Winters, Texas

History

In 1880, the families of C.N. Curry and C.E. Bell settled in an area known as Bluff Creek Valley, southwest of the present town. Local cowboy Jack Mackey suggested that the community be named in honor of John N. Winters, a rancher and land agent. A post office was established in 1891 and Mr. Winters donated land for a school soon after. Winters had roughly 163 residents in 1892. It became famous for a traveling brass band that was organized by Charles Tipton Grant in 1901. A newspaper began publishing in 1903. Winters incorporated in 1909, the same year that the Abilene and Southern Railway built an extension from Abilene to Winters. Land values in the city jumped to $7.00 per acre. A cottonseed mill became the first major industry in Winters when it opened in 1909. It remained in operation until 1939. In 1910, the population had risen to 1,247. A public library was constructed in 1964. By 1980, the population stood at 3,061. That number fell slightly to 2,905 in 1990 and 2,880 in 2000. Winters had a total of 140 businesses in 2000, up from 96 in 1970. Today, the city serves as a commercial and distribution center for a large agricultural and ranching area.

From the History section of Winters, Texas on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.