Historical Markers in Junction, Texas

Kimble County · 1936

JUMANO AND APACHE INDIANS INHABITED REGION WHEN SPANISH EXPLORERS TRAVELED ACROSS IT IN THE 17TH AND 18TH CENTURIES, AND WERE DISPLACED BY THE COMANCHE TRIBE BY THE MID-19TH CENTURY. AREA WAS UNDER MILITARY JURISDICTION…

Creed Taylor · 1962

Soldier Texas War for Independence. Gonzales to Bexar, 1835. Scout and courier, 1836.

Kimble County Jail · 1964

THIS BUILDING, KIMBLE COUNTY'S THIRD JAIL, WAS ERECTED IN 1892 DURING THE TERM OF JUDGE W. A. SPENCER AND COMMISSIONERS G. R. ARMSTRONG, J. F.COWSERT, AND H. W. McCALEB. BUILT AT A COST OF $3,150, THE TWO-FOOT THICK…

Old Rock Store, 1879 · 1964

Old Rock Store, 1879, built for general merchandise of G. W. Ragsdill, who owned and operated a nearby hotel and wagon yard. Later used for many other businesses. The top floor has been hall for A.F.& A. M., I.O.O.F.…

Cloud Place · 1965

1879. Early Kimble County social center. Built for his family of 14 by W. J. Cloud, a veteran of Terry's Texas Rangers service during the Civil War. Stone for 18-inch walls came from nearby mountain, lumber by…

Colonel John Griffith · 1965

(1831-1889) Confederate officer in Civil War. Learned at war's end that women and children of family had fled from Arkansas to Texas in open wagon drawn by a milk cow and a one-eye mule. The missing were found in 1866,…

Hoggett Home · 1965

First two-story house in county. Built 1877-1879 on the caliche soil, with no foundation, by Civil War veteran B.F. Pepper, who led a wagon train of settlers to Texas from Missouri. Since 1905 in family of Dr. R.H.P.…

Old Log Cabin · 1965

OLD LOG CABIN. TYPICAL OF 1870-80 ERA. BUILT BY EMERY B. PIERCE ON RANCH OF JOHN KOUNTZ, HIS BOSS, 2 MI.S. OF JUNCTION. MOVED HERE AND REMODELED, 1903. RECORDED TEXAS HISTORIC LANDMARK, 1965

First Post Office · 1966

Across the street, south, was the first building erected to house the Junction post office. Junction's first postmaster, Mrs. Harriet Kountz, appointed 1876, at first kept the mail in her home. In 1879, her husband, Dr.…

Kimble County's First Sawmill · 1966

Started 1877 on South Llano River by pioneers Claud, Lon and Sel Denman. Waterpower created by mill dam built by Claud, a stonemason. House at 210 E. Main is of their rawhide lumber, cut from local wood-- used green…

Masonic Hall · 1966

Old Bear Creek Texas Ranger Camp · 1966

Established October 1877 as patrol base for Co. E, Frontier Battalion, Texas Rangers, on the lookout for Indians and outlaws along the Llano River. Area was popular refuge for cattle and horse thieves, murderers, mail…

Stevenson, Coke R., Texas Statesman · 1966

First Texas governor to serve more than two terms (1941-1947). First speaker of the house to succeed himself (1935-1937). Lieutenant Governor, 1939-1941. Was first to hold the three highest state offices. As governor,…

Bear Creek Settlement · 1967

Started in 1850s by rancher Raleigh Gentry, who built a 2-room log house and cleared a small farm, but in 1862 sold out to cattlemen Rance Moore. 1860s settlers included Wm. and Lane Gibson, Charlie Jones, John New, A.…

Campsite of Marques De Rubi, 1767 · 1967

Campsite of Marques de Rubi, 1767. In 1764 King Charles III of Spain ordered the Marques de Rubi, a Spanish army field marshal, to tour and inspect all presidios in New Spain. Rubi arrived in Mexico in February 1766,…

Captain William Walter Taylor · 1967

Grandson of Josiah Taylor and grandnephew of Creed Taylor, Indian fighters who took part in Battle of Bandera Pass, 1841. Born at Clinton, Texas; in 1889 he moved to Kimble County, to begin ranching with an uncle. In…

First Court in Kimble County · 1967

(Site: 1/2 mi. NW, on main Llano River) Held in spring of 1876, under a live oak tree that had a hive of wild bees in its trunk. The site, "Old Kimbleville," had been suggested as the county seat. District Judge W. A.…

Isaac Kountz · 1967

Killed on this spot by Indians on Christmas Eve, 1876. He was 16 years old, and herding sheep for his father, Dr. E. K. Kountz. A brother, Sebastian, age 11, escaped. a posse and Texas Rangers chased the Indians to the…

