FEBRUARY IN ROUND ROCK (dates in history)

A special thanks the Round Rock Leader for letting the museum  
post these wonderful Articles.
The Time Capsules stories are prepared by Bob Brinkman
Texas Historical Commission

1879:   A fire that breaks out in the dry goods store of Edell & Kincade destroys an entire block of ten downtown businesses.  The town had no equipment for controlling the fire, and so the Round Rock Fire Department is established.

 1914:   Merchant W.H. Lawson is murdered on his way home from work on a Friday night.  Governor O.B. Colquitt issues a $250 reward for the capture of his assailants.  The following morning, the Round Rock Institute catches fire and burns to the ground.

 1921:   The Williamson County Rat Extermination Campaign is an effort to improve the public health by killing rodents and rat-proofing barns and silos to protect food supplies.  Farmers and citizens pay bounties to the schoolchildren, who have a contest to see who can kill the most rats.  By February, more than 42,000 rats are reported dead.          

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