Naples
Naples, Morris County, Texas
Marker Inscription
When railroad by-passed prosperous town of Wheatville (3 mi. N), this rival town emerged at railroad. Post office moved here Jan. 1882, and was called Station Belden. Name was changed to Naples by U. S. Post Office Department, Feb. 1895. With depletion of hardwood forests, economy returned to cattle and agriculture.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
When the railroad bypassed the prosperous town of Wheatville, a rival community sprang up beside the tracks and inherited its momentum. The post office moved here in 1882 as "Station Belden," then was renamed Naples in 1895. As the surrounding hardwood forests were logged out, the local economy shifted back to cattle and farming.
Why it matters
Naples is a clear example of how railroads redrew the map of the rural South, draining old towns and raising new ones a few miles down the line.
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Themes & tags
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