Peach Creek, Wharton County, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Peach Creek, Texas
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Peach Creek bottom at the CR 135 bridge looking west
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 Peach Creek, Texas
Location in Texas
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Wharton |
| Elevation | 49 ft (15 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
77488
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| Area code(s) | 979 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1375383 |
Peach Creek is a ghost town located in Wharton County, Texas. A ghost town is a place where most people have left, and it's no longer a lively community. This former settlement was built along a stream also called Peach Creek. It was on land given to early settlers named William Kincheloe and Alexander Jackson, Sr. During the time Texas was its own country (the Republic of Texas), Peach Creek even had a post office. People hoped it would become the main town for the county, but that didn't happen. The post office closed in 1847.
Contents
Where is Peach Creek Located?
The Peach Creek stream starts west of Farm to Market Road 102 near a place called Egypt. It flows mostly southeast for about 27 miles (43 km). The stream then joins the San Bernard River about 8 miles (13 km) southeast of Wharton.
Finding the Old Settlement
Old maps from Wharton County show that the Peach Creek settlement was mostly on William Kincheloe's land. A small part of it was also on Alexander Jackson's land to the north. This area is roughly between U.S. Route 59 on the west and County Road 135 (Junior College Blvd.) on the east.
The History of Peach Creek
Peach Creek has a fascinating history, tied to some of the first settlers in Texas.
Who Were the Early Settlers?
William and Mary Betts Kincheloe moved to Texas in 1821. Two years later, a Mexican census recorded William as 44 years old, living with his wife and eight children. William was a blacksmith. He received a large piece of land on July 8, 1824. He later gave some of his land for the Wharton County courthouse. William Kincheloe passed away in 1835.
Important Trails and Crossings
Two important trails passed through the Peach Creek area. One trail went from east to west, connecting Harrisburg and Texana. The other trail went from north to south, linking Matagorda and San Felipe.
There were two places where these trails crossed Peach Creek.
- The upper crossing was on Alexander Jackson's land.
- The lower crossing was on William Kincheloe's land.
Later, the upper crossing became known as Kincheloe's Crossing. Isham B. Phillips, who owned land nearby, bought 177 acres in Kincheloe's area, right next to the lower crossing, to build a house.
Post Offices and County Seat Dreams
When Texas became its own country, the Republic of Texas, a postal station was set up at Peach Creek. Isham B. Phillips became the first postmaster. In 1839, a second postal station was added at Kincheloe's Crossing, with Alexander Jackson, Jr. as postmaster. At that time, the upper crossing was in Colorado County, and the lower crossing was in Matagorda County.
When Wharton County was officially created in 1846, Kincheloe's family offered a spot on Peach Creek to be the county seat. However, this offer was not accepted. On July 1, 1847, Peach Creek lost its post office. After that, its mail was sent from the new county seat, which was the town of Wharton. This marked the beginning of Peach Creek becoming a ghost town.
