Community of Weches
Weches, Houston County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Located near site of 17th-century Spanish missionary activity, this farming community had its beginnings with the settlement of the McLeans, Conners, Patton, and Gregg families, who had all arrived in the area by 1840. Originally known as Neches for the nearby river, the similar name Weches was adopted when Post Office officials informed residents that "Neches" had been assigned to another community. The following year Alfred Monroe Gregg set aside land for a church, school and cemetery. The Weches post office closed in 1939.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Set near ground once touched by 17th-century Spanish missionary efforts, this East Texas farming settlement took shape as families like the McLeans, Conners, Pattons, and Greggs arrived by 1840. First called Neches for the nearby river, it became 'Weches' after the Post Office reported the original name already taken. Alfred Monroe Gregg soon set aside land for a church, school, and cemetery — the familiar anchors of a rural community — though the post office finally closed in 1939.
Why it matters
Weches traces the long arc of settlement in the Texas backcountry, from Spanish mission frontier to the small farming communities that later filled the land.
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Related people
- · Alfred Monroe Gregg
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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