Mercury, Texas

Last updated

Mercury is an unincorporated community in McCulloch County, Texas, United States. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had an estimated population of 166 in 2000. [1]

Contents

It is situated along FM 502 in northeastern McCulloch County, approximately 22 miles northeast of Brady. [2] It is the community closest to the geometric center of Texas. [3]

History

The community was founded in 1904, shortly after the arrival of the Fort Worth and Rio Grande Railroad. Mercury became a livestock shipping point and by 1914, had an estimated population of 550. Two major fires in 1919 and 1929 severely impacted the community. In 1938, the struggling community was bypassed by the Brady-Brownwood highway. Mercury continued to decline and the population fell from 489 in 1933 to 360 in 1949. By 2000, the number of inhabitants stood at 166. [1] [2]

Currently there is only one original building standing in the Town of Mercury. It is the Bank Of Mercury building that was built by Thomas Jefferson Beasley in 1903 as a bank and mercantile store. Through the years the building has exchanged hands several times; however, in 2012 the grandson of the original owner, Thomas Lee Beasley purchased the building and is currently trying to preserve the remainder of the building. The only thing that remains of the building are the four outer walls and the vault that Thomas Jefferson Beasley built. It is rumored that the vault has a dome that is filled with sand. Thomas Jefferson's theory was that if someone were to blow the safe, the top would collapse and cover everything in sand. By the time the would-be thieves got to anything, everyone in town would be there to see what was going on.[ citation needed ]

Public education in the community of Mercury is provided by the Rochelle Independent School District.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McCulloch County, Texas</span> County in Texas, United States

McCulloch County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. At the 2020 census, its population was 7,630. Its county seat is Brady. The county was created in 1856 and later organized in 1876. It is named for Benjamin McCulloch, a famous Texas Ranger and Confederate general.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hays County, Texas</span> County in Texas, United States

Hays County is a county in the cental portion of the U.S. state of Texas. It is part of the Austin-Round Rock metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, its official population had reached 241,067. The county seat is San Marcos. Hays, along with Comal and Kendall Counties, was listed in 2017 as one of the nation's fastest-growing counties with a population of at least 10,000. From 2015 to 2016, Hays County, third on the national list, had nearly 10,000 new residents during the year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beaumont, Texas</span> City in the State of Texas

Beaumont is a coastal city in the U.S. state of Texas. It is the seat of government of Jefferson County, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur metropolitan statistical area, located in Southeast Texas on the Neches River about 85 miles (137 km) east of Houston. With a population of 115,282 at the 2020 census, Beaumont is the largest incorporated municipality by population near the Louisiana border. Its metropolitan area was the 10th largest in Texas in 2019, and 132nd in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shallowater, Texas</span> Community in Texas, United States

Shallowater is a city in Lubbock County, Texas, United States. Shallowater is on U.S. Route 84 and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe line, 12 miles (19 km) northwest of Lubbock. Its population was 2,484 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Lubbock metropolitan statistical area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brady, Texas</span> City in Texas, United States

Brady is a city in McCulloch County, Texas, United States. Brady refers to itself as the "Heart of Texas", as it is the city closest to the geographical center of the state, which is about 15 miles northeast of Brady. Its population was 5,528 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of McCulloch County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Menard, Texas</span> City in Texas, United States

Menard is a city in and the county seat of Menard County, Texas, United States. Its population was 1,471 at the 2010 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glen Rose, Texas</span> City in Texas, United States

Glen Rose is a city in and the county seat of Somervell County, Texas, United States. As of the 2012 census estimate, the city population was 2,502.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Ulm, Texas</span> Unincorporated community in Texas, United States

New Ulm is an unincorporated community in Austin County, Texas, United States. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had an estimated population of 650 in 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Texas College</span> Community college in Killeen, Texas, U.S.

Central Texas College (CTC) is a public community college in Killeen, Texas. Founded in 1965, it has branch campuses in Europe and on military installations across the U.S.

Rochelle is an unincorporated community in McCulloch County, Texas, United States. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had an estimated population of 163 in 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lohn, Texas</span>

Lohn is an unincorporated community in McCulloch County, Texas, United States. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had an estimated population of 149 in 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">La Grange, Texas</span> City in Texas, United States

La Grange is a city in Fayette County, Texas, United States, near the Colorado River. La Grange is in the center of the Texas-German belt. The population was 4,391 at the 2020 census, and in 2018 the estimated population was 4,632. La Grange is the county seat of Fayette County.

Calf Creek is a small community located in southern McCulloch County, Texas on Farm to Market Road 1311 approximately 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Brady.

Sacul is an unincorporated community in Nacogdoches County, Texas, United States. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had an estimated population of 170 in both 1990 and 2000.

Brandon is an unincorporated community located in Hill County in Central Texas. It is located at the intersection of State Highway 22 and FM 1243, approximately ten miles east of Hillsboro.

Doole is an unincorporated community in McCulloch County, Texas, United States. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had an estimated population of 74 in 1990.

Fentress is an unincorporated community in Caldwell County, Texas, United States. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had an estimated population of 291 in 2000. It is part of the Austin–Round Rock Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Voca is an unincorporated community in McCulloch County, Texas, United States. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had an estimated population of 56 in 2000.

Winchell is an unincorporated community in Brown County, Texas, United States.

Fairland is an unincorporated community in Burnet County, Texas, United States. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had an estimated population of 290 in 2000.

References

  1. 1 2 "Mercury, Texas". The Handbook of Texas online. Retrieved September 11, 2009.
  2. 1 2 "Mercury, Texas". Texas Escapes Online Magazine. Retrieved September 11, 2009.
  3. ↑ "Statics: Lesson 37 - Intro to Centroids, Where is the Center of Texas". Jeff Hanson / Texas Technical University, Lubbock. Retrieved October 21, 2018.

31°24′45″N99°09′27″W / 31.41250°N 99.15750°W / 31.41250; -99.15750


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.