ghost town- gay hill

[jeffandmistie(TEXAS)]

probably pretty popular, since WE found it.......but it was our first and we wanted to share.....

 

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[jeffandmistie(TEXAS)]

Thanks sooo much for the welcome!!!! Well, my husband got a bug in his butt once he realized how much fun we had md'ing. He has been researching hours upon hours every evening. He found this place, programmed it into his garmin doo'hicky and off we went. I dont remember much of the history (we have printouts somewhere), and i dont think there was ever any treasure. BUT we had a wonderful time all the same. we snuck around and md'ed a little.....but we are very new at this and are just learning the rules. (im a chicken and didnt want to get in trouble). I will find the printouts and let you know. I remember there were 3 brothers, and 3 Gay Hills. We plan on researching it some more, and probably going back. It was absolutely beautiful!

 

[Gypsy Heart]

Very cool

Gay Hill is a historic town with strong business and cultural ties to Independence, Texas. Once known as Chriesman Settlement - the name was changed when the Republic of Texas established a post office in the town sometime before 1840.

Thomas Gay, a partner in the local store was the namesake of the town. His brother James Gay had a town named after him - also called Gay Hill - in neighboring Fayette County near LaGrange.

Residents included Horatio Chriesman, R. E. B. Baylor, and John Sayles. Glenblythe Plantation - owned by Horticulturist Thomas Affleck was near Gay Hill and a historic marker on Thomas Affleck is found on FM 390.

Oak Female Seminary was located in Gay Hill from 1853 to 1888 and a Masonic lodge was established before the Civil War. In 1860 Gay Hill had a population of about 300.

The town split into "Old" and "New" Gay Hill in 1881 when the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway laid tracks through Washington County. "New" Gay Hill is two miles west of the original site.

Gay Hill had a respectable population of 250 persons in 1936 with ten businesses. Ranching replaced cotton production and Brenham siphoned off Gay Hill population. By1958 there were only 200 people and in the 1990s it was an estimated 145.

The last store in Gay Hill closed in 1971. A one-room school from Gay Hill has been moved to Old Baylor Park in Independence.

Gay Hill of Fayette County is on State Highway 71 six miles southeast of La Grange. This community grew around a plantation dating back to the Republic of Texas.

A third Gay Hill once existed in Milam County seven miles west of Rockdale but has since disappeared without a trace

 

[HOSSNV]

Very cool

Gay Hill is a historic town with strong business and cultural ties to Independence, Texas. Once known as Chriesman Settlement - the name was changed when the Republic of Texas established a post office in the town sometime before 1840.

Thomas Gay, a partner in the local store was the namesake of the town. His brother James Gay had a town named after him - also called Gay Hill - in neighboring Fayette County near LaGrange.

Residents included Horatio Chriesman, R. E. B. Baylor, and John Sayles. Glenblythe Plantation - owned by Horticulturist Thomas Affleck was near Gay Hill and a historic marker on Thomas Affleck is found on FM 390.

Oak Female Seminary was located in Gay Hill from 1853 to 1888 and a Masonic lodge was established before the Civil War. In 1860 Gay Hill had a population of about 300.

The town split into "Old" and "New" Gay Hill in 1881 when the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway laid tracks through Washington County. "New" Gay Hill is two miles west of the original site.

Gay Hill had a respectable population of 250 persons in 1936 with ten businesses. Ranching replaced cotton production and Brenham siphoned off Gay Hill population. By1958 there were only 200 people and in the 1990s it was an estimated 145.

The last store in Gay Hill closed in 1971. A one-room school from Gay Hill has been moved to Old Baylor Park in Independence.

Gay Hill of Fayette County is on State Highway 71 six miles southeast of La Grange. This community grew around a plantation dating back to the Republic of Texas.

A third Gay Hill once existed in Milam County seven miles west of Rockdale but has since disappeared without a trace

That's my Gypsy girl ! Nice work Dearheart . Hoss

 

[X-Terra70_TreasureHunter]

Hi Jeff & Mistie here's some info about Gay Hill

NAME: Gay Hill
COUNTY: Washington
ROADS: 2WD
GRID: 4
CLIMATE: Hot summer
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Anytime. COMMENTS: I'm not sure who still lives there. The place is located about nine miles NE of Brenham off of a road (possibly 237) that intersects with Highway 36.Visit another Gay hill website.
REMAINS: There might possibly still be a general store.
NAME: Gay Hill
COUNTY: Washington
ROADS: 2WD
GRID: 4
CLIMATE: Hot summer
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Anytime. COMMENTS: I'm not sure who still lives there. The place is located about nine miles NE of Brenham off of a road (possibly 237) that intersects with Highway 36.Visit another Gay hill website.
REMAINS: There might possibly still be a general store.

