No Maps or other information
are available prior to 1888, at this time.
1888
map
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1893 map |
By
1888 the Commercial Hotel had been built at the corner
of South Colorado Street and East College
Avenue.
It was a two story building with an office, parlor and
dining room, with rooms on the second floor, and a
servants room in a small separate building.
Other houses had been built on this block by 1893.
The W. R. and Louisa McClellan
home, taken about 1910
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1898
map
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1904 map |
By 1898, the Hicks Hotel had replaced the Commercial
Hotel at what became 203 East College Avenue.
1909 map |
1916 map |
1923 map |
Mr. and Mrs. William
Robert McClellan, with their four
children-Mary, Lela, Claud and Mildred moved
to Coleman around 1890. W. R. was born at
Washington-on-the-Brazos in 1845. His
parents came to Texas from Tennessee and
lived in Texas at Brenham, Giddings,
Ledbetter, Burton, and several other
places. Mrs. McClellan, Louisa
Ratliff, came from Mississippi with her
parents in 1865 after the War Between the
States. W. R. and Louisa met and they
married in 1867. He was a
banker and a farmer.
He bought land to
build homes for himself, his son and two of
his daughters on one block, and the other
daughter lived down the street (308 East
College Avenue). He was very
active in the First Christian Church and was
a member of the legislature from Coleman for
a brief time. They built a new home in 1902,
which was a beautiful old Victorian
house. It was sold and torn down in
the early 1950s. In 1917, they
celebrated their golden wedding anniversary.
W. R. died in 1921 and Louisa in 1930.
(written by Mrs. S. W. Marshall, Jr. for
"A History of Coleman County and Its
People, 1985.")
Note from Ralph Terry: In 1910,
their children were Mary "Sister" married
H. J. O'Hair, and lived at 308 East
College Avenue; Lela "Whoodie"
married Oscar Johnston, and they were
living at 214
East Pecan Street (opposite side of
block). After several years they
were divorced. After living alone
for a number of years, she went to live
with the O'Hairs in their home; Claud
married Maud Lewis and they
lived at 211
East College Avenue in 1910,
moved to Dallas for over 20 years and
returned to Coleman, living in his
parents' house at 203 East College Avenue
in 1940; and Mildred, who married in 1907,
Walter Woodward, and lived at 217
(now 215) East
College Avenue.
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.......................................................
"In 1929, Louisa McClellan, widow of W.
R. McClellan, was located at 203 East College
Avenue.
Rooming
at this address was Miss Mary Reese, a domestic at
this address; and Thomas B. Matson, a salesman at
Blackwell - Creath Motor Company."
(Coleman City Directory,
1929 - Hudspeth.)
.......................................................
1930 map |
1948
map
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The W. R. and Louisa McClellan home before being
torn down , taken in 1950
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"Harold Stovall, who owned a
tractor agency, implement company and automobile
dealership at 200 East Pecan Street, purchased
the old McClellan home at 203 East College
Avenue from Mrs. Claude McClellan in 1950.
The house was built about 1901, and was located
north of the First Baptist Church across East
College Avenue and adjoined the Stovall Farm
Equipment Company property on the south.
The home had eleven rooms, including a reception
hall and two baths, and was decorated with
hand-wrought woodwork. It was surrounded
by trees and covered one-quarter of a
block. Stovall had the old home torn down
soon after he purchased it, as he was using the
area where the old house had stood as an
implement lot by 1954. He continued to
sell and do repair work in his shop. The
Stovall Farm Equipment Company closed about
1956." (Looking Backwards, 1940-1980"
by Ralph Terry.)
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Stovall implement lot, after
the McClellan home was torn down , taken in
1954
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D&R Automobile Repair Shop parking lot, March 2003
................................................................
In 2024, what had
been a hotel, dwelling and implement lot was a
parking lot for the Coleman First Baptist
Church.
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