Esperanza, Montgomery County, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Esperanza
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 Esperanza, Montgomery County, Texas
Location in Texas
Esperanza, Montgomery County, Texas
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Montgomery |
| Elevation | 341 ft (104 m) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1383397 |
Esperanza is what we call a ghost town in Montgomery County, Texas, United States. A ghost town is a place where most people have left, and it's mostly empty now. Esperanza was once located near U.S. Highway 75 and Interstate 45. It was about 7 miles (11 km) north of a town called Willis.
Contents
The Story of Esperanza
How Esperanza Began
Around the year 1879, a man named William Spiller started the community of Esperanza. He owned a tobacco farm nearby. When a railroad line was built through the area, the community was given a new name: Ada. This name honored Lester Ada, who ran the local general store.
Changing Names and Growth
A post office opened in Ada in 1893. However, in 1899, William Spiller changed the town's name back to Esperanza. This name comes from the Spanish word for "hope."
By 1915, Esperanza was a small but lively town with about 100 people living there.
Esperanza Becomes a Ghost Town
The post office in Esperanza closed sometime after 1930. By the 1940s, the town had become much smaller. There were only two churches, two businesses, and eight houses left.
Over time, more people moved away, and Esperanza slowly became a ghost town. In the 1960s, the Texas Historical Commission placed a historical marker in the town. This marker helps remember the history of Esperanza, even though most of its buildings are gone.
