Art, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Art, Texas
|
|
|---|---|
 Art, Texas
Location in Texas
Art, Texas
Location in the United States
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Mason |
| Elevation | 1,365 ft (416 m) |
| Population
(United States Census, 2016)
|
|
| • Total | 18 |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 325 |
| FIPS code | 48-04180 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1351289 |
Art is a small, spread-out community in Mason County, Texas, United States. It's called an "unincorporated community" because it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. In 2016, only about 18 people lived there. It's known for its unique name!
Contents
Where is Art, Texas?
Art is located in the middle of Texas. It sits along State Highway 29. This highway connects it to other places. Art is about nine miles east of a town called Mason. It's also 27 miles west of Llano. If you travel further, it's about 90 miles west of Austin, the state capital.
The Story of Art, Texas
Early Settlers and Willow Creek
Art is one of the oldest settlements in Mason County. It was first settled around 1856. Five German families were the first to build homes there. They settled along a place called Upper Willow Creek. More German settlers came later from nearby Fredericksburg. They spread out along Willow Creek for about ten miles.
The community was first known as Willow Creek. Sometimes it was called Upper Willow Creek. The early settlers faced challenges from Native American raids. Luckily, Fort Mason was nearby. The fort offered some protection to the settlers.
Building a Community
In 1858, the community built a log church. This building was for the Methodist church. It also served as the local schoolhouse. This shows how important both faith and education were to the early settlers.
Later, in 1875, a new stone building replaced the old log church. This new building was much stronger. It continued to serve as both a church and a school.
How Art Got Its Name
In 1883, J.A. Hoerster opened one of the first general stores in the community. A general store sold many different things. It was a very important place for people to buy supplies.
In 1886, Otto Plehwe bought the store from Hoerster. Soon after, Plehwe set up a post office inside the store. He became the first postmaster. A post office is where mail is sent and received.
When Plehwe became postmaster, he decided to rename the community. He called it Plehweville after himself. However, the post office department had a problem with the name. It was hard to spell, and mail often got lost. They asked for a name change.
On December 23, 1920, Eli Dechart took over the store and the post office. He decided to rename the town again. He chose the name Art. He picked this name because it was the last three letters of his own name, Dechart. That's how this small Texas community got its unique name!
Art Today
Throughout its history, Art has stayed a small place. It has mostly been a ranching community. Ranching means raising animals like cattle. From 1925 to the mid-1960s, about 25 people lived there. The population briefly grew to 46 in the late 1960s. After that, the number of people living there slowly went down.
Today, Art is still a widely spread-out community. Even though it's small, it still has a working post office. Its ZIP code is 76820.
Education
Children in Art attend public schools. Their education is provided by the Mason Independent School District.
