Prairieville, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Prairieville, Texas
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 Prairieville, Texas
Location in Texas
Prairieville, Texas
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Kaufman |
| Elevation | 397 ft (121 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1378906 |
Prairieville is a small, quiet community in Kaufman County, Texas, in the United States. It's not a big city with its own government. Instead, it's a rural area with homes, a grocery store, and a church. In 2000, about 50 people lived there. Prairieville is part of the larger Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Contents
History of Prairieville
Early Settlers and Growth
Prairieville was founded by a group of Norwegian settlers. They were led by Johan Reinert Reiersen. In 1848, they moved from Henderson County. They settled in an area called Four Mile Prairie. This area was in both Kaufman and Van Zandt counties.
The settlers built homes and farms there. This is how the community of Prairieville began. In the 1850s, a sickness spread through the area. Many people got sick. The people who survived moved to Bosque County. But the community of Prairieville continued to exist.
Community Life and Businesses
By 1900, Prairieville had grown to 206 people. However, the population later dropped to 50 by 1924. Over the years, the community had many different businesses. These included places to grind grain called gristmills. There were also cotton gins, which separated cotton fibers. People could buy goods at general merchandise stores. There were also factories that made furniture. And blacksmith shops made things from metal.
A post office opened in Prairieville in 1854. It stayed open until 1954, with only a short break. For many years, Prairieville was a peaceful place. It had rural homes, one country store, and a historical marker. The population stayed at 50 people in both 1990 and 2000.
Diverse Residents
In 1848, local settlers started a church in Prairieville. A resident named Erick Bache built a hotel. He also worked as a postmaster. He was a leader for two different rail lines. By 1857, about 80 people of Norwegian heritage lived in Prairieville. Other people living there came from countries like Denmark, France, Germany, and Sweden.
Geography of Prairieville
Prairieville is located in the southeastern part of Kaufman County. You can find it where Farm to Market Roads 1836 and 90 meet. This is close to the Van Zandt County line. It is about 8 miles (13 km) north of Mabank. It is also about 14 miles (23 km) southeast of Kaufman.
Education in Prairieville
Prairieville had its own school in the 1850s. This school taught local children for many years. In 1949, the school joined the Mabank Independent School District. Today, students in Prairieville still attend schools in the Mabank ISD.
