Editing Mason, Texas (section)

==History==

The first settler is thought to have been Peter  S. Parker in 1846. The settlement of Mason grew up around [[Fort Mason (Texas)|Fort Mason]], which was established by the [[United States War Department]] as a front-line defense against [[Kiowa]], [[Lipan Apache people|Lipan Apache]], and [[Comanche]], on July 6, 1851. George W. Todd established a Fort Mason post office March 8, 1858, which became consigned to the civilian settlement on June 26, 1858.<ref>{{cite web | title=Loyal Valley Postmasters | publisher=Jim Wheat | url=http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txpost/mason.html | access-date=2 December 2010}}Jim Wheat</ref>
The protection and commercial possibilities of the fort drew settlers. W. C. Lewis opened a general store that served soldiers and settlers. In 1860, James E. Ranck opened a second store and later became known as "the Father of Mason". Ben F. Gooch and he began leasing {{convert|5,000|acre|km2}} of land to cotton sharecroppers. Mason was voted the county seat in 1861.<ref name="Mason, Texas">{{cite web|last=Rhoades|first=Alice J|title=Mason, Texas|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hjm06|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=2 December 2010}}</ref>

After the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], returning Confederate veterans and German ranchers clashed in 1875 over cattle rustling and other crimes. The resulting killings were known as the "HooDoo Wars". In the midst of the war, Loyal Valley homeowner Tim Williamson<ref name="The Mason County Hoo Doo War, 1874-1902 (A.C. Greene Series)"/> was murdered by a dozen masked vigilantes, who accused him of cattle theft. Williamson's adopted son, [[Texas Rangers Division|Texas Ranger]] [[Scott Cooley]],<ref name="The Mason County Hoo Doo War, 1874-1902 (A.C. Greene Series)">{{cite book | last1 = Johnson | first1 =David | last2=Miller | first2=Rick | title = The Mason County ""Hoo Doo"" War, 1874–1902 (A.C. Greene Series)  | publisher =University of North Texas Press | year = 2009  | isbn = 978-1-57441-262-8}}</ref> sought revenge. Cooley and his desperadoes, which included [[Johnny Ringo]],<ref name="John Ringo, King of the Cowboys: His Life and Times from the Hoo Doo War to Tombstone, Second Edition (A. C. Greene)">{{cite book | last1 = Johnson | first1 =David | last2=Parsons | first2=Chuck | title = John Ringo, King of the Cowboys: His Life and Times from the Hoo Doo War to Tombstone, Second Edition (A. C. Greene)  | publisher =University of North Texas Press | year = 2008  | isbn =978-1-57441-243-7}}</ref> created a reign of terror over the area. During this episode, Ringo committed his first murder, that of James Cheyney.<ref>{{cite web | title=The Mason County Hoo Doo Wars | publisher=TexFiles | author=Hadeler, Glenn | url=http://www.texfiles.com/texashistory/hoodoowar.htm | access-date=2 December 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100512150122/http://www.texfiles.com/texashistory/hoodoowar.htm | archive-date=12 May 2010 | url-status=dead }} TexFiles</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Johnny Ringo and the Hoo Doo War | url=http://www.johnnyringo.com/jrtexas.html | access-date=30 April 2010}}</ref>

The first courthouse and jail were built in 1869 of stone walls lined with post oak timbers. After the Hoo Doo War, a new two-story red sandstone jail was built in 1898 by L.T. Noyes of [[Houston]]. Noyes was a contractor with Diebold Safe and Lock Company.<ref>{{cite book|last=Blackburn|first=Edward A|title=Wanted: Historic County Jails of Texas |year=2005|publisher=TAMU Press|isbn=978-1-58544-308-6|pages=225–226}}</ref>  A courthouse was built in 1875 and burned down in 1877. A new courthouse was built in 1878 and burned down in 1900. The current granite courthouse was erected in 1909 by architect E. H. Hosford and Co. in the Classic Revival style.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mason County Courthouse|url=http://www.texasescapes.com/TexasHillCountryTowns/MasonTexas/MasonCountyCourthouseMasonTexas.htm|work=Texas Escapes|publisher=Texas Escapes – Blueprints For Travel, LLC|access-date=2 December 2010}}</ref> It burned down in 2021, but courthouse records and most furniture had been removed prior to the fire to prepare for a renovation.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mason County Courthouse|date=February 5, 2021|url=https://www.kxan.com/news/local/historic-mason-county-courthouse-destroyed-in-overnight-fire/|access-date=5 February 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Hilley-Sierzchula|first=Emily|date=2021-02-05|title=State Fire Marshal's Office Investigating Mason County Courthouse Blaze|url=http://www.hillcountrypassport.com/mason/article/31375/state-fire-marshals-office-investigating-mason-cou|access-date=2021-02-06|website=Mason County News|language=en}}</ref>

On October 3, 1918, 18 months after [[United States Congress]] declared war on [[Germany]], the Mason County Council of Defense drew up a resolution to abandon the use of the German language in the county. Most county residents are of German heritage.<ref name="Mason County, Texas">{{cite web|last=Rhoades|first=Alice J|title=Mason County, Texas|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcm04|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=5 April 2011}}</ref>

The Broad Street Bridge, a reinforced-concrete truss and the only one of its kind in Texas, was built across the Comanche Creek in 1918. The span is 102&nbsp;ft long and composed of two 51-ft spans supported by concrete abutments with a pier at the center. The bridge was slated for replacement by the Texas Department of Transportation, but funding was cancelled.<ref>{{cite web|title=2007 Texas' Most Endangered Places |url=http://www.preservationtexas.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14&Itemid=15|publisher=Preservation Texas|access-date=2 December 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Broad Street Bridge|url=http://www.texasescapes.com/TexasBridges/Mason-Texas-Broad-Street-Bridge.htm|work=Texas Escapes|publisher=Texas Escapes – Blueprints For Travel, LLC|access-date=2 December 2010}}</ref>