Blackfoot, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Blackfoot, Texas
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 Blackfoot, Texas
Location in Texas
Blackfoot, Texas
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Anderson |
| Elevation | 390 ft (120 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area codes | 430 & 903 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1379426 |
Blackfoot is a small community in Anderson County, Texas. It's called an "unincorporated community" because it doesn't have its own local government like a city does. In 2000, about 33 people lived there. Blackfoot is also part of the larger Palestine, Texas area.
Contents
History of Blackfoot
Early Settlers and Naming
Long ago, there was a Primitive Baptist church in Blackfoot. A family member of a famous person named Cynthia Ann Parker used to preach there. The first people to settle in Blackfoot came from places like South Carolina and Mississippi. Some of these early settlers were Isaac Brown, Abe Hoff, and D.M. Crisp.
The community got its name in a fun way! In 1870, a man named Uncle Hamp Hanks, Sr., arrived. He was told he was in the "Blackfoot nation." That's how the name stuck!
Churches and Community Life
The oldest church in Blackfoot was Friendship Baptist Church. It was started in 1860. This church was located right on the border between Blackfoot and a place called Ward, Texas.
In 1890, a man named Josh Taylor gave land for a First Christian church. However, a Christian church had already been built a few years before that.
Post Office and Farming
A post office opened in Blackfoot in 1886. It helped people send and receive mail. William U. Stafford was the postmaster, who was in charge of the post office. The post office closed in 1907. After that, mail for Blackfoot was sent through Montalba, Texas.
Farming was very important in Blackfoot. The main crops and animals raised were hogs, corn, cattle, and cotton. The community's first cotton gin was built around 1880. A cotton gin is a machine that separates cotton fibers from their seeds. Obe Childress and A.M. Kay ran this cotton gin for over 60 years!
Modern Conveniences and Oil Discovery
Blackfoot got electricity in 1941. This happened when the REA New Area Co-op was set up. Later, in 1959, the community also got telephone service.
In 1930, oil was discovered near Blackfoot during a big oil boom called the East Texas Oil Field strike. Even in the late 1950s, oil wells in the area were still producing oil.
Community Buildings and Population Changes
In 1935, a small courthouse was built in Blackfoot. It was used for local court meetings. This building stood on the Isabell farm until a strong windstorm blew it down in 1973.
The number of people living in Blackfoot changed over time. Before the American Civil War, about 40 people lived there. By 1896, the population went down to 30. But then, it grew a lot to 200 people by 1936! In 1988, Blackfoot had the Friendship Baptist Church, a cemetery, and two dairies. In both 1990 and 2000, the population was 33 people.
Geography of Blackfoot
Blackfoot is located in the northwestern part of Anderson County, Texas. It is about 20 miles northwest of Palestine, Texas. You can find it along Farm to Market Road 860.
Education in Blackfoot
Before the American Civil War, Blackfoot had a school called The Stillhouse School. Mrs. Eilding was one of the teachers there. Later, in 1942, a two-room school called the Isabel school joined with the Ward-Blackfoot-Springfield Independent School District. That school district doesn't exist anymore. Today, students in the Blackfoot community go to school in the Cayuga Independent School District.
