Muldoon, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Muldoon, Texas
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Unincorporated place
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 Muldoon, Texas
Location in Texas
Muldoon, Texas
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Fayette |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.7 sq mi (1.7 km2) |
| • Water | 0.04 sq mi (0.1 km2) |
| Elevation | 341 ft (104 m) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 114 |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
78949
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| Area code(s) | 361 |
| FIPS code | 48-40276 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1342244 |
Muldoon is a small community located in southwestern Fayette County, Texas. It is about 10 miles north of Flatonia and 16 miles southwest of La Grange. You can find Muldoon where FM 154 and FM 2237 meet. In 2010, the population of Muldoon was 114 people.
Contents
History of Muldoon
How Muldoon Got Its Name
The town of Muldoon was named after a man named Father Michael Muldoon. He was a religious leader, also called a clergyman. He worked for a short time with Stephen F. Austin's first group of settlers in Texas.
Father Muldoon was special because he was the only non-Hispanic member of the Monterrey, Mexico Diocese who spoke English. This probably helped him with his duties. He was born in Ireland and later became a priest in Spain.
Father Muldoon's Adventures
In 1834, Father Muldoon traveled to Mexico. He visited Stephen F. Austin while Austin was held there. Later, in 1837, he helped William Wharton escape from a prison in Matamoros. After this, the town of Wharton, Texas was founded.
Father Muldoon openly supported Texas. Because of this, the Mexican government put him in prison for a short time. But he was eventually set free. He even came back to Texas after the Texas Revolution. In 1842, he received a special thank-you letter from Texas President Anson Jones. After that, Father Muldoon's story ends, and no one knows where he went.
The Railroad's Impact
In the early 1900s, the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad tracks were built. These tracks ran next to what is now FM 154. The railroad brought many passengers to and from Muldoon regularly.
During this time, the railroad was a big part of Muldoon's economy. But over time, fewer people rode the trains. Muldoon became less important as a train stop. Also, new diesel trains didn't need to stop for water anymore. This meant even fewer trains stopped in Muldoon.
The old train station was closed in the 1950s. This happened when a small passenger train called the "Dinky" stopped running its route from Flatonia to Muldoon. In the 1960s, Hurricane Carla badly damaged the old water tower. This tower had been used to fill the steam locomotives with water. The damaged tower was later removed.
Muldoon's Past Businesses
Muldoon once had many busy businesses. There were several stores, at least one saloon, and a blacksmith shop. There was also a small hotel. A rock quarry in Muldoon produced stone. This stone was used to build the jetties in Galveston.
Today, none of these old businesses are still open. However, some historic buildings still stand along FM 154. The Kerr Store, built in 1890, is one of them. It was closed in the mid-1900s. You can also see another former store building and the old blacksmith shop.
