Bankersmith, Texas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bankersmith, Texas
Ghost town
Bankersmith, Texas Location in Texas Show map of Texas Bankersmith, Texas Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	USA
State	Texas
County	Kendall
Founded by	San Antonio, Fredericksburg and Northern Railway
Population
• Total	0 (Officially)

Bankersmith (sometimes called Banker Smith) is a ghost town in Kendall County, Texas, USA. A ghost town is a place where most people have left, and it's mostly empty. Bankersmith started in 1913. It's located between the towns of Fredericksburg and Comfort. It's also close to the edge of Gillespie County.

The Story of Bankersmith

How Bankersmith Started: The Train Station

Bankersmith began in 1913. It started as a train station for the San Antonio, Fredericksburg and Northern Railway. This railway line connected Fredericksburg and Comfort. It also served a nearby place called Grapetown, Texas.

The town and its train station got their name from Temple Doswell Smith. He was an important bank president in Fredericksburg. Mr. Smith helped pay for the railroad to be built. In the early 1940s, the railroad stopped using the tracks that went through Bankersmith.

Old Roads Through Bankersmith

After the train station opened, an important road was built. This road was called Old Route 9 or Old San Antonio Road. It was the first paved road that went north into Fredericksburg. This road passed right through Bankersmith.

Later, a different main road, U.S. Route 87, was built. This new highway did not go through Bankersmith. However, Old Route 9 stayed an important way to travel between Fredericksburg and Comfort.

Bankersmith's Post Office and People

In the 1920s, Bankersmith had its largest population. About 50 people lived there. The town had a small area with businesses. These businesses served the people using the train station.

The post office in Bankersmith was sometimes listed in Kendall County. Other times, it was listed in Gillespie County. This depended on where the Postmaster (the person in charge of the post office) lived. By the 1940s, most people had left Bankersmith. The post office was gone. However, a few people continued to live there into the 1960s.

The Old Railroad Tunnel

Bankersmith is located in the Texas Hill Country. This area is known for its hills. Near the town is one of the few railroad tunnels in Texas. When it was built, it was the only railroad tunnel in the state!

The tunnel is 962 feet (about 293 meters) long. It took six months to dig. It cost about $134,000 at that time. Today, this tunnel is part of Old Tunnel State Park. Thousands of bats now live inside it.

Old Tunnel State Park has a large parking area for visitors. You can find it where Old San Antonio Road and Alamo Road meet. The southern end of the tunnel is located at 30°6'2"N and 98°49'15"W.

Bankersmith's Population Over Time

Main Roads Nearby

• Old No 9 Hwy