Birchville, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Birchville, Texas
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| Nickname(s):
Smith's Ranch
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 Birchville, Texas
Location in Texas
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Hudspeth |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 2034616 |
Birchville, also known as Smith Ranch, is now a ghost town located in Hudspeth County, Texas, United States. A ghost town is a place where people used to live, but now it's mostly empty. Birchville was once an important stop on a busy road called the San Antonio-El Paso Road. It was about 35 miles northwest of the First Camp on Rio Grande. It was also about 24.8 miles southeast of San Elizario, Texas. This information comes from a travel guide from 1857. Later, Birchville became a station for the famous Butterfield Overland Mail stagecoach line. For this line, it was about 24.5 miles from San Elizario and 33 miles from Fort Quitman.
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History of Birchville
Birchville, or Smith Ranch Station, was an important stop for travelers. In 1857, it was a station on the San Antonio-San Diego Mail Line. From 1858 to 1861, it became a stagecoach station for the Butterfield Overland Mail route.
Life at the Stagecoach Station
The station agent, George Lyles, was a grocer. He lived there with his family. Two other people also lived in the household, including a cook. Travelers could get a meal at an eating house while the stagecoach horses were being changed. This was a busy place where people could rest and eat during their long journeys. Birchville continued to be a station for the Overland Mail, which took over from Butterfield Overland Mail. This lasted until 1862. That's when the Union Army took control of the area around El Paso.
Birchville During the Civil War
During the American Civil War, George Lyles stayed in the area. He helped the Union Army soldiers stationed in Franklin, Texas (which is now El Paso). He provided them with mesquite beans, which could be used as food or animal feed.
The End of Birchville
In 1866, a new mail service called the San Antonio-El Paso Mail started up again. Birchville became a stagecoach station once more. However, the settlement faced a big disaster. In 1867, a major flood from the Rio Grande river destroyed Birchville. After this flood, the town was never rebuilt.
Where Was Birchville Located?
The exact spot where Birchville used to be is still a bit of a mystery. It might have been completely washed away by the Rio Grande floods in 1867. Or, it could have been covered over by farming lands along the river later in the 1800s. Based on old travel distances from San Elizario, it was likely about two miles south of the border between El Paso and Hudspeth County. This area is near Texas State Highway 20.
