Jacksonville – Then and Now
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One of the best known and most celebrated celebrations held in East Texas was the annual Jacksonville Tomato Festival, which began in 1934 and continued until World War II. Coronations, music and other forms of entertainment drew thousands of people to Jacksonville each year. The Queens were crowned by dignitaries, including the governors of Texas.
The first queens was Miss Billye Sue Hackney. She was followed by Misses Violette Slaton, Frances Carolyn Wood, Jerry Peacock, Dorothy Frances Alexander, Sarah Bess Barber, Kathryn Turner and Frances Stevens.
Since World War II, the tomato industry has suffered a great decline. Estimated acreage for 1968 was 250.
In efforts to compensate for the loss of cotton, peach and tomato industries, farmers of the area have tried such things as dairying, different phases of the poultry business and cattle raising.
The most profitable of these turned out to be cattle raising or ranching, and this is the most important source of income for the farmers of the area today. The success had been due to improved pastures and improved cattle. The number of beef cattle is steadily increasing in the county. There were about 38,000 in 1959, and the number increased to 48,000 in 1968. Income from beef was $4,400,000 that year.
The first industry of old Jacksonville was a water-powered sawmill operated by Joe C. Rushing, the town's first school teacher. The lumber was cut with a sash saw and was used for flooring, and the making of doors and coffins.
As soon as the railroads opened outside markets, manufacturing of lumber became important. The larger mills were located in the souther portion of the county. Some of these were established in the 1880s and 1890s; but smaller sawmills, that could be easily moved, were used throughout the timber belt.
By the 1930s the county's timer supply was rapidly depleting, but a State nursery was established near Alto and the planting of pine seedlings was encouraged. As a result, 310,000 acres of pine trees now are growing; and it is estimated that the growth is exceeding the cut by 60 percent.
Through the years, a large number of local people have been engaged in the lumber business. Among those with long operating records are Sam A. Cobb, W. W. Holman, W. H. Brown, John O'Byrne, W. G. Brown, H. H. Andrews, Hayden Brown, Pete Pavletich, J. W. Tyra, L. M. Bolton and Jack Maxwell.
Jacksonville leads the nation in manufacture of wooden baskets and boxes for fruit containers. The industry began in 1896 when Edgar Aber and Fred Haberle established the first factory of that type west of the Mississippi River. The Aber Box and Basket Factory continues to operate today under the management of Glenn and F. L. Haberle.
Two other box factories operate in Jacksonville, the Newton-Shank Manufacturing Co. and the Peacock Crate Factory. F. A. Shinalt has a plant at Turney, and the Halbert Mill is located at Dialville.
The Jacksonville Industrial Foundation was organized in 1960 by the town's leaders who, faced with the loss of the cotton and tomato business, decided the answer was industrial expansion. The purpose of the Foundation is to assist and encourage industries to locate in the town. With a revolving fund of about $135,000, the project has been highly successful. Since 1960, more than 30 industries have been established either by moving from another point, by local growth or factories built for new products.
About 75 industries now are located in and around Jacksonville; they employ 2,000 workers. These plants make a great variety of products. One factory makes particle boards from waste shavings; and two plants make charcoal from slabs and end cuts. Other plants make furniture, plastics, handbags, toys, mobile homes, coils and vents for air conditioners. Several needlecraft industries employ many women. Heavy road-building equipment and fiber glass boats are among other products manufactured in the town.
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Compiled by Greg Smith. If you have any materials you'd like to contribute, please email me.