Chatfield, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chatfield, Texas
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Location of Chatfield, Texas
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Navarro |
| Elevation | 430 ft (131 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
75105
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| Area code(s) | 430 and 903 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1378115 |
Chatfield is a small, unincorporated community in northeastern Navarro County, Texas, United States. It is located about eleven miles northeast of Corsicana. You can find it along Farm to Market Road 1603, just northeast of Interstate 45. An "unincorporated community" means it's a place with a shared identity but doesn't have its own local government like a city or town.
Chatfield's Story
Chatfield began as a trading post in 1838. It was located in an oak grove, six miles west of Porter's Bluff, along the old San Antonio and Shreveport Trail. The community was named after an early pioneer, Norman Chatfield (though some records call him Champion Chatfield). Mr. Chatfield didn't stay long in the area.
The town really started to grow when Captain Robert Hodge moved there from Kentucky in 1853. He bought a large piece of land, about 1280 acres, and brought his family to Chatfield. Captain Hodge became a successful plantation owner. In 1860, he built a beautiful old home called "Hodge Oaks." This house stayed in the Hodge family for many years, until it was sold in 1993.
A Busy Community
At one point, Chatfield was a busy place! It had a factory that made furniture, a boarding school, and several cotton gins. There was also a post office and many stores. The community's population was at its highest in the 1890s, with about 500 people living there.
However, the railroad was built to go through Corsicana instead of Chatfield. Corsicana is about 15 miles southwest of Chatfield. This decision likely stopped Chatfield from growing even more in business and population.
Famous People from Chatfield
Even though Chatfield is a small community, some notable people have connections to it:
- Sutton E. Griggs: He was a well-known author and a Baptist minister.
- Lucian Truscott: He was born in Chatfield in 1895 and later became a U.S. Army General.
- Will Coleman: He is believed to be the first African-American person to practice veterinary medicine in Texas.
Where is Chatfield?
Chatfield is located in the northeastern part of Navarro County, Texas. Its exact coordinates are 32°14′30″N 96°24′27″W / 32.24167°N 96.40750°W. This means it's at about 32.24100 degrees North latitude and 96.41150 degrees West longitude.
