Maydelle, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Maydelle, Texas
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Train depot
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 Maydelle, Texas
Location in Texas
Maydelle, Texas
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Cherokee |
| Elevation | 410 ft (120 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 430, 903 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1362318 |
Maydelle is a small unincorporated community in Cherokee County, Texas, United States. It's called an unincorporated community because it doesn't have its own local government, like a city or town. In 2000, about 250 people lived there. Maydelle is part of a larger area that includes the cities of Tyler and Jacksonville.
Contents
History of Maydelle
The land where Maydelle is located was first settled in the 1840s. But it didn't really become a community until 1906. That's when the Texas State Railroad built its tracks through the area.
How Maydelle Started
Near Maydelle, there was a prison called Camp Wright. Prisoners there cut wood to make charcoal. This charcoal was used for an iron foundry (a factory that makes metal products) in Rusk. In 1910, three men named C.D. Jarrarr, N.A. Slover, and J.S. Sherman received land grants. A land grant is like a gift of land from the government. They used this land to build a new town.
They named the new town Maydelle after Maydelle Campbell. She was the daughter of Thomas Mitchell Campbell, who used to be the governor of Texas. Maydelle Campbell sang during the town's opening celebration. Many people from nearby communities like Gent, Java, Mount Comfort, and Pine Town moved to Maydelle.
Growth and Changes
By 1914, Maydelle had about 150 residents. It had two churches (Baptist and Christian), four general stores, a bank, a cotton gin (a machine that separates cotton fibers from seeds), and a drugstore.
The community grew quite a bit. In 1929, Maydelle reached its largest population ever, with 450 people living there. However, the Great Depression caused the population to drop to 150. The Great Depression was a time in the 1930s when many people lost their jobs and money.
After World War II, Maydelle started to grow again. By the early 1990s, the population was back up to 250, and there were six businesses. It stayed around that number until 2000. Maydelle also became a popular place for tourists who wanted to ride the restored Texas State Railroad.
Geography and Climate
Maydelle is located in the western part of Cherokee County. You can find it where U.S. Route 84 and Farm to Market Road 2138 meet. It's about 9 miles (14 km) west of Rusk and 22 miles (35 km) east of Palestine.
Maydelle's Climate
Maydelle has a type of weather called a humid subtropical climate. This means that the summers are usually hot and humid, and the winters are generally mild to cool.
Education
Students in Maydelle attend schools in the Rusk Independent School District. Before 1989, Maydelle had its own school district, called the Maydelle Independent School District. But on July 1, 1989, it joined with the Rusk district.
Maydelle in Movies
The movie The Long Summer of George Adams was filmed in Maydelle. This movie starred actors James Garner and Joan Hackett.
