Spanish Camp, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Spanish Camp, Texas
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 Spanish Camp, Texas
Location in Texas
Spanish Camp, Texas
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Wharton |
| Elevation | 114 ft (35 m) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
77488
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| Area code(s) | 979 |
| GNIS | 1347623 |
Spanish Camp is a small, unincorporated community in Texas, USA. It's located in the northern part of Wharton County. This means it's not a city with its own local government. Instead, it's a group of homes and businesses. Spanish Camp is situated between two other communities, Egypt and Hungerford. You can find it along a road called Farm to Market Road 1161. The community got its name because the Mexican army, led by General Antonio López de Santa Anna, camped there a long time ago in 1836. Even today, a church founded by former slaves in 1870 is still active in Spanish Camp.
Contents
History of Spanish Camp
Early Days and the Texas Revolution
A community was started near this spot a long time ago. This was when Stephen F. Austin and the "Old Three Hundred" were allowed to settle in Texas. In 1836, during the Texas Revolution, General Santa Anna's Mexican army camped near a sulfur spring. This spring was located on Peach Creek. After this event, the settlement became known as Spanish Camp.
There's a cool legend about the Mexican army. People say they buried their gold coins there. This happened when they were defeated at the Battle of San Jacinto. Even with this exciting story, not many people lived in Spanish Camp. This was true until after the American Civil War.
Churches and Community Growth
In 1870, a former slave named Hillary Hooks started the Camp Zion Baptist Church. Later, in 1887, James E. Winston gave land to the church. He was Hillary Hooks' former owner. A year later, some members left to form the Rising Star Baptist Church. You can learn more about this story on a historical marker. It's located on Farm to Market Road 1161.
Spanish Camp got its own post office in 1877. Around that time, Thomas Habermacher opened several businesses. He had a cotton gin, a sawmill, and a store. By 1885, about 50 people lived there. The community had two churches, a gristmill, a school, and two stores.
Changes and Modern Times
The population of Spanish Camp grew to 200 people in 1890. But within ten years, it dropped back to 50. This happened because the railroad was built, but it didn't go through Spanish Camp. The post office closed in 1905. The Camp Zion Cemetery was also set up then. The Duncan family donated the land for the cemetery.
The Camp Zion Church building was used for many things. It served as a school and a safe place during floods. It was also home to a Red Cross chapter during World War I. In 1925, the first oil well in Wharton County was drilled. This started an oil drilling boom. The Spanish Camp Oil Field was one of the places where oil was found.
By 1936, there were still homes and a factory in the area. But by 1947, only 20 people lived there. There was only one business left. In 1989, Spanish Camp had four businesses. It also had three cemeteries, two churches, and several homes. The Spanish Camp Oil Field and some gravel pits were nearby. In 1998, the Rising Star and Camp Zion Churches joined together. Their congregation included descendants of the original former slaves.
Images for kids
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This sign for Spanish Camp is on FM 1161. It points southeast toward the FM 640 intersection.
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This historical marker for Camp Zion Baptist Church is on FM 1161. It's northwest of Camp Zion Cemetery. The church building is no longer at this exact spot.
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This is the Camp Zion and Rising Star Baptist Church building. It's located on FM 1161 in Spanish Camp.
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The Camp Zion Church Cemetery is on FM 1161. It's northwest of Spanish Camp.
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FM 1161 makes a sharp curve to the northeast at FM 640 in Spanish Camp.
