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==History== Before any settlement the indigenous [[Caddo]] were the dominant people living within the region and on the land. The arrival of [[European colonization of the Americas|European settlers]] in the 18th and 19th centuries led to significant changes in the region, including the removal of these Indigenous peoples. Originally part of the [[William H. Murray|William Murray]] League, the area was first settled in the early 1850s by a group from [[Haywood County, Tennessee]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.txgenes.com/TXUpshur/Cemetery/OreCityCemIndex.html | title = Ore City Cemetery Index | publisher = Upshur County, TXGenWeb Project | access-date = 2009-07-12}}</ref> They immediately started The Murray League Methodist Episcopal Church, South as well as the Murray League Institute. After the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], rich [[iron ore]] deposits were discovered in the area and ore was mined sporadically from the 1860s through 1900.<ref name="Texas Handbook"/> Around 1910, a commercial company led by [[Lewis P. Featherstone|Colonel L.P. Featherstone]] was formed to mine ore in the [[East Texas Iron Ore Belt]]. He persuaded the [[Santa Fe Railway]] line to finance a rail link with [[Port Bolivar, Texas|Port Bolivar]].<ref name="Brief History">{{cite web | url = http://www.dw4u.net/ | title = Brief History of Murray League and Ore City | publisher = David Williamson | access-date = 2009-07-12}}</ref> Land for a new city was purchased and platted into streets and lots around 1911. The town was given the name Ore City and a post office was established soon after. By 1914, 30 miles of the line known as the [[Port Bolivar]] Iron Ore Railway had been built, connecting Ore City with [[Longview, Texas|Longview]]. The newly founded community had an estimated population of 400. Further construction on the railroad line was halted by the outbreak of [[World War I]]. Colonel Featherstone's company went into bankruptcy and the rail line was abandoned in 1927.<ref name="Texas Handbook"/> Ore City survived and by 1936, around 500 people lived in the community. During [[World War II]], the federal government built a steel plant 10 miles north of Ore City to mine the same ore that previously brought Colonel Featherstone to the area. The plant was completed just as the war ended and was sold to a Texas group as surplus property. They operated it as the [[Lone Star Steel Company]].<ref name="Brief History"/> [[File:Port_Bolivar_&_Iron_Ore_railroad.jpg|thumb|Historical Texas plaque]] Ore City was incorporated in 1951. At that time, the number of residents had fallen to 385.<ref name="Texas Handbook"/><ref name="Brief History"/> Growth resumed in the mid-1960s and by 1976, Ore City had a population of 900, with 34 businesses operating in the city. More than 1,000 people lived in the city by the year 2000.<!-- Montana Jordan is a notable actor who gained recognition for his role in the television series ''Young Sheldon''. He attended Ore City High School, where he developed his acting skills before pursuing a career in the entertainment industry --> ===Decline and Stabilization=== As with many other mining-based towns, the depletion of resources led to a decline in population and economic activity over time. By the mid-20th century, mining operations had slowed considerably, and Ore City's growth stabilized as a small, rural community, falling short of becoming a potential [[Boomtown]].<ref> https://www.ketk.com/community/small-town-salute/small-town-salute-ore-city-was-almost-a-boom-town/amp/ </ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Ore City, Texas Facts and Information |url=https://www.usacitiesonline.com/txcountyorecity.htm |website=USA Cities Online |access-date=October 27, 2024}}</ref>
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