La Salle, Jackson County, Texas facts for kids
La Salle is a small community in Jackson County, Texas, USA. It is an unincorporated community, which means it doesn't have its own city government. Instead, it's part of the larger county. In 2000, about 103 people lived in La Salle.
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Where is La Salle?
La Salle is located in the southwestern part of Jackson County. You can find it along FM 616, which is a local road. It's about 16 miles south of the town of Edna and 22 miles east of Victoria.
The Story of La Salle
Early Beginnings and Ranching
The history of La Salle began in 1875. A man named J.M. Bennett teamed up with two brothers, Sol and Ike West. Together, they started a large cattle ranch in this area.
The Railroad and New Names
In 1909, an important change happened. The Missouri Pacific Railroad built train tracks right through their ranch. A train station was built there, and the three partners named it "Benwest." This name was a mix of their last names: Bennett and West.
In 1922, the West brothers left the partnership. Because of this, the name of the station was changed to "Bennview."
Growth and New Settlers
A few years later, in 1924, a town site was planned out. J.M. Bennett worked hard to sell land in the area. Many new families moved to Bennview, especially people of Polish and Czech heritage.
A post office opened in Bennview in 1928, but it closed just two years later in 1930.
Becoming La Salle
In 1937, the citizens of Bennview decided to change the community's name again. They chose "La Salle." This new name honored the French explorer La Salle, who had been in the area back in the 1600s.
With the new name, a new post office opened. A school and a general store also started up, helping the community grow.
Population Changes Over Time
La Salle's population grew from about 60 people in 1941 to over 100 by the early 1970s. After that, the number of residents went down for a while. In the late 1980s, only about 75 people lived there. However, by 2000, the population had risen again to about 103 people.
Today, La Salle still has a post office with the ZIP code 77969.
Learning in La Salle
Public schools for children in La Salle are part of the Industrial Independent School District.
