Cooke County; Texas; located in the north central part of the state; has a richly varied history. Those who first entered the area-Native Americans; gold seekers headed for California; army officials; and settlers-discovered a raw; unspoiled land. Eyewitness accounts speak of "grass that was as high as a mans head;" and indeed; the land was rich for farming and ranching. In 1841; W.S. Peters and associates signed their first contract with the Republic of Texas; which provided that within three years they would bring six hundred families into what came to be known as the Peters Colony. In 1848; the state legislature created Cooke County; named for a hero of the Texas War for Independence. Over the next 150 years; the area changed dramatically. The stagecoach arrived in 1858; and conveyed freight; passengers; and mail. The Civil War presented economic and social difficulties that had to be overcome. Two major cattle trails flanked Cooke County; and cowboys roared into Gainesville to visit the saloons; get supplies; gamble; and visit the "soiled doves." The discovery of oil; and the resultant wealth that it brought; forever altered the face of the county.
#758798 in eBooks 2012-09-10 2012-09-10File Name: B009C60YHC
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