Texas, New York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Texas, New York
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 Texas, New York
Location in New York
Texas, New York
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Oswego |
| City | Mexico |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
Texas is a small community called a hamlet located in Oswego County, New York. It is found near the southeastern part of Lake Ontario. Texas is officially a part of the town of Mexico.
Contents
Exploring Texas's Location
Texas is situated along the Little Salmon River. This river flows into Lake Ontario about one-half mile away from the hamlet. The main road in Texas is New York State Route 104B, which runs alongside the river.
Some interesting places to visit nearby include Mexico Point State Park, a great spot for outdoor activities. There's also the Salmon Country Marina & Campgrounds, perfect for boating and camping. Bird watchers will love the nearby Derby Hill Bird Sanctuary, known for its many different bird species.
A Look at Texas's Past
Early Days as Vera Cruz
The story of Texas began around 1790 when a German merchant named George Scriba bought a huge piece of land. This land, known as "Scriba's Patent," covered about 500,000 acres (which is about 2,000 square kilometers) between Oneida Lake and Lake Ontario. He paid $80,000 for it, which would be around $870,000 today!
Around 1794, Scriba started a settlement at the mouth of the Little Salmon River. He called this first settlement Vera Cruz. It was located on the shore of Lake Ontario, about 12 miles (19 kilometers) northeast of Fort Ontario. Scriba built a gristmill (a mill for grinding grain), a store, and other buildings. He also started trading goods on the lake.
Challenges and Changes
Even though Vera Cruz seemed promising at first, it faced many difficulties. In 1799, a sad event occurred when seven heads of families drowned. Later, before the War of 1812, the British stopped American trade, which hurt the settlement's economy. The war itself also caused problems. Then, in 1820, a huge fire destroyed many buildings, which was a big setback.
After the fire, a man named S. P. Robinson started a boat yard and built boats there for several years. Later, a paper mill and a store also operated for a while. A United States Post Office opened in 1839 but closed in 1905. For some years, a life-saving station was kept by the state, but it burned down in 1886 and was not rebuilt.
The hamlet's name changed from Vera Cruz to Texas sometime between 1820 and 1860, likely soon after the big fire. The current name, Texas, was chosen after the territory of Texas.
People Living in Texas
According to property tax records from Oswego County, there are about 50 houses in Texas. The population of the hamlet is estimated to be around 200 people.
See also
In Spanish: Texas (Nueva York) para niños
