 Denison Press Saturday, July 25, 1942 HAGERMAN TO BECOME A MEMORY, FOLKS MOVING After 13 years a possibility the Denison dam has become a reality, making the sacrifice of a Grayson county township necessary. For Hagerman, the little town located approximately 11 miles west of Denison, founded by the Smith brothers from Fordyce, Arkansas in 1864 and named for James Hagerman, chief attorney for the Missouri-Kansas-Texas railroad at that time, will soon become a memory. Mr. and Mrs. Austin Hambarger were the first residents. The move this week, leaving the town where he has been a resident for years, to Pottsboro. A pioneer couple of 30 years, Mr. and Mrs. Bob Jewell have moved their household goods to Whitesboro and the Elbert Smith family are now residing in Denison. More families have made plans to leave. "Some of the buildings were moved intact, including the house of Bruce Smith, who moved to Denison, and the Katy station which for years was operated by Mrs. Mary Webb Morrison, daughter of the founder." ("Hagerman, Now Only A Memory." Sherman Democrat, July 4, 1976) Plans for the removal of the post office, school and churches have not yet been formulated. Right before Christmas in 1926 three stores were destroyed by fire on the east side of the street; the flames set off fireworks. The three merchants left town to operate businesses in other places. In January 1927 the bank closed its doors. People began to move away causing the school to drop from 4 teachers to 3 teachers. Thus began the decline of the quiet, little village. The small light plant which provided electricity wore out and was not repaired or replaced. People said "the dam will probably be built, so why invest money in a dying project?" So the residents dug out their old oil lamps and put them to use once again.  In 1928 the lumber yard moved to Whitesboro. " In 1929 an unusual accident happened at the cotton gin. Bud Jones stuck his neck out at the wrong time and the gin press closed on it." Joe survived, saying he had a rubber neck. In 1932 the gin was moved to Collinsville." ("Hagerman, Now Only A Memory." Sherman Democrat, July 4, 1976) "By 1935 the town was reduced to 3 stores, 2 gasoline stations, the post office and the depot." ("Hagerman, Now Only A Memory." Sherman Democrat, July 4, 1976) "In November 1939 two of the three remaining stores burned and T.M. Smith died of a heart attack while attempting to fight the blaze." The government appraised the property and paid the residents for their land.  Each Labor Day a town reunion was held. At the 1967 reunion a historical marker was unveiled and dedicated to the town. The marker is at the intersection of Hagerman Road and a railroad bed in the southeast corner of the townsite. In 1976 all that remained of the village was the Hagerman Baptist Church, a cemetery and the Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge. ("Hagerman, Now Only A Memory." Sherman Democrat, July 4, 1976)   Hagerman History Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson CountyTXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |