Burleson County, Texas
Somerville is home to 10 official Texas Historical Commission markers — each one telling a piece of the city’s story. Browse the markers below, then find them on the map and discover more nearby with RoadHistorical.
First shovel of earth for Somerville Dam was turned Sept. 22, 1962, by Lyndon Johnson, then vice president of United States. Dam was built to control flooding on Yegua Creek. In the 46 years prior to 1958, Yegua has…
View on map ↗Organized 1901 by The Rev. H. G. Williams; had 29 charter members, and was in the Lyons Circuit. During first year, held prayer meetings in homes and preaching services in brush arbor lighted by members' lanterns. For…
View on map ↗Located where two branches of the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway joined, town was named for Albert Somerville, first president of the railroad. First settlers arrived after town was surveyed about 1883; the post…
View on map ↗In 1690 the Spanish gave the name "San Francisco" to this 62-mile Brazos River tributary; but on an 1822 map, Stephen F. Austin, "Father of Texas", marked it "Yegua", Spanish for "mare". Mustang mares and foals then…
View on map ↗Fred Harvey, a native of England, began operation of his Santa Fe Railroad dining rooms in 1876. In 1900 a Harvey House opened in Somerville, divisional headquarters of the Santa Fe line. The 2-story, galleried…
View on map ↗In 1906 Somerville hosted the annual reunion of the Hood's Texas Brigade Association, a group established in 1872 for veterans of the celebrated Confederate unit. For two days, June 27-28, 74 veterans were honored with…
View on map ↗Jebb Lee Woods (1872-1932) came to Somerville in 1900. He began working for his uncle at the Cowboy Merchant Store, where he sold coffins. In 1911 he became the town undertaker and started the first funeral parlor in…
View on map ↗Dating to 1900, this graveyard was first called the Somerville and Lyons Cemetery. Land was purchased by J. W. Lauderdale to establish a cemetery upon the death of his two-year-old son Charles on November 6, 1900. The…
View on map ↗Born on Sept. 16, 1922, in Texas City, Thomas J. Gary, Jr., attended Somerville Junior High in the 1930s. He returned to Texas City and, in 1940, at age 18, enlisted in the U.S. Navy. A Seaman Second Class, Gary was…
View on map ↗As the Somerville Independent School District (SISD) emerged from the Great Depression, the school board filed a Works Progress Administration project proposal on October 3, 1938, to build a gymnasium. The proposal was…
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