Girvin, Texas facts for kids
Girvin is a small, quiet place in Pecos County, Texas, United States. It's known as an unincorporated community, which means it's not officially part of a city or town, but rather managed by the county. Girvin is also considered a ghost town because it once had more people and activity, but now very few people live there. In 1963 and again in 2000, experts estimated that only about 30 people lived in Girvin.
The Story of Girvin
Girvin was named after John H. Girvin, a rancher who lived in the area. The community first grew up around a train stop. This stop was part of the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway, and it was a very important place for shipping cattle. Ranchers would bring their cattle here to be loaded onto trains and sent to other places.
How Girvin Grew and Changed
Besides cattle, other businesses helped Girvin become a busy place. Things like oil drilling, mining for valuable minerals, and farming also brought people and jobs to the area. For a while, Girvin was a lively community with people working in various industries.
However, things started to change in 1933. A new main road, U.S. Route 67, was built and it went around Girvin instead of through it. This meant that travelers and businesses started using the new highway, bypassing the town. Over time, the train service that was so important to Girvin also stopped running.
Life in Modern Girvin
Because the train service ended and the highway moved, the old railroad building was moved closer to the new highway. This building became a place called the "Girvin Social Club," which was a gathering spot for people in the community. Today, this building is also no longer in use.
Even though much of Girvin is now quiet, the community still has a special connection to its past. There's an old schoolhouse, built in the 1930s, that is still used today. It serves as a meeting hall for the community and also as a voter precinct, which is a specific area where people go to cast their votes in elections. Every year, families who have lived in the area for a long time come together for a reunion at this historic schoolhouse.
Education in Girvin
For students living in Girvin, public education is provided by the Iraan-Sheffield Independent School District. This school district serves children from Girvin and nearby areas, making sure they have access to schools.
