Ironton, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ironton, Texas
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 Ironton, Texas
Location in Texas
Ironton, Texas
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Cherokee |
| Elevation | 472 ft (144 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 430 & 903 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1379988 |
Ironton is a small, unincorporated community in Cherokee County, located in the U.S. state of Texas. This means it's a small town that doesn't have its own local government like a city does. In 2000, about 110 people lived there. Ironton is part of a larger area that includes the cities of Tyler and Jacksonville.
A Look Back at Ironton's History
Ironton got its name from an old iron factory nearby. C.H. Martin named the town in 1904 and encouraged people to move there. In the same year, a post office was opened, and Charley J. Pool gave out land grants.
Two years later, in 1906, Louis A. Pritchett built a gristmill and a cotton gin. A gristmill grinds grain, and a cotton gin separates cotton fibers from their seeds. A blacksmith shop and a garage were also built near the gin. A special "plunge dip" was built to help keep cattle healthy.
Later, U.S. Highway 79 was built east of the main railroad line. This highway bypassed Ironton, meaning it went around the town instead of through it. The last store in Ironton burned down in 1930. A new store was then built on the east side of the highway.
Edgar W. Brittain took over the new store and opened a gas station in 1931. He ran both businesses until 1968. He also served as the postmaster until 1955, when mail services were moved to Jacksonville. By 1990, Ironton had only one church and no businesses. Its population remained around 110 people through the year 2000.
Where is Ironton?
Ironton is located along U.S. Highway 79. It is about 6 mi (9.7 km) southwest of Jacksonville. It is also about 4 mi (6.4 km) northeast of the Anderson County line. You can find it in the northwestern part of Cherokee County.
Learning in Ironton: The School's Story
The first teacher at Ironton School was George N. Harris, who started teaching in 1910. Before this school was built, children in the area went to school at either Owl's Creek Chapel or Earle's Chapel.
During World War II, fewer students attended Ironton School. By 1954, students from Ironton began to be bussed to schools in the Jacksonville Independent School District. This meant they rode buses to attend school in Jacksonville.
