Saint Johns Colony, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Saint John Colony, Texas
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 Saint Johns Colony, Texas
Location in Texas
Saint Johns Colony, Texas
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Caldwell |
| Elevation | 545 ft (166 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 512 & 737 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1345954 |
Saint John Colony is a small community in Caldwell County, Texas. It is not an official town, but a group of homes and farms. In 2000, about 150 people lived there. It is located close to the big city of Austin.
Contents
A Look at Saint John Colony's History
Saint John Colony began in the early 1870s. A group of Black farming families moved here from Webberville. They bought land to create their own community.
How the Community Got Its Name
The first leader of the community was Reverend John Henry Winn. Because of him, the area was first called Winn's Colony. Later, after the Saint John Regular Missionary Baptist Church was built, the community changed its name to Saint John Colony.
Life in the Early Days
At its busiest time, Saint John Colony was home to about 100 families. It had farms, stores, a cotton gin (a machine that separates cotton fibers), and a gristmill (a place to grind grain). A post office opened in 1890. It was called Mackiesville and was run by Lewis Mackey. The post office stayed open until the 1920s.
Besides the Saint John Regular Missionary Baptist Church, there were two other churches. They were the Zion Union Missionary Baptist Church and the Landmark Missionary Baptist Church. The community's land even stretched into nearby Bastrop County.
Saint John Colony Today
Today, all three churches are still active. The community's cemetery, called Saint John or Zion Cemetery, holds the graves of many of the first settlers. Most people living in Saint John Colony now are descendants of those original families.
Where is Saint John Colony?
Saint John Colony is located on Farm to Market Road 672. It is about ten miles northeast of Lockhart. The community is mostly in northeastern Caldwell County, but also reaches into southwestern Bastrop County. Webberville is about 20 miles north of the community.
Learning in Saint John Colony
Saint John Colony had its own school district in the 1870s. This was the main school for children in the community. In the 1960s, the community became part of the Lockhart Independent School District. Residents kept their local school open until 1966. That year, public schools in the area began to allow all students to attend together, regardless of race. Today, students from Saint John Colony still go to schools in the Lockhart ISD.
