Editing Shepherd, Texas (section)

==Historical information==

Texas Historical Marker #7672, erected in 1970, located west of FM 222 on SH 150 in Shepherd, gives a brief background for the town.  Exact text on the marker is as follows:

Originated in vicinity of Old Drew's Landing, a Trinity River port for settlers bringing in goods and shipping cotton, tobacco, and other products to markets. An early nearby community was Big Creek. Into these pioneer settlements came Houston East & West Texas Railroad investors, including Benjamin A. Shepherd (1814-1891) of Houston, who in 1875 platted townsite here, naming it for himself. The town square was on west side of H. E. & W. T., which was completed beyond this point in 1879. The Shepherd Post Office opened Dec. 22, 1879, with Jack B. Noble as postmaster. A pioneer physician was Dr. William Herbert Beazley (1837-1919); Mrs. Jessie Fain operated an early hotel; Mrs. Jane Langham taught first public-school session, in Methodist church building. James Ephraim Tribe, a native of Canada, came here in 1895, was a carpenter, coffin maker, millwright, and wheelwright. A Baptist, he built a church edifice for that faith in 1896. Distinguished native son Robert Scott Lovett (1860-1932), became president of Southern Pacific and Union Pacific railroads and rendered outstanding civilian service to the nation during World War I. Once a center for the lumbering industry, Shepherd remains an important market town of southeast Texas.{{citation needed|date=May 2024}}

=== 2023 petroleum plant explosion ===<!-- {{Main|2023 Petroleum Plant Explosion}} -->

On November 8, 2023, a petroleum processing plant exploded in Shepherd.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Lenthang |first=Marlene |date=2023-11-08 |title=Texas chemical plant explosion sparks large fire, evacuation and shelter in place orders issued |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/texas-chemical-plant-explosion-sparks-large-fire-evacuation-shelter-pl-rcna124206 |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=[[NBC News]] |language=en}}</ref> Shelter-in-place orders were issued within a {{Convert|5|mi|km|adj=on|spell=in}} radius, which was later lowered to {{Convert|1|mi|km|spell=in}}.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rose |first=Andy |date=2023-11-08 |title=Massive chemical plant fire near Houston forces a school to evacuate and residents to shelter in place |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/08/us/houston-chemical-plant-fire/index.html |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=[[CNN]] |language=en}}</ref> One employee was injured, with minor burns. [[U.S. Route 59 in Texas|US 59]] was closed.<ref name=":0" />