Cain City, Texas
Encyclopedia
Cain City is a ghost town founded in 1915, 4 miles (6.4 km) southeast of Fredericksburg
in Gillespie County
, in the U.S. state
of Texas
. It was established to be a station stop of the Fredericksburg and Northern Railway Company, of which the city's namesake Charlie Cain was a leading fundraiser. The town suffered an economic downturn within a decade of being founded.
. His parents were Dr. W.H. Cain of Mississippi
, and Lizzie Briscoe Cain of Tennessee
. In 1902, Charlie Cain began his career as a stock room employee of the Peden Iron and Steel Company in Houston
, a company established by E.A. Peden in 1890. After a period as road salesman for Peden, Cain became manager of Peden's San Antonio branch when it opened in 1910. In 1912, Cain was instrumental in raising $50,000 for the building of the Fredericksburg and Northern Railway.
. The initial board of directors consisted of James M. Dobie of Cotulla; C. B. Lucas of Berclair; Richard R. Russell, Thomas E. Mathis, W. W. Collier, J. H. Haile, and J. L. Browne, of San Antonio. A 920 feet (280.4 m) long railroad trestle was built, the cost of which sent the railroad into receivership on October 28, 1914. It was sold under foreclosure on December 31, 1917 to Martin Carle who deeded the property to the Fredericksburg and Northern Railway Company which had been chartered on December 26 of that year. The train operated until July 27, 1942.
In 1913, San Antonio banker J.C. Stinson bought 324 acre (1.31 km²; 0.506250447613059 sq mi) in Gillespie County, in anticipation of the construction of the Fredericksburg and Northern Railway. Surveyor A.J. Green laid out the town they named after Charlie Cain of San Antonio. The Cain City train depot established the area as an important shipping destination. Within a year, a water system was developed, and Cain City had a rural road connection to Luckenbach
.
Tom Schmidt opened Farmers' Produce Company warehouse, and Alfred Jung established a lumberyard. Anticipated prospertity brought a telephone exchange, and two general stores. A schoolhouse was established, with Katie Striegler as teacher. Hugo Pahl, also serving as the railroad agent, was Cain City's first postmaster in 1915. Robert Price succeeded him in the same year, and George Price became the town's last postmaster appointed in 1919. In July 1916, the Cain City State Bank was added as a member of the Texas Bankers Association, with Stinson as its president. The bank only lasted a few years before it shut down completely. Stinson moved back to San Antonio in 1922.
In 1919, Gus Bausch opened a cotton gin, but the prosperity was already fading from the town. The Mountain Home Hotel was opened by Mrs. Fletcher Hamilton of Illinois
, sold to J.C. Stinson, and eventually sold to Mrs. Will Bird. When the town experienced an economic downturn, Bird razed the hotel. Edgar Tatsch and Theodore Keller opened a dance hall in 1927, but the town today is a ghost town. The area has been overtaken by residential development by Fredericksburg. What once existed as Cain City is gone.
Fredericksburg, Texas
Fredericksburg is the seat of Gillespie County, in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 Census estimate, the city had a population of 10, 530...
in Gillespie County
Gillespie County, Texas
Gillespie County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2010, its population was 24,837. It is located in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. Gillespie is named for Robert Addison Gillespie, who came to Texas in 1837. He was a Texas Ranger, an Indian fighter, a...
, in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. It was established to be a station stop of the Fredericksburg and Northern Railway Company, of which the city's namesake Charlie Cain was a leading fundraiser. The town suffered an economic downturn within a decade of being founded.
Charlie Cain
Charles M. Cain was born one of six children in 1882 in the Robertson County town of Calvert, TexasCalvert, Texas
Calvert is a city in Robertson County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,192 at the 2010 census, a 16.4% decline from the 2000 census. It is part of the Bryan-College Station metropolitan area.-Geography:...
. His parents were Dr. W.H. Cain of Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, and Lizzie Briscoe Cain of Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. In 1902, Charlie Cain began his career as a stock room employee of the Peden Iron and Steel Company in Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, a company established by E.A. Peden in 1890. After a period as road salesman for Peden, Cain became manager of Peden's San Antonio branch when it opened in 1910. In 1912, Cain was instrumental in raising $50,000 for the building of the Fredericksburg and Northern Railway.
Cain City
On January 3, 1913, the San Antonio, Fredericksburg and Northern Railway Company was chartered to connect Fredericksburg with the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway Company near WaringWaring, Texas
Waring is an unincorporated community in northwestern Kendall County, Texas, United States. It lies along local roads and the Guadalupe River, northwest of the city of Boerne, the county seat of Kendall County. Its elevation is 1,345 feet...
. The initial board of directors consisted of James M. Dobie of Cotulla; C. B. Lucas of Berclair; Richard R. Russell, Thomas E. Mathis, W. W. Collier, J. H. Haile, and J. L. Browne, of San Antonio. A 920 feet (280.4 m) long railroad trestle was built, the cost of which sent the railroad into receivership on October 28, 1914. It was sold under foreclosure on December 31, 1917 to Martin Carle who deeded the property to the Fredericksburg and Northern Railway Company which had been chartered on December 26 of that year. The train operated until July 27, 1942.
In 1913, San Antonio banker J.C. Stinson bought 324 acre (1.31 km²; 0.506250447613059 sq mi) in Gillespie County, in anticipation of the construction of the Fredericksburg and Northern Railway. Surveyor A.J. Green laid out the town they named after Charlie Cain of San Antonio. The Cain City train depot established the area as an important shipping destination. Within a year, a water system was developed, and Cain City had a rural road connection to Luckenbach
Luckenbach, Texas
Luckenbach is an unincorporated community thirteen miles from Fredericksburg in southeastern Gillespie County, Texas, United States, part of the Texas Hill Country. It consists of between South Grape Creek and Snail Creek, just south of U.S. Highway 290 on the south side of Farm to Market Road...
.
Tom Schmidt opened Farmers' Produce Company warehouse, and Alfred Jung established a lumberyard. Anticipated prospertity brought a telephone exchange, and two general stores. A schoolhouse was established, with Katie Striegler as teacher. Hugo Pahl, also serving as the railroad agent, was Cain City's first postmaster in 1915. Robert Price succeeded him in the same year, and George Price became the town's last postmaster appointed in 1919. In July 1916, the Cain City State Bank was added as a member of the Texas Bankers Association, with Stinson as its president. The bank only lasted a few years before it shut down completely. Stinson moved back to San Antonio in 1922.
In 1919, Gus Bausch opened a cotton gin, but the prosperity was already fading from the town. The Mountain Home Hotel was opened by Mrs. Fletcher Hamilton of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, sold to J.C. Stinson, and eventually sold to Mrs. Will Bird. When the town experienced an economic downturn, Bird razed the hotel. Edgar Tatsch and Theodore Keller opened a dance hall in 1927, but the town today is a ghost town. The area has been overtaken by residential development by Fredericksburg. What once existed as Cain City is gone.
Notable people
- Harold BillingsHarold BillingsHarold Wayne Billings is a retired American librarian, editor and author best known for his role in developing national and state library networking and resource sharing among libraries.-Career:...
(b. 1931) Editor, author, retired librarian instrumental in developing national and state library networking and resource sharing among libraries. Born in Cain City.