Orange, Texas
880, The largest numbered mile
marker in Texas
By Deborah Dousay
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Bobby seen here cleaning
bugs off the windshield as well as pumping
gas. |
Green’s Bluff, Strong’s Bluff, Madison,
Jefferson, East Jefferson… and finally, Orange. The
town’s name changed many times, and was eventually
designated for what other than… an Orange Grove!
Originally inhabited by Attacapas Indians;
barter, cattle, agriculture, fur trade, shipping,
and lumber (which was floated down the Sabine
River), were all credited for the marshland town’s
development.
From 1840, the town remained a major shipping
port for over 50 years. The Texas and New Orleans
Railroad began operation in 1860, slightly
inconvenienced by the Civil War destruction of the
rail system. After the war, while occupied by
Illinois troops, Orange hailed seventeen sawmills
within its city limits, and quickly became the new
center of The Texas lumber industry.
Today, Orange appears to some as another sleepy
little town along I-10, with a population of 18,643,
offering visitors 46 buildings and sites with
Official State of Texas Historical markers to view.
The Southern Pacific Main Station is one of the
oldest and picturesque landmarks in the settlement,
and a likely spot for artists’ reflections. Built in
1908, it was designated as a stop for The Sunset
Limited, a famous train line that ran from Los
Angeles on the west coast, to Florida, as well as a
main line for troop transport during WW II.
Don’t miss taking a drive through this town of
many names. Be sure to include a stop in Dotson’s
Exxon, on 16th Street. Reminisce as you have your
gas tank filled, windows washed, and oil dip stick
checked by attendants at one of the last surviving
full service filling stations operating in Texas. No
kidding!
Although much of Orange’s rich, historic
character has been lost in the name of progress, via
demolition, several significant structures remain
for your viewing pleasure. The Heritage House
Museum, located at 905 Division Street; the W.H.
Stark House on 611 Green Avenue; and the First
Presbyterian Church/Lutcher Memorial at 902 West
Green, are chosen tourist favorites. There is also
the Farmer’s Mercantile, shopping tours for
antiques, and walking tours that will take you back
to another time.
And lastly, fitting of the haunting season, be
sure and include a stroll by the imperceptible
Hanging Tree. Reportedly, upon this site, in 1892,
two unknown men wielding a crosscut saw, brought
down the Mighty Pin Oak which had shaded the front
entrance of D. Call & Sons Grocery, at Fourth and
Front Streets on the waterfront, in a bid to rid the
evil reminder of frontier justice or injustice,
creating a useless monument of contempt.
Longtime residents tell us that on any breezy
evening one can hear the clomping of a horse’s hoof
and the swish of the Hanging Tree’s “Gibbet Limb”
swaying one final time in the darkness. The sound
reminds them of a time when they were protected from
the “Trail’s End murderers” who finally met their
match for their crime’s closing stages. Once more,
forever more, the citizens of the Sabine River
cannot not ignore the historic final rulings of
Judge Lynch, Lawmaker of That! Texas town of many
names, Orange.
When in Orange, be sure and drop by to see
Darline Zavada, who will be happy to guide you and
answer your questions with a smile, at Orange
Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, 803 W. Green
Avenue, Orange, TX 77631, phone (800) 528-4906.
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