Selden
Stephenville vicinity, Erath County, Texas
Marker Inscription
This community was originally named Garrett Springs for early settler J. B. Garrett who owned land along Sims Creek. It became known as Selden after the mid 1850s, when John Selden moved to the area. The settlement developed as an important early commercial center for nearby farms. It was the site of a grist mill and cotton gin, as well as a school, post office, lodge hall, and stores. The history of Selden is a reminder of the important role farming communities played in the agricultural development of Erath County. (1988)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
First called Garrett Springs for settler J. B. Garrett along Sims Creek, this Erath County community was renamed Selden after John Selden arrived in the mid-1850s. It grew into an important local trade center with a grist mill and cotton gin, a school, post office, lodge hall, and stores serving the surrounding farms. Its story is a reminder of the farming hamlets that once dotted the Texas countryside.
Why it matters
Selden recalls the small agricultural crossroads communities—mill, gin, school, and store—that anchored rural life before consolidation and the railroads passed many of them by.
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Related people
- · J. B. Garrett
- · John Selden
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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