Sowers, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sowers, Texas
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 Sowers, Texas
Location in Texas
Sowers, Texas
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Dallas |
| Settled | 1848 |
| Founded by | E. D. Sowers |
| Elevation | 531 ft (162 m) |
| Population
(1905)
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| • Total | 121 |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| FIPS code | 48113 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1347617 |
Sowers is a ghost town in Texas. It is about 11 miles northwest of Dallas. Today, this old community is part of Irving. Only the cemetery from the original town remains.
History
Sowers was first settled in the late 1840s. By 1884, about 75 people lived there. The town had several businesses. These included a blacksmith, a church, and a school. There was also a doctor and a druggist. Two steam gristmill-cotton gins helped process crops.
A post office opened in 1881. The town and post office were named after an early settler named E. D. Sowers. In 1905, the population was 121 people. It stayed around that number for many years. By 1956, only 30 people lived in Sowers. Soon after, the city of Irving took over the area.
The Bonnie and Clyde Incident
Sowers became famous on November 21, 1933. This was when Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow met their families. They met near what is now Texas Highway 183. Clyde had planned a secret picnic to celebrate his mother's birthday. They planned to return the next evening for a longer visit.
On November 22, 1933, Bonnie and Clyde drove back to the meeting spot. Law enforcement officers were waiting in a ditch. They included Smoot Schmidt, Ted Hinton, Ed Caster, and Bob Alcorn. The officers began shooting at the car. Bonnie and Clyde quickly drove away.
During their escape, bullets hit Clyde's stolen 1933 Ford V-8 car. Both Bonnie and Clyde were hurt in their knees. They later left the car and ran away. Officers Hinton and Alcorn were also involved in the event that ended Bonnie and Clyde's crime spree. This happened on May 23, 1934, near Gibsland, Louisiana.
