Old Smiley Lake and Townsite
Smiley, Gonzales County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Attracted by abundant water from a natural lake, settlers began moving to this area in the late 1840s. Ranching provided the earliest commerce. In addition to cattle and sheep, ranchers raised racing horses for sale in the southern states. Cattlemen brought their herds to the lake area until they were ready for transfer to Belmont (20 miles north), where a branch of the Chisholm cattle trail was located. George W. Colley, considered to be the founder of Smiley Lake community, moved here in 1879. Near his home he built a steam-powered cotton gin and sawmill. He was joined later by Major W. M. Phillips who opened a mercantile establishment here in 1883. The settlement of Smiley Lake, named for early pioneer Jim Smiley, was located on the Cuero-Rancho trade route between San Antonio and the Gulf port of Indianola. The village once had a saddle factory, blacksmith shop, wire fence plant, newspaper, general stores, drugstore, school, baptist church, an I. O. O. F. Lodge and a post office established in 1884. When the Galveston, Harrisburg & San Antonio Railroad completed lines nearby in 1906, the town of Smiley was moved to the present location (one mile north).
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Old Smiley Lake drew settlers in the late 1840s to a natural lake, where ranching—cattle, sheep, and even racing horses—became the first commerce. George W. Colley, considered the community's founder, arrived in 1879 and built a steam-powered cotton gin and sawmill, and the settlement grew to include stores, a saddle factory, a newspaper, a school, and a post office. When the Galveston, Harrisburg & San Antonio Railroad laid lines nearby in 1906, the town of Smiley picked up and moved a mile north to meet the rails.
Why it matters
Smiley's move to the railroad is a classic Texas tale of towns that lived or died by where the tracks were laid.
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Related people
- · George W. Colley
- · W. M. Phillips
- · Jim Smiley
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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