Fredonia, Mason County, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fredonia, Texas
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 Fredonia, Texas
Location in Texas
Fredonia, Texas
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Mason |
| Elevation | 1,657 ft (505 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
76842
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| Area code(s) | 325 |
| FIPS code | 48-27372 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1357701 |
Fredonia is a small place in Mason County, Texas, United States. It's called an unincorporated community, which means it's not officially a city or town with its own local government. Fredonia is located near the border of Mason and San Saba counties. You can find it where State Highway 71 meets Ranch to Market Road 386. Fredonia even has its own post office with the ZIP code 76842.
Contents
Early Days of Fredonia
First Settlers Arrive
The first people known to settle near Deer Creek in San Saba County arrived in the 1850s. These early settlers included Jack and Caroline Lathum, along with Chaney and Isabella Couch. They helped start the community in this area.
School and Name Change
The first school in the area was called Hayes and Lathum School. But the people living there wanted a different name. They asked the county to rename it Deer Creek School. In 1878, the community was reorganized and officially became known as Deer Creek.
Post Office Challenges
Naming the Post Office
When the community wanted a post office, there was a problem with the name. They wanted to call it Deerton. However, another community had already been given a post office with that name on March 17, 1879. Samuel Hayes was the first postmaster for that other Deerton.
Moving and Renaming
Because of the name conflict, the settlers of Deer Creek decided to move. In 1880, they moved about two miles into Mason County. There, they renamed their settlement Fredonia. On March 20, 1880, Fredonia got its own post office. William Kniveton became the first postmaster for the new Fredonia post office.
Life in Fredonia
Community Growth
Once established as Fredonia, the community began to grow. It had important places like a grist mill, which grinds grain, and a stage stop for travelers. There was also a coop store, which was a type of store run by a group called The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry.
Local Businesses and Services
Fredonia also had a blacksmith shop, where metal items were made and repaired. Churches were built for the community, and a local newspaper was started. The newspaper was called Kicker. However, in 1910, the Kicker newspaper was bought by the Mason County News.
Modern Connections
As time went on, Fredonia became more connected. In 1914, the community received its first telephone line. With more people using cars, a gasoline filling station was also opened. Over the years, the number of people living in Fredonia has slowly gone down. This happened as smaller land owners sold their properties to larger ones.
