Violet, Texas facts for kids

Violet is a very small community in Nueces County, Texas, United States. About 40 people live there. It's not a city with its own government. Violet is located along State Highway 44. It's found between the cities of Corpus Christi and Robstown.

History of Violet

Early Beginnings

In the early 1900s, German farmers moved to this area. Before they arrived, people mostly raised cattle here. The new farmers started to grow crops instead.

In December 1906, two men, Erwin Cushman and Louis Petrus, bought a large piece of land. It was 1030 acres big. This area was known as Land Siding back then.

Soon after, Louis Petrus bought out Erwin Cushman. In 1908, Petrus asked John W. Hoelscher to sell the land for him. Hoelscher would earn 50 cents for each acre he sold. This 50 cents would be worth about $12 today.

Growing the Community

John W. Hoelscher wanted to attract a specific group of people. He focused on German-American Catholic farmers. He put ads in German newspapers across Texas. He also got support from Reverend Peter Verdaguer. Reverend Verdaguer was an important church leader in Brownsville. His role was similar to a bishop for the area. Later, this church group became the Diocese of Corpus Christi.

Building Schools and Churches

By 1910, more people had moved to the community. A new school was needed for the children. Louis Petrus and Charles Hoelscher gave land for the school. Charles Hoelscher also donated money to help build it.

The school opened in December 1910. Geraldine Dunn was the first teacher. This building was also used as a church at first. On December 26, 1910, the first church service, called a Mass, was held there. Reverend Ferdinand Joseph Goebbels led the service.

In 1911, an acre of land was set aside for a cemetery. A rectory, which is a house for a priest, was built in 1912. The next year, in 1913, the rectory became a school. The old school building was then used only as a church.

Violet Gets Its Name

Also in 1913, the community changed its name. It was no longer called Land Siding. It was renamed Violet. This new name honored the wife of a local store owner, John Fister. A post office was also built in 1913. It helped people send and receive mail until 1947.

Changes Over Time

In 1918, the community built an even newer school. This was to make room for all the growing number of children. The next year, in 1919, the church was improved and made bigger. It was named St. Anthony's.

In 1952, a brand new church building was constructed. The old St. Anthony's church was moved to a nearby town called Clarkwood. There, it was renamed Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

By 1972, the old church building in Clarkwood was no longer used. The Violet Historical Society was started to bring the building back to Violet. They worked to raise money for this project. In 1975, the old church was moved back to Violet. It was placed near its original spot. Descendants of the people who first built it helped restore it.

In the late 1990s, the Texas Department of Transportation bought land around Highway 44. This led to fewer people living in the town of Violet.