on January 15, 1911. While a new courthouse was being built the auditorium of the Grand Opera House… more
Date: unknown
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