Weatherford

[myelo1023]

Hey guys and girls......Anyone live or hunt the Weatherford area? I will be there at Thanksgiving and wanted to see if I could get some information. Found a few possible sites, but wanted to know how much they have already been pounded.
Thanks! Susan

 

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[lastleg]

You might try the ghost village of Carter NE on Hwy 51 near Springtown.
My DeLorme topo map shows it. Markers were put up by Mr. Bryant Prather
years ago but I've not been there since the 70's. He claimed there was a
horse race track there but I was unable to find it one day back then. Used
to be pretty uninhabited but doubt that's the case now with all the DFW
expansion. Comanche's were driven out of this area in the 1870's and
some would get back there in Prather's young days looking for "something
left behind". I took Mr Prather back down there to see his museum filled
wih Indian artifacts and antique firearms when he was over a hundred years
old. Never saw anything like it since. He was a good ole man but his
daughter was a bearcat, acted like she hated the old man, and ME for
being his friend. I went to sign the ledger at the funeral home in Oak Cliff
and she went ballistic so I lost all interest. Still have three signed books
he published that I cherish. He penned these words in one: '"1-20-77
D_____ _ P______, a very nice person. Many the alluring charms of
enchanting nature serve to strenthen faith in that devine artist who
decorated the open range with lasting beauty." That's treasure enough
for me . . . lastleg

 

[myelo1023]

You might try the ghost village of Carter NE on Hwy 51 near Springtown.
My DeLorme topo map shows it. Markers were put up by Mr. Bryant Prather
years ago but I've not been there since the 70's. He claimed there was a
horse race track there but I was unable to find it one day back then. Used
to be pretty uninhabited but doubt that's the case now with all the DFW
expansion. Comanche's were driven out of this area in the 1870's and
some would get back there in Prather's young days looking for "something
left behind". I took Mr Prather back down there to see his museum filled
wih Indian artifacts and antique firearms when he was over a hundred years
old. Never saw anything like it since. He was a good ole man but his
daughter was a bearcat, acted like she hated the old man, and ME for
being his friend. I went to sign the ledger at the funeral home in Oak Cliff
and she went ballistic so I lost all interest. Still have three signed books
he published that I cherish. He penned these words in one: '"1-20-77
D_____ _ P______, a very nice person. Many the alluring charms of
enchanting nature serve to strenthen faith in that devine artist who
decorated the open range with lasting beauty." That's treasure enough
for me . . . lastleg

Wow, that is an AWESOME story. I actually went there earlier this year. Found the church w/all the markers, but was afraid to hunt w/o permission. I went in the church, which had some pews and an outside worship area. Got a lot of pictures. Unfortunately, there is a lot of trash on the grounds too. I especially enjoyed the marker that talked about someone getting killed in that spot. I really wanted to hunt, but didn't know who to ask. Decided to hunt next to the roads up to fences. I found a wagon wheel hub....that's about all. Lot of trash once again. Do you know if that church can be hunted, or who I would ask? Do you live in the area? If so, maybe we could meet up there. It really is a neat place. Thanks for the info!

 

[lastleg]

I didn't know there was a church there, is it an old one? I have family close
to Springtown but I've moved to the Panhandle. I have a neice whose husband
hunts. If we could nail down some points of interest . . . I'll try again to do
more research before Thanksgiving. Mr. Prather told me that Charlie Goodnight
ranched not far from Carter before he went to the Panhandle. I'll have to read
his books again and see if there are clues I missed before. lastleg

 

[myelo1023]

I didn't know there was a church there, is it an old one? I have family close
to Springtown but I've moved to the Panhandle. I have a neice whose husband
hunts. If we could nail down some points of interest . . . I'll try again to do
more research before Thanksgiving. Mr. Prather told me that Charlie Goodnight
ranched not far from Carter before he went to the Panhandle. I'll have to read
his books again and see if there are clues I missed before. lastleg

Actually, the church is all I found. I would really love to hunt that church. Maybe you family could find out who owns it, or maybe knows of some other old areas we could hunt. Anything you can provide would be greatly appreciated!! here is the church and outside area.

 

[lastleg]

The structure in the picture seems to be a more modern design than the
old style old coin producing type. It wasn't there the two times I have been
to Carter. After the death of Mr. Prather a couple years later Johnnie W.,
my dad and I drove from Ft Worth over to Carter to try to find the racetrack.
I showed them all the markers and we drove back and forth over the area
but could never find the track or any signs of previous habitation. I thought
somebody must have done a thorough job of erasing Carter. But anything
left behind wouldn't have gone to waste either. Every usable stick of
lumber probably was recycled. I figure now that Carter consisted of several
small farms widely spaced apart and maybe some type of mercantile store
where folks gathered. That describes the area my mother's family grew up
in. Grandad had a country store where three roads met. Back in time a
grist mill used the creek to turn the grinder. My first cousin found the
remains only after all the family had either died or moved. Grandpa gave
us several pops a day when we would come in after our many jackrabbit
hunts. He kept ledgers of all the debts he freely extended but few were
paid. When he died at a football game at Celeste and grandmother the next
day a delightful era was over. At the little place called Whiterock two
churches stood near the great two-story long vacant school where us kids
played "ghost". Carter doesn't have any tell-tell remains like that.
If I were going to Weatherford I would go to the library and speak with
the oldest of the frosty grey haired ladies. lastleg

 

[beaks]

lots of old nails at the old church but thats about all.

the parks around weatherford have been beat to death too.

your best bet is to check the old blood trail maps and hit some of the crossroads and trails(just remember to ask permission when necessary)

John

 

[Jeep]

Carter AKA Carterville.

Nice little nonexistant town, there are markers all over the place.

Sits on Carter Rd, between Prather Rd and Hutcheson Hill Rd

Had about 100 folks living there with a blacksmith shop, flour mill on the creek, (won best flour in texas in 1873) Cotton gin, school, church, general store, etc....................

Died out about 1920.

Suprisingly it is not in my Ghost Towns of Texas book but is on the web:

http://www.texasescapes.com/TexasGhostTowns/Carter-Texas.htm

This show the same Photos that you have.

There is also some misinformation there.

I would take Lastlegs advice about the Library.

I will have to add this place to my list of to do's