Hunt County's First Railroad
Greenville, Hunt County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Missouri, Kansas & Texas (Katy) Railway, whose first train from Denison reached here Oct. 1, 1880. A $5,000 cash bonus and right of way across Hunt County were guaranteed by Greenville men: F. P. Alexander, M. M. Arnold, A. Cameron, J. J. Cooper, J. C. Edmonds, Fred Ende, I. N. Harrison, J. W. Hawkins, J. T. Jenkins, W. C. Jones, J. C. O'Neal, W. G. Perkins, N. I.Ross, Edward Schiff, Sam D. Stinson, Daniel Upthegrove, A. B. Watson, and M. H. Wright. The Katy, which immediately built on to Mineola, stimulated a boom in Greenville and Hunt County population and economy.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Hunt County's first railroad arrived on October 1, 1880, when a Missouri, Kansas & Texas (Katy) train rolled in from Denison. The line was no accident: a group of Greenville businessmen guaranteed a $5,000 cash bonus and secured the right of way across the county to bring the tracks their way. Pushing on to Mineola almost immediately, the Katy touched off a boom in Greenville's population and economy.
Why it matters
The coming of the railroad decided which Texas towns thrived and which withered, and Greenville's leaders understood that a depot could make their future.
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Themes & tags
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