Stoneburg, Texas

Stoneburg is an unincorporated community in Montague County, Texas, United States.[1] According to the Handbook of Texas, it had a population of approximately 51 in 2000.

Stoneburg, Texas
Unincorporated community
Stoneburg is located in Texas
Stoneburg
Stoneburg
Stoneburg is located in the United States
Stoneburg
Stoneburg
Coordinates: 33°40′16″N 97°54′19″W
CountryUnited States
StateTexas
CountyMontague
Elevation
938 ft (286 m)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code940
GNIS feature ID1369240[1]

History

Early in the 1870s, a settlement grew. The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad's rails entered the region in 1893. In honor of J. M. Stone, a local rancher who gave property for the townsite when the train arrived, the post office's name was changed to Stoneburg after five months under the name Riley. The town's population topped 150 by the turn of the century. Up until the Great Depression, there were always more than 100 people living there. On March 31, 1954, the post office was shut down. The population has continuously decreased after World War II, reaching 51 by the late 1980s. Only two churches and a gas station were present in the village in 1989. The recorded population was still 51 as of the year 2000.[2]

In April 1958, an F3 tornado struck Stoneburg, injuring one person.[3] On May 18, 1946, an F4 tornado struck Stoneburg. A church was obliterated, with debris splintered and scattered for a mile. A linen scarf was untouched and laid on the pulpit. It resulted in three deaths.[4] On April 29, 1906, another tornado hit Stoneburg.[5]

On April 9, 2009, Stoneburg was evacuated due to wildfires and subsequently was destroyed by fire. This evacuation describes the community as a ghost town.[6] The Texas Forest Service described it as "burned over."[7]

Convicted murderer Henry Lee Lucas was picked up by a Pentecostal minister from the House of Prayer in Stoneburg while hitchhiking.[8]

Geography

Stoneburg sits at the intersection of U.S. Route 81 and Farm to Market Road 1806, 15 mi (24 km) west of Montague and 12 mi (19 km) north of Bowie in west-central Montague County.[9] Bowie Lake is 2 miles (3.2 km) southwest of the town.[2]

Education

W.T. Small used his ranch as a school in 1883.[2] The Gold-Burg Independent School District serves area students.

References
  1. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Stoneburg, Texas
  2. Stoneburg, TX from the Handbook of Texas Online
  3. "1/1-8/13 U.S. Tornadoes". National Centers for Environmental Information. National Weather Service. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  4. Grazulis, Thomas P. (1993). Significant tornadoes, 1680–1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, Vermont: Environmental Films. pp. 922–925. ISBN 1-879362-03-1.
  5. "Severe Weather in Texas: 1900s". Office of the Texas State Climatologist. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  6. "Wildfires destroy 2 Texas towns, kill 2". Reuters. April 10, 2009.
  7. Bishop, Hank; Aaron Cooper (April 9, 2009). "Fires scorch Southwest, burning homes and one entire town". CNN. Retrieved April 9, 2009. In Texas, the 100-person town of Stoneburg was "burned over," by a 25,000-acre fire said Texas Forest Service spokeswoman Misty Wilburn. The town, northwest of Dallas near the Oklahoma state line, had been evacuated, she said.
  8. Shellady, Brad (June 1, 2002). "Henry: Fabrication of a Serial Killer". In Kick, Russ (ed.). Everything You Know Is Wrong: The Disinformation Guide to Secrets and Lies. Disinformation Company. ISBN 0971394202.
  9. "Stoneburg, Texas". Texas Escapes Online Magazine. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
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