Chriesman, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chriesman, Texas
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Old Post Office Building
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 Chriesman, Texas
Location in Texas
Chriesman, Texas
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Burleson |
| Elevation | 446 ft (136 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code |
77838
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| Area code(s) | 979 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1354467 |
Chriesman (pronounced KRISS-mun) is a small, quiet community in Burleson County, Texas, in the United States. It's not a city or town with its own government. Instead, it's an "unincorporated community," meaning it's part of the county. In 2000, about 30 people lived here. Chriesman is located near the larger cities of Bryan and College Station.
Contents
History of Chriesman
Chriesman got its name from Horatio Chriesman (1797–1878). He was a surveyor, someone who measures land. He was also an early settler from Virginia who moved to Texas. Horatio Chriesman was part of a famous group called the Old Three Hundred. These were the first families who settled in Texas with Stephen F. Austin.
How Chriesman Got Its Name
The first settlers came to this area in the 1830s. They were led by Alexander Thomson, Jr. They called the area Yellow Prairie because of the tall, yellow grass. In 1880, a railroad track was built through Yellow Prairie. This made it a stop on the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway.
A post office was set up in 1880. It was officially named Yellow Prairie in 1884. But just one year later, in 1885, its name was changed to Chriesman.
Early Life in Chriesman
Around that time, Chriesman had about 100 residents. There was a gristmill, which grinds grain into flour. There was also a cotton gin, a machine that separates cotton fibers from their seeds. The community had churches for both Methodist and Presbyterian groups.
In 1904, a company built a special station here. It was used for salting cucumbers, which helped preserve them. Ten years later, by 1914, Chriesman had telephone service. It also had a bank, four general stores, and a cotton gin. The number of people living there grew to 175.
Changes Over Time
By 1925, the population of Chriesman reached 200 people. However, the number of residents began to decrease after that. In 1930, the cucumber plant closed down. At that time, there were eight businesses in Chriesman. The population stayed at about 30 people from 1972 through 2000. In 1988, Chriesman had two churches, some scattered houses, and a cemetery.
Where is Chriesman?
Chriesman is located in northwestern Burleson County. It is just west of Texas State Highway 36. The BNSF Railway also runs through the community. Chriesman is about 7 miles (11 km) northwest of Caldwell.
Learning in Chriesman
Chriesman had its own school way back in 1890. Today, students in the community attend schools that are part of the Caldwell Independent School District.
