Shelbyville, Texas facts for kids
Shelbyville is a small community in Shelby County, Texas, United States. It is not an official city but a community without its own local government. Shelbyville is located about seven miles southeast of the town of Center. It is also close to the large Toledo Bend Reservoir. Students living in the area attend schools managed by the Shelbyville Independent School District.
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A Look Back: Shelbyville's History
How Shelbyville Started
Shelbyville began in the 1820s. The first settlers came from the Nashville area in Tennessee. Because of this, the town was first named Nashville. However, in 1837, its name was changed to Shelbyville. This new name honored Isaac Shelby, a hero from the American Revolution. He was also a governor of Kentucky. A post office for the community opened in 1843.
A Time of Conflict
Shelbyville became a very important spot during a local conflict. This conflict was known as the Regulator–Moderator War. Many of the main events of this dispute happened right in Shelbyville or nearby. In 1866, there was a big disagreement about where the county government should be. The county records were secretly moved one night. After that, Center became the new main town for Shelby County.
Shelbyville's Changing Population
In 1884, about 150 people lived in Shelbyville. This number doubled to 300 by 1914. The population reached its highest point in 1929, with an estimated 600 residents. However, during the Great Depression, the population dropped by half. It slowly grew again, reaching 550 people in the late 1940s. But then it fell once more. By the late 1980s, only 215 people lived there. This was the same number reported in the year 2000.
Local News and Information
The Light and Champion is a company that provides news and information. In 2017, it celebrated 140 years of being in business. It serves Shelby County and also Logansport, Louisiana. The Light and Champion creates a weekly newspaper that is printed. It also produces another free printed product called The Merchandiser each week. You can also find their news on their website, www.lightandchampion.com, and on their Facebook page. Moser Community Media, based in Brenham, Texas, owns The Light and Champion.