GAY HILL, TEXAS (Washington County). Gay Hill is on Farm Road 390 twelve miles northwest of Brenham in the rolling hills of northern Washington County. The town was an educational and religious center on the La Bahía Roadqv in early Texas. Rev. Hugh Wilsonqv established the second Presbyterian church in Texas there in 1839. Presbyterians from throughout the republic met in the community, then known as Chriesman Settlement, to organize the Brazos Presbytery in 1840. By 1840 the Republic of Texasqv established a post office in the new town under the name Gay Hill, after the owners of the town store, Thomas Gay and William Carroll Jackson Hill. The beautiful forested hills and healthy climate attracted prominent early Texans, including residents Horatio Chriesman, R. E. B. Baylor, John Sayles, and Dr. George C. Red.qqv Horticulturist Thomas Affleck'sqv Glenblythe Plantationqv was located in the Gay Hill vicinity. Old Gay Hill served as the supply point of a moderately prosperous agricultural area. In 1854 a Masonic lodge was founded there. Between 1853 and 1888 Rev. James W. Millerqv operated Live Oak Female Seminary in Gay Hill. By 1860 the town had flour and lumber mills and a population of 280. After the Civil Warqv a cotton gin augmented the town's prosperity; retail establishments continued to thrive. The Masonic lodge and Presbyterian and Baptist churches were active. During the 1870s the town had a Grangeqv and a Democratic Club. The Republican partyqv remained strong among Gay Hill's black residents, despite Greenback partyqv efforts. When the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway extended to the Gay Hill vicinity in 1881, residents moved the town to its present location, two miles west of the original site. The former location is sometimes called Old Gay Hill.

Gay Hill's population was 120 in 1890. By 1900 Germans were the dominant ethnic group. The town became a distribution center by the early twentieth century. Cotton buying and ginning sustained this station on the Santa Fe through the Great Depression.qv By 1936 Gay Hill had an estimated population of 250 and ten businesses. The nearby Sun oilfield, which opened in 1928, and its pipeline enabled the town to maintain a variety of retail and commercial establishments through the early post-World War II era. The decline of cotton and rise of ranching in the area hastened the town's demise as a distribution center and supply point. The population declined to 200 by 1958, and businesses decreased to five. The last store closed in 1971, when many residents had moved to Brenham. In 1993 the estimated population was 145, and the community had no businesses; its economy depended on ranching. It had two churches, a cemetery, and lodge hall. The population remained the same in 2000.

 

[HOSSNV]

Hi Jeff & Mistie here's some info about Gay Hill

NAME: Gay Hill
COUNTY: Washington
ROADS: 2WD
GRID: 4
CLIMATE: Hot summer
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Anytime. COMMENTS: I'm not sure who still lives there. The place is located about nine miles NE of Brenham off of a road (possibly 237) that intersects with Highway 36.Visit another Gay hill website.
REMAINS: There might possibly still be a general store.
NAME: Gay Hill
COUNTY: Washington
ROADS: 2WD
GRID: 4
CLIMATE: Hot summer
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Anytime. COMMENTS: I'm not sure who still lives there. The place is located about nine miles NE of Brenham off of a road (possibly 237) that intersects with Highway 36.Visit another Gay hill website.
REMAINS: There might possibly still be a general store.

GAY HILL, TEXAS (Washington County). Gay Hill is on Farm Road 390 twelve miles northwest of Brenham in the rolling hills of northern Washington County. The town was an educational and religious center on the La Bahía Roadqv in early Texas. Rev. Hugh Wilsonqv established the second Presbyterian church in Texas there in 1839. Presbyterians from throughout the republic met in the community, then known as Chriesman Settlement, to organize the Brazos Presbytery in 1840. By 1840 the Republic of Texasqv established a post office in the new town under the name Gay Hill, after the owners of the town store, Thomas Gay and William Carroll Jackson Hill. The beautiful forested hills and healthy climate attracted prominent early Texans, including residents Horatio Chriesman, R. E. B. Baylor, John Sayles, and Dr. George C. Red.qqv Horticulturist Thomas Affleck'sqv Glenblythe Plantationqv was located in the Gay Hill vicinity. Old Gay Hill served as the supply point of a moderately prosperous agricultural area. In 1854 a Masonic lodge was founded there. Between 1853 and 1888 Rev. James W. Millerqv operated Live Oak Female Seminary in Gay Hill. By 1860 the town had flour and lumber mills and a population of 280. After the Civil Warqv a cotton gin augmented the town's prosperity; retail establishments continued to thrive. The Masonic lodge and Presbyterian and Baptist churches were active. During the 1870s the town had a Grangeqv and a Democratic Club. The Republican partyqv remained strong among Gay Hill's black residents, despite Greenback partyqv efforts. When the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway extended to the Gay Hill vicinity in 1881, residents moved the town to its present location, two miles west of the original site. The former location is sometimes called Old Gay Hill.

Gay Hill's population was 120 in 1890. By 1900 Germans were the dominant ethnic group. The town became a distribution center by the early twentieth century. Cotton buying and ginning sustained this station on the Santa Fe through the Great Depression.qv By 1936 Gay Hill had an estimated population of 250 and ten businesses. The nearby Sun oilfield, which opened in 1928, and its pipeline enabled the town to maintain a variety of retail and commercial establishments through the early post-World War II era. The decline of cotton and rise of ranching in the area hastened the town's demise as a distribution center and supply point. The population declined to 200 by 1958, and businesses decreased to five. The last store closed in 1971, when many residents had moved to Brenham. In 1993 the estimated population was 145, and the community had no businesses; its economy depended on ranching. It had two churches, a cemetery, and lodge hall. The population remained the same in 2000.

Nice work Terra 50 . Thanks for the history . Hoss

 

[stevesno]

After you all have visited Gay Hill....Your next logical stop would be to visit....Brokeback Mountain....lol....Actually, at work we had a bumpersticker made up and we put it on the bosses truck....It said "Follow me to Brokeback Mountain" He pulled into his driveway....and true story....his granddaughter asked...Grandpa where is Brokeback Mountain....No offense intended.....Steve.