Anarene, Texas facts for kids
Anarene is a ghost town in Archer County, Texas, United States. A ghost town is a place where most people have left, and it's mostly empty. Its name was used for a town in the famous movie The Last Picture Show.
Where is Anarene?
Anarene is located in Texas. You can find it using these map coordinates: 33°29′06″N 98°39′57″W / 33.48500°N 98.66583°W.
Anarene's Story
Anarene was started in 1908. This was the same year a coal mine opened nearby in Newcastle. The town was named after Anna Laurene Graham. She was the daughter of an early settler named J. M. Keen. He started ranching in the area after fighting in the American Civil War.
Anarene's main job was moving coal from the Newcastle mine. In 1921, oil was found nearby, which helped the town. By 1929, about 100 people lived in Anarene. It had a store, a school, a post office, and even a hotel.
But then, the town started to shrink. By 1933, only 20 people lived there. Coal mining stopped in 1942. The train station closed in 1951, and the railway was removed in 1954. The oil field also stopped producing oil that year. The post office closed in 1955. This is why Anarene became a ghost town.
Anarene in Movies
The town in the 1971 movie The Last Picture Show is called "Anarene." This movie was based on a book by Larry McMurtry. In the book, the town was called "Thalia."
The movie was actually filmed in Archer City. This town is about 8 miles (13 km) north of Anarene. Archer City is believed to be the real place that inspired the book's town. The director, Peter Bogdanovich, chose the name Anarene for the movie. He wanted it to sound like "Abilene," a town in another movie he admired. Anarene also appears in the 1990 movie Texasville, which is a sequel to The Last Picture Show.
