 Autry Springs? By Sam Blair Staff Writer of The Dallas Morning News Tioga, Texas - Ever heard of a place called Autry Springs? A few old-timers here have. They figure at least a few million other folks would identify Tioga as Autry Springs today if local citizens had accepted native son Gene Autry's proposal in 1936 to change the name of their town. The Autry Springs idea was not just an ego trip for a man who had become Hollywood's most famous singing cowboy. If his hometown became Autry Springs, Gene planned to build a resort hotel here and help develop a spa around the mineral water wells that flourished then. Chances are he might have brought Smiley BUrnette and all his other celluloid sidekicks to Tioga and shot a movie, too. "All the young people here were for it," says Nellie Renfro, 84, reminiscing in her office at Renfro Real Estate on the edge of town. She should know. She was one of those young people.  contributor unknown Tioga History Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson CountyTXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message |