Smithwick, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Smithwick, Texas
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 Smithwick, Texas
Location in Texas
Smithwick, Texas
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Burnet |
| Elevation | 850 ft (260 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 830 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1380563 |
Smithwick is a small, unincorporated community in Burnet County, Texas, United States. This means it's a group of homes and businesses that isn't officially a town or city. In 2000, about 52 people lived there.
Contents
History of Smithwick
How Smithwick Began
Smithwick started from three smaller communities. These were Hickory Creek, Elm Grove, and Smithwick Mills. Smithwick Mills was named after Noah Smithwick's mill. This mill was located on the Colorado River.
Hickory Creek was set up in the 1850s. It had a church where people could gather.
Post Office and Name Change
A post office opened in Hickory Creek in 1871. It helped people send and receive mail. The post office stayed open until 1926. After that, mail for the community went through Marble Falls. Thomas A. Stinnett was the first postmaster.
The community's name changed to Smithwick in 1882.
Peak and Decline
Smithwick was most successful in the mid-1880s. At that time, it had a water-powered gristmill. A gristmill is a place that grinds grain into flour. It also had a church and about 150 people living there. Farmers in the area grew and shipped cotton.
However, things changed when the Austin and Northwestern Railroad built a track to Marble Falls in 1889. This made Smithwick's population drop a lot. In 1890, only 50 people lived there. This number was cut in half within two years.
Later Years
The population grew a little to 30 people in the 1930s and 1940s. County maps showed Smithwick with a church and a few scattered houses. By the 1980s, it had a church, a cemetery, and a community center. In 2000, the population was 52 people.
Geography
Smithwick is located on Ranch to Market Road 1431. It is about eight miles east of Marble Falls.
Education
Early Schools
In the early 1850s, both Hickory Creek and Elm Grove had their own schools. Elm Grove was known as a school community. It was located near Post Oak Creek. The school district kept the name Hickory Creek until the mid-1920s. The school continued to operate in the mid-1880s. It was also shown on county maps.
Modern Education
In 1951, the school joined the Marble Falls Independent School District. An Independent School District (ISD) is a special local government body that runs public schools. Today, the Marble Falls ISD still serves the Smithwick community. Younger students attend Colt Elementary School.
Notable Person
- Dudley Meredith was an American football player. He played for six seasons as a defensive end in the AFL.