Site of First Livery Stable · 1967

Busiest spot in early Junction. Fed and housed visiting ranch teams. Had horses and buggies for public hire. Men collected here to gossip, trade. Built 1879 by John Allen on this lot where public corral operated as…

Site of Four Mile Dam · 1967

BUILT UNDER AN 1896 CHARTER, OBTAINED FOR THE JUNCTION CITY IRRIGATION AND POWER DITCHES, TO FURNISH POWER FOR MILLS AND MINING SUPPLY CITY MAINS, WATER EXTENSIVE LANDS AND LIVESTOCK. AT FIRST UNDER ENGINEERING…

Teacup Mountain · 1967

Named for its peculiar formation. Probably used as a lookout post by both whites and Indians in pioneer days. Near here occurred the Indian killing of pioneer James Bradberry, Sr., 1872; and the capture of a wanted man…

The Killing of Sam Speer · 1967

(8/10 mi. W., Hwy. 290; and 200 yds. S.) On Dec. 24, 1876, a band of Indians killed Sam Speer, only 17 years of age, who was driving in horses near here. A 50-caliber gun his brother was using failed to fire. This was…

Captain Gully Cowsert · 1968

(June 12,1896 - June 11,1958) Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, World War I. Became Texas Ranger in 1942. He served in that rank for 14 years. Commanded Company E and West Texas District 14 years. Gained fame solving cattle…

Doom of the Outlaws of Pegleg Station · 1968

Here the climax of a western track-down occurred on Jan.18, 1878, when Texas Rangers killed suspected murderer Dick Dublin, member of a gang of outlaws. Although a friend yelled for him to run, Dublin was shot (150 yds.…

Early History of Kimble County · 1968

Created in 1858 out of Bexar County, Kimble County was attached temporarily to Gillespie County for judicial purposes. It was named for Lt. George C. Kimble, slain March 6, 1836, in the siege of the Alamo. The county…

Fight of Sheriff's Posse with Cattle Rustlers · 1968

(Site marked on Rust Ranch, 21 mi. NW) On Feb. 6, 1897, sheriff John L. Jones and deputies T. C. Taylor, Oscar Latta, John Gardner, T. W. Frazier and Bob Owens found Jim and Jourd Nite (brothers) and J. C. Crane with…

First Church in Community Copperas Methodist Church · 1968

Organized in 1881 by circuit rider, Andrew Jackson Potter, who helped firmly establish the Methodist church in West Texas. Before construction of church on this site in 1917, services were held in schoolhouse or under…

Coalson-Pullen Colony · 1970

(cabin chimney at site, about 3 mi. NW) Opened 1866 by Nick and Jennie (Blackwell) Coalson, who moved from Menard area. Stockraising and hunting provided livelihood. Their "bacon" was cured bear meat. Indians often…

Junction's First Waterworks · 1970

Predecessor of present city waterworks. Supplied water to homes and furnished power to run grist mill, cotton gin, and sawmill. Business leader Ernest Holekamp had canal dug in 1895, beginning at South Llano River, 1/2…

Miller-Browning Colony · 1970

Located about one mile north in late 19th century. Composed of two families prominent in early Kimble County affairs. Started in 1874 by John and Martha Miller. Known as "Honest John," Miller joined frontier militia to…

Morales Ranch · 1970

350 yards southwest stands a small rock house built in 1881 by settler Meliton Morales (1837-1924). Born in Mexico, Morales was kidnapped by Indians as a youth and spent 9 years in captivity. Moved to Texas in 1855.…

Schreiner Park · 1970

Used as a park long before formally deeded to people by Capt. Charles Schreiner in 1916. Picnics and gatherings were held here, as well as political rallies. A large rock doubled as podium. When the Confederate veterans…

Vicinity of Bradbury Settlement · 1970

(2 mi. above forks of N. and S. Llano rivers) One of earliest Kimble County communities. Opened by James Bradbury, Sr., a frontiersman. Between 1850 and 1864 he moved here from Williamson County with six children, after…

First Court Tree · 1971

Site of 1876 hearing presided over by Judge W. A. Blackburn, with Texas Rangers on guard and the accused chained to tree. (1971)

City of Junction · 1972

County seat of Kimble County. Townsite platted 1876 (year of county organization) as "Denman" soon had named changed by voters to denote site at confluence of North and South Llano rivers. Growth was steady. By 1882 had…

