Pleasant Thorp
Thorp Spring, Hood County, Texas
Marker Inscription
IN 1840, A BLACKSMITH NAMED PLEASANT THORP (1809-1890) IMMIGRATED TO TEXAS. HE PLANNED TO SETTLE IN THIS AREA AFTER TRAVELING THROUGH WHILE ON THE MOREHOUSE EXPEDITION. AS PART OF HIS HOLDINGS TOTALING NEARLY 18,000 ACRES, THORP ENCOUNTERED SULPHUR SPRINGS, WHICH LED TO HIS SETTING ASIDE LAND FOR THE TOWN OF THORP SPRING. HE AND SAM MILLIKEN ESTABLISHED THORP COLLEGE IN 1871. THIS EARLY SCHOOL GAVE WAY IN 1873 TO ADD-RAN COLLEGE, WHICH MOVED TO WACO IN 1896 AND FORT WORTH IN 1910, BECOMING TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY (TCU). IN 1888, THORP DEEDED TO HOOD COUNTY THE PORTION OF HIS LAND CONTAINING THE SPRING TO FORM A PUBLIC PARK. A TRUE TEXAN PIONEER, PLEASANT THORP LEFT A GREAT LEGACY FOR RESIDENTS AND POSTERITY TO CHERISH. (2018)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Blacksmith Pleasant Thorp came to Texas in 1840 and, after passing through this country on the Morehouse Expedition, resolved to settle here, eventually amassing nearly 18,000 acres. Discovering sulphur springs, he set aside land for the town of Thorp Spring, and in 1871 he and Sam Milliken founded Thorp College. That early school gave way in 1873 to Add-Ran College, which moved to Waco and then Fort Worth and grew into Texas Christian University. In 1888 Thorp deeded the land around the spring to Hood County for a public park, leaving a legacy of education and community.
Why it matters
Thorp's frontier college became the seed of Texas Christian University, tracing a major institution's roots to a small Hood County settlement. His life reflects how pioneer landowners planted the schools and towns that shaped the settlement of Texas.
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Related people
- · Pleasant Thorp
- · Sam Milliken
Themes & tags
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