Justin,
Texas - Since 1883
|
Welcome to the
Justin Texas Area Historical
Society
The Justin, Texas Historical Marker webpage
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1887 Map of Justin Texas
The City Of Justin, Texas received a Subject Matter Historical Marker at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 21st, 2015.
The marker is located at Bishop Park, 580 South FM 156, Justin, Tx.
In 2014, the Texas
Historical Commission approved our Historical Marker Application
recognizing many of the significant and unique facts of our town. Justin,
Texas has a rich historical heritage that we are proud to share with our
residents and the visitors that pass through our town.
The Announcement:
Denton County Historical Commission
110 West Hickory Street
Denton, Texas 76226 |
For Immediate Release
February 14, 2014 |
The Justin marker was sponsored by the City of Justin with the
application and the historical research and narrative completed and
written by Lisa Westkaemper, PhD. Westkaemper was a member of the
Justin City Council, the Denton County Historical Commission and
adjunct faculty at the University of North Texas. Her research and
narrative has resulted in a detailed history of this small town
covering many significant and some very unique facts: Notably – the
first of the three burials of John B. Denton was at the confluence of
Oliver and Denton Creeks, and the brief settlement of the Peters Colony
New Icaria in 1848 was in the area between Denton and Oliver Creeks.
Both are interwoven in the broad history of the county.The city of
Justin was named after Walter Justin (W. J.) Sherman, prominent in the
development of the American railway system. The little town got its
official name on January 25, 1887 when Thomas J. Wheeler was
established as the postmaster of Justine. On October 1887 John Berry
was officially assigned as postmaster for Justin. Justin was
incorporated in 1946. Ponder and Sanger, two other western county towns
connected with the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway, recently
received markers identifying the significance of this railway in the
development of this section of Denton County. Marker will be placed in
Bishop Park when it is received from THC. |
The Organizer:
The Planning and Coordinating of all of
the events surrounding the dedication of Justin's Subject Matter
Historical Marker was handled by Assistant City Secretary, Nikki Jones.
She did an outstanding job! The event went off flawlessly in
spite of the threat of weather. Nikki had covered all the bases in
spite of previous rainfall and the threat that rain would begin in the
middle of the event. A big tip of the hat to Nikki. Nothing but
praise was heard for the way the event went off. Please join me in
sending her a big thank you for a job so well done! She can be emailed
at the City of Justin -
njones@cityofjustin.com or reached by phone at 940-648-2541 x: 110. Thanks again Nikki!
The Speakers, etc:
- Master of Ceremonies: The Honorable Greg Scott, Mayor of Justin
- Call to Order: Beth Stribling, Marker Committee Chairman, Denton County Historical Commission
- Posting of Colors and Pledge of Allegiance: Cub Scout Pack 931
- Special Music: Varsity Women's Ensemble, Pike Middle School
- Introduction of Distinguished Guests: The Honorable Greg Scott, Mayor of Justin
- Remarks: The Honorable Andy Eads, Denton County Commissioner, Precinct #4
- Presentation of Resolution, Texas House of Representatives:
On Behalf of Tan Parker, The Honorable Andy Eads, Denton County
Commissioner, Precinct #4
- Presentation of Denton County Historical Commission Certificates
of Commendation, for efforts that led to the placement of the Justin
Marker, Beth Stribling, Marker Committee Chairman, Denton County
Historical Commission
- Recipients:
- Dr. Lisa Westkaemper, Former City Councilwoman, City of Justin; and
- The Justin City Council
- Special Music: Varsity Men's Ensemble, Pike Middle School
- History of Justin: D.J. Taylor, Denton County Historical Commission
- Unveiling of Historical Marker:
- The Honorable Greg Scott, Mayor of Justin
- The Honorable David Speicher, Mayor Pro-Tem of Justin
- Brian French, Planning & Zoning Commission, Director of Justin Texas Area Historical Society
- Jim Smith, Former Planning & Zoning Commission
- Reading of Marker Text: The Honorable Dale Roberson, Former Mayor of Justin
- Public Unveiling of the Official Denton County Historical Commission Chisholm Trail Map: Brian French, Planning & Zoning Commission, Director of Justin Texas Area Historical Society
The Marker's Text:
LOCATED IN THE RICH, FERTILE,
SOFTLY ROLLING PRAIRIE LAND OF NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS, JUSTIN IS SITUATED
AT THE CONFLUENCE OF THE DENTON, OLIVER, AND TRAIL CREEKS. FOR MANY
YEARS NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES FLOURISHED IN THE AREA. IN 1841, JOHN B.