First Murr Ranch · 1972

HENRY AND ADAM MURR, BORN IN LANCASTER COUNTY, PA. SONS OF MR. AND MRS. JOHN MURR, SERVED 1866-1882 AND 1877-1882, RESPECTIVELY, IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY. AFTER HIS HONORABLE DISCHARGE AT FORT McKAVETT (28 MI NW),…

The Oliver Pecan · 1973

Young P. Oliver (1857-1925) came to this area in 1876 from his native Guadalupe County. In 1896, Oliver purchased this section (640 acres) of land, on which grew hundreds of pecan trees, and became a pioneer in the…

Near Route of Old Military Road · 1975

SUPPLY LINE FROM U.S. ARMY HEADQUARTERS IN SAN ANTONIO TO FORT TERRETT, 1852-1854. IN THE 1850'S TWO-THIRDS OF TEXAS WAS HELD BY COMANCHES OR THREATENED BY RAIDS. POSTS SUCH AS FORT TERRETT STOOD FROM RED RIVER TO THE…

John Sterling Durst Pioneer Minister · 1979

The son of pioneer Texans. John Sterling Durst (1841-1924) was born in Leon County. After service in the Confederate Army, a sermon moved him to join the Church of Christ ministry. When the Rev. Durst bought a nearby…

Brambletye · 1983

Brambletye was built between 1895 and 1900 by English immigrant William Hall (b. 1833), who came to Texas in 1888. After Hall's death in 1900, the stone house and surrounding ranchland were owned by several early ranch…

Burt M. Fleming American Legion Post No. 237 · 1997

Organized on May 15, 1919, American Legion Post No. 237 was named for Burt M. Fleming, who was killed in France during World War I. One of the best known organizations in Kimble County, the post sponsored such…

Roosevelt · 1997

The community of Roosevelt began with the establishment of a post office in 1898. Although Alice Wagner applied for the post office with another name, the postal service in Washington substituted the name Roosevelt…

Pioneer-North Llano Cemetery · 1998

The Junction Eagle · 1998

Kimble County's first newspaper began operations in February 1882. Editor J. F. Lewis' Washington Press printed four incarnations of the Junction newspaper: THE WESTERN TEXAN, the JUNCTION CITY CLIPPER, the KIMBLE…

Kimble County Courthouse · 2000

The third courthouse to serve Kimble County, this structure was designed by San Antonio architect Henry Truman Phelps (1871-1944). Between 1904 and the early 1930s, Phelps designed courthouses in more than ten Texas…

Cloud Point · 2001

A landmark for many years for soldiers and others who journeyed along the roads that traversed this terrain, Cloud Point is the name given to the cliff overlooking the Llano River valley and the valley of Johnson Fork…

Weaver-Bannowsky Cemetery · 2002

College Street Church of Christ · 2004

In 1880, A. J. Bush arrived in this community, which was then called Junction City. Here he led 17 men and women in forming a Church of Christ. Two years later, after initially holding services in the county courthouse,…

Confederate Veterans Reunion, Site of 1908 · 2004

First Baptist Church of Junction · 2004

In 1880, several local residents met at the courthouse to organize a Baptist church. The Rev. Z.M. Wells, pastor at Menardville (Menard), led the group and continued conducting services monthly. Four years later, the…

Marvin E. and Retta Ann Blackburn House · 2004

Collin County native Marvin E. Blackburn came to Junction in 1902 to serve as County Attorney, and he remained to practice law and serve as District Judge and four terms as a state legislator. He and his wife, Retta Ann…

Spencer, Major William Addison · 2004

First United Methodist Church of Junction · 2006

Early Junction residents built brush arbors for religious meetings, and by the 1870s, the city had an active Methodist Society, which hosted traveling ministers, such as the fiery "Fighting Parson" Andrew Jackson…

South Llano Crossing · 2008

The spanning of the South Llano River has been a major concern for the citizens of Junction since the town's founding in 1876. The original crossing point was located slightly south of the junction of the North and…

Junction School Campus · 2009

Little Mexico (Northeast Junction) · 2009

Northeast Junction, commonly known as Little Mexico, is a “Latin American” community that is separated by the Llano River from the main portion of Junction. In the late 1920s an automobile route called the Old Spanish…

Coach Bear Bryant and the Junction Boys · 2014

Paul “Bear” Bryant, former coach at Maryland and Kentucky, became head football coach at Texas A&M in 1954. To evaluate his new players, Bryant sought a preseason camp far from the main campus. The Texas A&M adjunct…

O.C. Fisher · 2017

Author, attorney and politician Ovie Clark Fisher (1903-1994) was born at the Kimble County Ranch Home of his parents, Jobe and Rhoda (Clark) Fisher. He graduated from Junction High School and received a law degree from…