THRALL of Williamson County, Texas

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THRALL

THRALL, TEXAS est. 1876

Population: 839 (2004)

Oil well “Old Faithful” near Thrall, 1930. Thrall was the site of two oil booms, first in 1915, and again in the 1930s, which resulted in 200 oil wells being drilled in nearby farms.

Courtesy of Raymond Fuchs

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pic 1068

Town of Thrall - Historical Marker
An 1876 International & Great Northern railroad siding called "Stiles Switch" for landowners J. E. and F. M. Stiles, grew into a shipping point for the Swiss and Germans who settled in this area. The post office that opened in 1901 was named for Methodist minister and historian Homer S. Thrall. Nearly oil discoveries and sudden growth caused the town to be incorporated in 1915. The 38.21-inch rainfall of Sept. 8-9, 1921, gave Thrall a world record. Since 1961, Texas A&M University agricultural research center had operated here. Farming remains the basic local industry.

click on thumbnail photos for a larger view

pic 1069 Main Street of Thrall, Many Cars, 1915 pic 9072 Farmers State Bank & Thrall Drug Store, Thrall, Texas, ca. 1913 2006	pic 2100 Thrall Drugstore Interior, Thrall, Texas pic 6050 Thrall School, Thrall, Texas	pic 2122 Thrall High School Girl's Basketball Team, Thrall, Texas, ca. 1945, l-r: Margaret Nell Starnes, Edith Caffey, Paulinne Schirpik, Margaret Zieschang, Milldred Jean Wilson, Elizabeth Hopf, Peggy Jean Modeset
pic 3056 Chapman Oil Field Fire	pic 3062 Kreig Bros. Chevrolet Co. with gas pump & car, man fixing tire. ca. 1935, Thrall, Texas 2006	pic 3063 Gas station in Thrall, Texas
pic 3064 Thrall Drugstore, Thrall, Texas	pic 4011 Lorraine Castro Camacho and Frank Castro on Tenant Farm [Kennedy] East of Thrall, Texas, ca. 1920's	pic 4012 Tenant Farm, rounding up turkeys, ca. 1924, Loraine Castro [Comacho] and her brother Frank Castro., Thrall, Texas
pic 4013 Onion Harvest in Williamson County, ca. 1942. Lorenzo Camacho and truck, daughters: Sara and Marie plus other workers near Thrall, Texas	pic 4014 Onion Harvest, three men loading a truck, Thrall, Texas, ca. 1940's	pic 4015 Onion Harvest, group with Lorenzo Comacho's truck, daughters, and workers, Thrall, Texas ca. 1940's
pic 5032 New Bern Church and School. built about 1892 by Swiss immigrants, Stauffer, Kreig, and Walter families, 4 miles north of Thrall, Texas. Second larger church was built ca. 1912.	pic 5033 Stauffer girl in white confirmation dress

First Baptist Church of Thrall built 1913

Krieg Bros Chevrolet 2006.jpg

Farmers State Bank &
Thrall Drug Store, Thrall, Texas, ca. 1913

Thrall old building 5-1-06

Thrall Fireman's hall 5-1-06

St. John
Lutheran Church

Thrall 2006

St. John Lutheran Church Historical Marker Dedication
11/04/2007

Historical Marker Text

ST. JOHN LUTHERAN CHURCH
ST. JOHN LUTHERAN CHURCH DATES TO 1917, WHEN AREA LUTHERANS JOINED WITH THE REV. ARTHUR E. HARTMANN, PASTOR OF A TAYLOR CHURCH, TO ORGANIZE A NEW CONGREGATION. MEMBERS MET IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL AND IN HOMES UNTIL CONSTRUCTING A BUILDING HERE IN 1921. THE CHURCH HAS A LONG HISTORY OF SOCIAL SERVICE; ONE EARLY PROJECT INVOLVED SENDING CLOTHING TO THE NEEDY
IN EUROPE FOLLOWING WORLD WAR I. MEMBERSHIP GREW STEADILY, ESPECIALLY IN THE 1930s AND 1940s DURING THE PASTORATE OF THE REV. WILLARD ANDER. THE CHURCH BUILT NEW FACILITIES AT THIS SITE IN 1957 AND TODAY ST. JOHN LUTHERAN CHURCH CONTINUES TO SERVE AS A SPIRITUAL
LEADER IN THE COMMUNITY OF THRALL. (2007)

MARKER IS PROPERTY OF THE STATE OF TEXAS

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Lawrence Chapel Cemetery - Historical Marker
Adam Lawrence (1799-1878), pioneer farmer and cattle raiser, donated this tract in 1840. Born in Kentucky, he received a Texas land grant, 1822. Fought in Texas Revolution (1836) and many Indian battles. Once jumped horse 20 feet into river below to evade war party.

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Thrall, Texas by The Handbook of Texas Online

also see www.texasescapes.com

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Williamson County Historical Museum
WCHM is a member of the Texas Association of Museums
Telephone - 512-943-1670

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