Palo Alto College

San Antonio, Texas

SMALL TOWN HISTORY: Pearsall, Texas

Joshua Flores and Margaret De Leon	Fall 2000
History 1302	Hines

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When you think of a small towns in Texas, Pearsall probably doesn't come to mind. Pearsall is a beautiful town.
Pearsall is known to be the heart of Frio county. It's on Interstate Highway 35 and Missiouri Pacfic railroad 55 miles southwest of San Antonio in the central part of the county.

The start of Pearsall happened with the railroads. In the beginning, around the 1870's, wagon trains stopped at a well in Frio County traveling to Pleasanton: this well was known as Wagoner's Well. People saw this beautiful land waiting to blossom. So on February 6, 1882, the International-Great Northern Railroad gained control of 2,000 acres of land around the well. They knew that they had something great on their hands. They had built a great form of transportation. With this great transportation economic growth followed. The railroad was a big success, and on February 15, 1882, they platted the townsite of Pearsall, named after the Vice President of the railroad company, Thomas W. Pearsall and east of the newly laid the railroad tracks opposite of Wagoner's Well.

Economic growth was a great success. The International Great Northern Railroad company brought people from all around the country to settle in Pearsall. Business and a tent community started to grow up around the railroad depot. Sylvia Salazar, a resident of Pearsall for 75 years says, she remembers her mother telling her stories about Pearsall and how businesses got started and jobs for people started popping up everywhere. She also said, that the majority of the of the races were either of Mexican descent or of white descent. Buyers from around the town would advertise train tours from San Antonio for business purposes.

By 1884 Pearsall was the new county seat of Frio county and had a little over 700 residents, 20 businesses, three hotels, three churches, a district school, and a weekly newspaper.

With the enormous advertising, Pearsall population grew to a little over 1,000 residents. The three churches in Pearsall were Methodist, Baptist, and Catholic. Salazar attended the Catholic Church because her grandmother was raised in that religion and felt that since she and her grandmother were so close, that it was her duty to practice the same religion.

In the early 1890's corn mills and the cotton gin became the mercantile block in downtown Pearsall. It was established by the partnership of C.H. Beever and George Hines and later to become one of the largest general merchandise operations between San Antonio and Laredo. Hines and Beever were the Morgan and Rockerfeller of Pearsall. Hines helped organize Frio County Cotton Oil Company in Pearsall. Beever helped organize the Pearsall Artesian Well Company, which provided the community with it's first electric service. With all the economic growth, people were making so much money that they just stuffed it under their mattresses. In 1908, the Pearsall People's State Bank was organized. As times changed for the better some new companies arose like Pearsall Water, Ice, and Electric Inc. and were establish in 1910. Attracting more and more people by 1914 Pearsall had an estimated population of about 2,000 people. Some other small stores also arose such as small drug stores, confectioneries, barbershops, some hotels and electric plants. A famous building in Pearsall is the Laural Opera House. This beautiful building seats 500 people and uses 75 electric lights for the stage. You are always guaranteed a great show or your money will be refunded.

Pearsall became better known when oil was discovered in the 1930's. Oil wells started to pop up everywhere, and soon after in 1945 natural gas was introduced. Another famous building in Pearsall is the Frio Pioneer Jail Museum. The Frio Pioneer Jail Museum was originally built in 1884. The building was dedicated in ceremories addressed by Representative Henry B. Gonzalez and Ollie Taylor, a woman sheriff of Frio County. This all happened on July 3, 1976.

In 1990 the population in Pearsall had grown to about 9,355 people. By that time they had six public schools, 13 churches and a public library. Salazar mentioned how times where changing. She had also said how big the economy has grown. Her granddaughter seems to disagree with her. Annet Salazar, the granddaughter, seems to think that Pearsall still needs a little work.

What once was a beautiful untouched peace of land is now a pretty successful economic community. With all the charming stones and the great scenaries its impossible not to fall in love with Pearsall. The prime county for hunting, fishing, and all the great outdoor activities is right here in Frio County. With all the impressive achievements its no doubt what the increased exploration contributed to the revitalization of Pearsall economy.

Bibliography

1. Bradfield,Bill.(1999). Muleshoe and More. Houston, Tx: Gulf Publishing Company. Bradfield was very blunt and straight forward about his information.

2. Webb, Walter.(1952). The handbook of Texas. Austin, Tx: The Texas State Historical Association. Webb site had everything I needed to know.

3. Kelton,Ann.(1996). Texas Travel. Austin, Tx: The Whitley Co.

It didn't have any thing

4. Webb, Walter.(1996). The Handbook of Texas Vol.5. Austin,Tx: The Texas State Historical Assocation. This webb site was very helpful.

5. Interview: Salazar, Sylvia. (10-10-2000). Pearsall,TX. Very helpful.

6. Interview: Salazar, Annette. (10-10-2000) Pearsall,TX: Very helpful.

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