Provident City, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Provident City, Texas
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 Provident City, Texas
Location in Texas
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Colorado |
| Elevation | 141 ft (43 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
77455
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| Area code(s) | 979 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1380402 |
Provident City is a ghost town in Colorado County, Texas. It's a place where people used to live, but now it's mostly empty. You can find it along County Road 190.
The town started in 1909 when a company encouraged people to buy land there. For a while, it was a busy place. But a promised railroad never arrived, so people started leaving. The post office shut down in 1953, and much of the land became ranches. Today, the town is gone, but the old hotel building is still there, owned by private people. To get there, you have to drive about 4.3 miles (7 km) on a gravel road from the main highway.
Contents
Where Provident City Was Located
Provident City was located in Colorado County. It was near where County Road 190 and County Road 248 meet.
This former town is about 26 miles (42 km) southeast of Hallettsville. Hallettsville is in Lavaca County. You would take FM 530 and County Road 17 to get there. When County Road 17 crosses into Colorado County, it becomes County Road 190.
The Story of Provident City
How the Town Began
In 1909, a company called Provident Land Company started selling land in Colorado County. They promoted the land a lot, and about 500 families bought plots. Many of these families came from the American Midwest. They bought land without even seeing it first!
The company built hotels in Ganado and in Provident City. These hotels were for people who wanted to buy land. By 1910, Provident City had many businesses. It had banks, a broom factory, and a cannery. There were also churches, a drugstore, and general stores. You could find grocery stores, a jewelry store, and restaurants. The town even had a school and an undertaker. That same year, a post office opened.
Life in Provident City
The sandy soil in the area was great for farming. People grew melons, cucumbers, and other vegetables. By 1914, about 150 people lived in Provident City.
However, a big problem was that a promised railroad never came. This made the town very isolated. It was hard to get goods in and out.
Why People Left
During World War I, many people started moving to bigger cities. They were looking for jobs with better pay. Later, during the Great Depression, many farms in the area were abandoned. Farmers couldn't pay their taxes, so they lost their land.
By 1949, only about 30 people lived in Provident City. The post office closed in 1953. A company called Hancock Oil bought most of the land. They turned it into ranches for animals. By 1986, only the old hotel building was left. This is why Provident City is now known as a ghost town.
Images for kids
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The former Provident City hotel is now privately owned.
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The Texas Historical Commission placed a marker in front of the former hotel.
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A view looking north shows the old hotel behind the oak tree on the left.
