Editing Christoval, Texas (section)

==History==
The community, which has also been known as South Concho and Delong, is said to be named after early settler Christopher Columbus Doty. A post office was established in 1889, and a local school was operating by 1901. By 1914, Christoval had an estimated population of 200, two general stores, and a newspaper – the ''Christoval Observer''. Through the 1930s, a Baptist encampment was held annually that attracted as many as 10,000 persons to the South Concho River area, and the mineral waters in nearby Christoval also attracted visitors and settlers.

On September 17, 1936, a devastating flood hit the South Concho River. The flood destroyed the Baptist encampment facility, and parts of Christoval. Several people were killed in the flood, as they were swept away by the rapidly rising water. Following the flood, the encampment facilities were never rebuilt, and the property eventually became a public park.

Playland Park was a popular local attraction from the 1950s through the 1980s. The park offered public access to the river, as well as boat rentals, a rope bridge, tree swings, and a concession stand. At its peak in the 1970s, the facility had amusement park rides and a small train. The facility was closed in the 1980s due to liability concerns and smaller crowds. Today, Pugh River Park and the historic, low-water river crossing on Loop 110 offer public access to the South Concho River.

The population peaked at approximately 500 in the 1930s before declining to about 400 in the mid-1950s, and 200 by the mid-1970s. The rerouting of [[U.S. Route 277 in Texas|U.S. Highway 277]] in 1987 was expected to bring a further decline, but the population was not significantly impacted by the change. In 2000,  29 businesses were operating in Christoval.<ref>[https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hlc32 History of Christoval in the Handbook of Texas] accessdate = 2015-01-01</ref>