Ables Springs, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ables Springs, Texas
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 Ables Springs, Texas
Location in Texas
Ables Springs, Texas
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Kaufman |
| Elevation | 518 ft (158 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 2034613 |
Ables Springs is a small, unincorporated community in Kaufman County, Texas, United States. Being "unincorporated" means it's not officially a city or town with its own local government.
Contents
Where is Ables Springs?
Ables Springs is located in the northeastern part of Kaufman County. You can find it along a road called FM 429. It's about ten miles northeast of a larger town named Terrell.
This community is also part of a much bigger area. It's included in the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Metropolitan Statistical Area. This is a fancy name for the large urban region that includes the cities of Dallas, Fort Worth, and Arlington.
The Story of Ables Springs
How Ables Springs Got Started
The land where Ables Springs is today was first given to a person named Ezekiel Ables in 1848 by the state of Texas. Five years later, in 1853, Ezekiel's son, James Ables, and his wife, Eliza, moved there to settle down.
A very important part of the area was a freshwater spring. This spring was so important that it later gave the community its name: Ables Springs!
Community Life and the Spring
In 1878, Mr. and Mrs. Ables gave about 8.75 acres of their land to a Methodist Episcopal Church. Over time, a church, a school, and a special outdoor meeting place called a tabernacle were built on this land. There was also a separate area set aside for a cemetery. People could even come to Ables Springs for camping! Other church groups, like the Baptists and the Church of Christ, also used the church building.
For many years, Ables Springs was a busy place for religious events and school activities for the local people. Even though nearby towns like Terrell grew much larger, Ables Springs stayed a small community.
When the Spring Dried Up
Sadly, the freshwater spring that gave Ables Springs its name eventually dried up. This happened because too much water was being used, and a nearby rock quarry was also affecting the water supply.
Because the spring was gone, the people of Ables Springs needed a new way to get water. So, on November 1, 1979, a group called the Ables Springs Water Supply Corporation was created. This group still makes sure the community has water today.
Trying to Become a City
In early 2007, some people living in Ables Springs started to think about making their community an official city. They noticed that Kaufman County was growing very fast. They wanted Ables Springs to keep its small, friendly feeling.
To become a city, they needed to get enough people to sign a petition. They successfully gathered the needed signatures to put the idea to a vote.
The election happened on May 12, 2007. A total of 102 people voted. Out of those votes, 40 people (about 39%) voted to become a city, but 62 people (about 61%) voted against it. So, Ables Springs remained an unincorporated community.
Schools in Ables Springs
Students living in Ables Springs attend schools that are part of the Terrell Independent School District.
