HistoricSiteMarkers
Early Republic

Rogers Prairie

Normangee, Leon County, Texas

Marker Inscription

Located on the Old San Antonio Road, this area was settled in 1835 by Robert Rogers (1799-1870), who had received a land grant from the Mexican government. A settlement grew up around his property as he was joined by his brother Stephen Rogers and others. The community later included a church, school, post office, Masonic Lodge, and several stores. Bypassed by the Trinity & Brazos Valley Rail Line in 1906, the town was moved 1.6 miles west and renamed Normangee. Only a community cemetery (.1 mile north) remains at the original site.

Erected by Texas Historical Commission

The Story

Along the historic Old San Antonio Road, Robert Rogers settled this Leon County prairie in 1835 on a grant from the Mexican government, and a community grew up around him with a church, school, post office, Masonic lodge, and stores. When the railroad bypassed the town in 1906, residents picked it up and moved it 1.6 miles west, renaming it Normangee. Only a cemetery now marks the original site.

Why it matters

Rogers Prairie is a classic story of how the railroad made and unmade Texas towns, leaving ghost sites where the tracks never came.

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Related people

  • · Robert Rogers
  • · Stephen Rogers

Themes & tags

Westward ExpansionTransportationFrontier HistoryGhost TownsLandmark

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