Editing Hungerford, Texas (section)

==History==
Alexander Jackson was one of the [[Old Three Hundred]] colonists from the United States who accepted land grants from [[Stephen F. Austin]]. The Alexander Jackson league was a strip of land which was bounded on the southwest by the [[Colorado River (Texas)|Colorado River]], just northwest of present-day [[Wharton, Texas|Wharton]] and ran northeast beyond West Bernard Creek.<ref>{{cite book|title=Wharton County Pictorial History: 1846-1946 |volume=1|year=1993 |publisher=Eakin Press |location=Austin, Texas |editor=Wharton County Historical Commission |page=1 }}</ref> After the [[Texas Revolution]], the [[Republic of Texas]] set up a short-lived ordnance depot called Post West Bernard Station at a location {{convert|3.5|mi|km|1}} northwest of present-day Hungerford.<ref>See photo of Post West Bernard Station historical marker.</ref> Its purpose was to recondition weapons captured at the [[Battle of San Jacinto]] and to watch for a possible invasion by the Mexican army.<ref>{{cite book|title=Wharton County Pictorial History: 1846-1946 |volume=1|year=1993 |publisher=Eakin Press |location=Austin, Texas |editor=Wharton County Historical Commission |page=3 }}</ref>

In 1872, the village of Quinan was founded approximately {{convert|0.25|mi|km|1}} west of present-day Hungerford.<ref>See photo of Quinan Community historical marker.</ref> The Quinan post office was established in 1874 in the general store owned by John C. Habermacher, who also served as postmaster. Habermacher was once a member of [[Edwin Booth]]'s acting troupe.{{sfn|Hudgins|2010}} His wife, Annie Thatcher, was Alexander Jackson's granddaughter.<ref>{{cite book|title=Wharton County Pictorial History: 1846-1946 |volume=1|year=1993 |publisher=Eakin Press |location=Austin, Texas |editor=Wharton County Historical Commission |page=144 }}</ref> In 1882, the [[New York, Texas and Mexican Railway]] was built through the newly surveyed town of Hungerford, which was in the adjacent George W. Singleton league. Most of Quinan's businesses moved to the railroad, followed by the post office in 1883.{{sfn|Hudgins|2010}} The new town was named after Daniel E. Hungerford, who was the father-in-law of the railroad's major investor, [[John William Mackay]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Wharton County Pictorial History: 1846-1946 |volume=1|year=1993 |publisher=Eakin Press |location=Austin, Texas |editor=Wharton County Historical Commission |page=145 }}</ref>

In 1885, Hungerford boasted 200 residents, several churches, a steam cotton gin, a gristmill, and a school. In 1908, the town became the headquarters for the J. D. Hudgins Ranch. In 1926, the Strouhal Tire Recapping Company opened in Hungerford. That year, the town had 13 businesses, including three general stores. Five different area schools counted a total of 259 black students, 189 white students, and 13 teachers. The 1927 [[poll tax]] enumerated 85 white voters and 64 black voters. In 1961 the population was 450 and 18 commercial establishments were in town. By that year, the train no longer stopped at Hungerford. In 1973, the local school district stopped operating and its students were absorbed by four nearby districts.{{sfn|Hudgins|2010}}

In the 1980s, there were 500 residents and most business was seasonal: hunting and harvesting cotton, grain, and pecans. In 1980, the Teen Challenge of South Texas New Life Rehabilitation Center bought the former black school. Between its opening and 1990, its enrollment increased from 150 to 250.{{sfn|Hudgins|2010}} In 2018, it was the Straightway Training Center, a Christian-based drug and alcohol rehabilitation program.<ref>{{cite web|title=Straightway Training Center |url=http://www.straightway.org/index.htm |accessdate=December 30, 2018 }}</ref> In 1986, the [[Texas Historical Commission]] located four markers in Hungerford. In the late 1980s, U.S. Route 59 was rerouted to bypass Hungerford. In 2000, the population was 645.{{sfn|Hudgins|2010}}

<gallery widths="300px" heights="225px" >
File:Hungerford TX Railroad Marker.jpg|New York, Texas & Mexican Railroad historical marker
File:Hungerford TX West Bernard Marker.jpg|Post West Bernard Station historical marker
File:Hungerford TX Quinan Marker.jpg|Quinan Community historical marker
File:Hungerford TX Hudgins Ranch Marker.jpg|J. D. Hudgins Ranch historical marker
</gallery>