Jacksonville – Then and Now
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Municipal government here was changed to the manager form in 1931, and J. Bryan Miller became the first city manager, serving from June 1, 1931, to May 12, 1936. He was succeeded by A. E. Garner (1936-1947), W. H. Oswalt (1947-1949), Walter Cook (1949-1954), David A. Harner (1954-1957), Walter Cook again (1957-1970), and James A. Marshall, present manager, assumed the position on August 15, 1970.
The town's first school was Jacksonville Collegiate Institute, established in 1873. This was a private school operated by Professor John J. A. Patton. The entire story of our schools is told on subsequent pages.
Jacksonville and Cherokee County have long had excellent transportation facilities. The first railroad was built in 1872, when the International and Great Northern crossed the upper section of the county and promoted the new town of Jacksonville. Three years later, because the Houston and Great Northern missed Rusk and was built to Palestine, the people of Rusk organized a company and constructed a wooden-railed tramway to Jacksonville. The road operated unprofitably for four years; but soon, in 1882, the Kansas and Gulf Short Line (Cotton Belt) was built through Jacksonville and Rusk, using part of the roadbed of the old tramway. The Texas and New Orleans Railroad was constructed in 1902 and in 1910 a branch line was built from Gallatin to Rusk. After a few years, this road was abandoned. In 1909, the State Railroad, which had been used by the penitentiary at Rusk in connection with the iron business, was extended to Palestine and made a common carrier. This road is not being used today, but plans are being laid to make it a tourist attraction.
There are four U.S. Highways and four State Highways in Cherokee County besides almost 300 miles of farm-to-market roads. The U.S. Highways are Nos. 69, 79, 84 and 175. The State Highways are Nos. 21, 110, 204, 294. U.S. Highways No. 175, which extends approximately 110 miles from Jacksonville to Dallas is one of the shortest U.S. highways in the Nation.
The town's first airport was built in 1934 near Love's Lookout. It was a small airfield, but its facilities were used during World War II to train pilots for the Navy. The training school was associated with Lon Morris College, and W. A. Phillips was coordinator. The airport property was sold later, and in 1961 the Cherokee County Airport was located equi-distant between Jacksonville and Rusk. The new facilities are used mostly by private planes, since there is no commercial air line service available; however, charter service and flying lessons are available.
For many years the economy of Cherokee County depended largely on cotton. Despite the disadvantages of insects and oer-production, the crop remained important until about 1929. In that year, the county produced over 35,000 bales, and the price per pound fell to six of seven cents. Government programs were instituted to aid growers, and the farmers signed contracts for less and less cotton. With fewer acres allotted and the help of boll weevils, cotton production had fallen in 1968 to only 278 acres for the entire county.
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Compiled by Greg Smith. If you have any materials you'd like to contribute, please email me.