DENTON WAS KILLED NEAR FORT WORTH IN THE VILLAGE OF CREEK BATTLE AND
WAS BURIED IN AN UNMARKED GRAVE AT THE JUNCTURE OF DENTON AND OLIVER
CREEKS. TWENTY YEARS LATER HIS REMAINS WERE MOVED TO BOLIVAR AND IN
1901 HE WAS REINTERRED ON THE GROUNDS OF THE COUNTY COURTHOUSE. THAT
SAME CREEK JUNCTION WAS THE SITE OF AN 1848 ICARIAN SETTLEMENT OF
FRENCH SOCIALIST IMMIGRANTS WHO WERE ALLOCATED THOUSANDS OF ACRES BY
THE PETERS COLONY. BECAUSE OF STRIFE WITH PETERS AND HARSH CONDITIONS,
THE SETTLEMENT WAS ABANDONED WITHIN TWO YEARS. IN THE MID-1800'S, AS
SETTLERS CAME TO THE AREA FROM MISSOURI AND OTHER STATES, THE TEXAS
RANGERS POSTED AT HICKORY STATION WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME PROTECTION
FOR THE SETTLERS TO ESTABLISH THE LAND FOR RANCHING AND FARMING. WHEAT,
CORN, AND COTTON GREW EASILY IN THE RICH SOIL OF THE AGRICULTURAL AREA.
JUSTIN WAS AN IMPORTANT STOP ON THE GULF, COLORADO, & SANTE
FE RAILWAY. ONE OF THE MEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RAILROAD COMING THROUGH
JUSTIN WAS WALTER JUSTIN (W. J.) SHERMAN, CHIEF CONSTRUCTION ENGINEER,
FOR WHOM THE TOWN WAS EVENTUALLY NAMED. BUSINESSES SOON OPENED UP AND
THRIVED IN THIS SMALL TOWN, WHICH BY 1914 HAD FOUR ELEVATORS, TWO
COTTON GINS, A FLOUR MILL AND OVER 20 OTHER BUSINESSES. THE JUSTIN
STATE BANK REMAINS A LOCALLY OWNED, MANAGED, AND OPERATED FINANCIAL
INSTITUTION SINCE ITS DOORS OPENED IN 1904. THE CITY OF JUSTIN
INCORPORATED IN 1946 AND HAS CONTINUED TO GROW, OFFERING A HISTORICAL
PERSPECTIVE AND MODERN QUALITY OF LIFE TO NEW GENERATIONS OF SETTLERS.
(2014)
The Crowd:
The turnout was GREAT! Everyone from City Staff, City Council, other dignitaries, and the
rank and file attendies expressed pleasurre at how well the dedication
was attended. And this, inspite of the previous and ongoing
threat of rain. If you missed out, please attend the next
dedication in town for honoring Deputy Sheriff Carl Edward Garrett of
the Denton County Texas Sheriff's Office who died protecting Justin in
1934. The dedication will take place on 4th St in Justin.
The Photos:
Notes:
As I mentioned in my introduction of the Official Denton County
Historical Commission Chisholm Trail Map presentation, I was
disappointed that 3 years ago no one at city hall could point me
to a list of whom from
Justin fought in WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, etc. It
seems that the town leaders in 1918, 1946, 1951 didn't keep official
track of whom from Justin fought in our nation's wars. Dale
Roberson, the former Mayor of Justin, has recorded information on a
soldier who lost his life fighting in Vietnam. (more on this to follow
as we learn about it).
Maybe there is no record. I aim to change that. Please help
me by filling out and submitting any information you have on Justinites
who have served. A online form will be prepared soon. Please check back
in a few days.
Thank you,
Brian
- all original content is copyright 2015 -
- permission granted to print and distribute as long as it is for free, and credit is given -
- Brian F. - Author/Webmaster -
