Honey Grove, Fannin County, Texas

This historic town is nearly as large and populous as Bonham. It was here-tradition has it--that the illustrious Crockett and his followers encamped for several days, while on their way to take a part in the struggle for Texas Independence. The grove to the north of the city was said to be a natural apiary; every hollow tree was a bee hive well filled with honey, and from this grove the town gets its name, but whether by the old patriot and soldier, or by those that came afterwards not known.

The town is beautifully situated, on the Trans-continental division of the T. & P. road, about fifteen miles to the east of Bon-ham, and is surrounded and supported by as pretty and solid country as may be found any where. For miles and miles, as far as the eye can reach, is farm after farm, always in a high state of cultivation, which produce every year as much as can be gathered. From ten to fourteen thousand bales of cotton per season, is the Grove's shipment. Corn, oats, wheat and hay are also shipped in large quantities. This produce is raised on a very small portion of the country's territory, which is sufficient proof of the superior quality of the lands adjacent to and around Honey Grove.

The site of the city is somewhat elevated, and commands a splendid view of the surrounding country.

To the north is one continuous prairie,, dotted with fields of green and waving grain, among which are nestled neat farm-houses, fronting the well kept highways. The most attractive part of this scenery is the winding stream which heads in the Sulphurs and makes off to the river on the north, bordered by bottom lands heavily timbered on either side, and resembling a huge green snake, with its tail in the undulating prairies, and its mouth buried in the waters of Red River, fifteen miles distant. On the east is a solid prairie, recently-that is, within the last ten years-reclaimed, and now in a high state of cultivation. On the south and west, the same cheerful sight meets the eye.

Honey Grove has its city government, and has the entire control of the public school fund. The businessmen and property owners seem to have more enterprise than those of Bonham.
Absolutely nothing that will result in any good or benefit to the city or its inhabitants, is allowed to go by.

The business part of town is centered around the large public square, which is faced on all sides by handsome brick and stone buildings that seem to rival each other in size and grandeur. Here again, the residences, churches and colleges are to be found on the streets and thoroughfares leading off from the square in all directions.
The town has one bank, which does a large business, a building and loan association, one chartered institution of learning, and five other schools and academies, largely attended. The annual public fund for the city is about $2000, and the average attendance of pupils is 250 white, and 100 colored. Besides the fund before mentioned, the city raises a fund by direct tax, to further aid the schools.

The wealth of Honey Grove is rapidly increasing. The population, today, is correctly estimated at 2.200.
Eight different congregations worship at their respective buildings, six white and two colored. Two newspapers, the Independent and the Simoon are published weekly, and have a good circulation.

Everywhere, in and around Honey Grove, the evidence of industry, push, enterprise and solid wealth meets the visitors' eye. Here is the shipping port for the vast quarries of valuable stone lying three or four miles south west of town, and from which the material for many fine buildings has been taken. The peculiarity of this stone is its remarkable softness when first taken from the quarries. Common chisels, saws, planes and other tools are used in dressing and trimming it, with as little injury to the tools as if used in ordinary wood. But when the stone is exposed to the atmosphere any length of time, it becomes hard and amply durable for building purposes. It is of a rich yellow hew, and susceptible of being finely wrought and trimmed. Hundreds of carloads are annually shipped to different portions of the state, and the industry is rapidly developing into one of large proportions, highly beneficial to the whole county.

Of course the business, wealth an and population of the Grove will continue to increase, until the magnificent country surrounding it is reduced to a veritable garden, but without more railroads, this will be the end of its row. If one is looking for a home and business, in Fannin County, Honey Grove should be one of the first localities to engage his attention. Its society is unimpeachable, its churches are legion, with large membership in each; its educational advantages are equal to any in the state. When these essential requisites of a pleasant home, surround it, what more does one want?

Additional Resources:

The Site of Honey Grove

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