Purdon, Texas facts for kids
Purdon is a small, unincorporated community located in Navarro County, Texas, in the United States. An "unincorporated community" means it's a group of homes and businesses that isn't officially a town or city with its own local government. In 2000, about 133 people lived there.
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Where is Purdon?
Purdon is located in south-central Navarro County, Texas. It's about three miles south of State Highway 31, along Farm to Market Road 55. The community is also about 14 miles southwest of a larger city called Corsicana. 31°56′57″N 96°37′00″W / 31.94917°N 96.61667°W
Purdon's History
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1920 | 346 | — | |
| 1930 | 308 | −11.0% | |
| 1940 | 262 | −14.9% | |
| 1950 | 203 | −22.5% | |
| 1960 | 151 | −25.6% | |
| 1970 | 133 | −11.9% | |
The area near Purdon was first settled by Captain J. A. Harrison. His community was called Belle Point.
How Purdon Got Its Name
In the early 1880s, a railroad called the St. Louis Southwestern Railway was built. It was also known as the "Cotton Belt" railway. This new railway passed about two miles south of Belle Point. Soon, new building plots were created around the train stop. This new community was named Purdon.
The name "Purdon" came from a railroad worker named Harris. He liked a cashier named Miss Ada Purdom. However, a spelling mistake happened at the main office, and the town was officially named Purdon instead of Purdom. A post office was opened in 1881.
A Growing Community
Purdon quickly became a busy community. Most of the rich, dark soil in the area was used to grow crops. Farmers grew cotton, corn, and other grains to feed animals. By 1896, about 80 people lived in the community.
In 1912, a new two-story brick school building was finished. According to the 1920 Census, Purdon's population grew to 346 people.
Changes Over Time
In 1928, school buses started to be used. Because of this, the schools from Belle Point, Jester, and Silver City joined with Purdon's school.
After its peak in 1920, Purdon's population began to slowly shrink. It fell to 308 people in 1930, and then to 262 by 1940. This decline became faster after World War II. Many people moved away to bigger cities to find more job opportunities.
Purdon's school was combined with the school in nearby Dawson in the fall of 1959. By 1960, Purdon had only 151 residents. This was less than half of its population in 1920. For the rest of the 20th century, the population stayed around 133 people.
Today, most people who live in Purdon travel to Corsicana or Dawson. They go there for things like groceries, banking, doctor visits, and jobs.
A False News Report
On October 14, 2014, a website called National Report shared a false story. It claimed that a family of five in Purdon had gotten a serious illness. This untrue story quickly spread on social media as if it were real news.
Even though Purdon is not an official city, it still has its own post office. Its ZIP code is 76679.
Education in Purdon
Public education for students in Purdon is provided by the Dawson Independent School District.
