Science Hill, TX
N 32° 01.671 W 095° 56.465
15S E 222228 N 3547306
Science Hill, TX, was a town in southwestern Henderson County, established in the 1840s, but it did not survive long beyond the Civil War. Today, nothing of the town remains, although some pioneeers are buried in nearby Patterson Cemetery.
Waymark Code: WMZAYV
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 10/11/2018
Views: 3
A 1984 Texas Historical Marker stands in a pullout along FM 3273 at Henderson County Rd 1123, providing some background:
A group of pioneers from Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana founded the Science Hill community when they arrived in this area in 1846. Their hope for the settlement was that it would become a cultural and educational center for the county. Soon after their arrival, the residents started mills, cotton gins, mercantile businesses, churches, and schools.
The decade of the 1850s was one of growth and progress for Science Hill. A Methodist church was organized by the Rev. William D. Sansom, and the Science Hill Masonic Lodge began meeting in 1857. Members of the lodge and other citizens helped found Science Hill Academy, which opened in 1858. The first school of higher education in Henderson County, the academy offered classes in arithmetic, geography, history, elocution, Latin, Greek, natural science, and logic. Educator A.J. Fowler (1815-1886) was instrumental in its founding and served as first principal.
During the harsh years of the Civil War and Reconstruction, families began moving away from Science Hill. The academy closed in 1872. By 1878 the Masonic lodge had only 12 members, and its charter was surrendered. Science Hill became a ghost town, leaving only its history as a reminder of the community.
Reason for Abandonment: Economic
Date Abandoned: 01/01/1880
Related Web Page: [Web Link]
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