The little city of Avoca came into existence soon after the Texas Central railroad was completed to Stamford in 1900.

Cox Ed. Hamilton of Waco, Texas sold the land that formed the original town site from the railroad south five blocks to the Humphrey tract. The Humphrey addition south was added also the Williams addition north to the railroad from the New Hope road on the north west. The Taylor addition - west of the original town site.

Merchants from the little inland city "Avo" situated near Spring Creek cemetery began to make preparation to move to the railroad.

There as a Presbyterian preacher, Dr. Jerry Ward who caused the little town to be named "Avoca" meaning "Pretty Woman." Avoca was "the grandest spot of Texas" and by the way the most beautiful Park of Roses, Cape Jasmines, Hedge bushes, umbrella china trees - and cedars - and a grassy lawn was near the depot kept up by the railroad people. It was situated on the gorund where Gillespie Douthitt's first gin burned, this was the site of the first depot - between the tracts. The first depot agents were Mr. Ed and Mr. W.D. Kight of Alexander, Texas. The first dwelling was J.L. Crosthwait's since he moved his store from "Avo" and his dwelling was attached. The house is now owned by Grandma Hammer.

Mr. Crosthwait's store consisted of groceries, hardware and leather goods. Mr. Crosthwait also operated the first post office in his building for only a short time however.

Captain Johnson and J.S. Culwell purchased the general Mercantile store owend by Nettles and Crow, at Avo, and moved House and stock to Avoca. Brazelton Pryor Lumber Co., had an up-to-date Lumber yard operated by Judge Stoll and George Henderson. By the way, the lumber office was sold to J.C. Williams for his first dwelling when he came here in the fall of 1900. In 1901, Mr. Wilson operted the lumber yard and Rev. H.E. Grimes succeeded him, building a new office building. Mr. Bryant succeeded Rev. Grimes then H.D. White succeeded him, after some 10 years of serve the yard was moved to Stamford and combined with a yard there.

The first Post Office as we have said was in Mr. Crosthwait's store, however no official business was transacted, just sending and receiving mail; only a short time until Mr. Howard Hassell was appointed post master and occupied a building across the street south of the lumber yard. This was Main Street - houses all faced east - later Mr. Hassell put in a grocery store in connection with the Post Office and took as his partner Mr. O.A. Matthews. Mr. Hassell resigned the Post Office in 1903 and O.A. Matthews was appointed as Post Master. He served until 1914, when Glenn Runnels stood Civil Servie examination. Since "Uncle Sam" had changed his rulings concerning fourth class offices and no longer appointed post masters the person receiving the highest grade was commissioned, 1 August 1921. Glen Runnels was transferred to Rural Carrier on Rt. #1 and Mrs. Runnels was appointed acting post mistress and served 18 months. When Mrs. Tidwell stood examinanton and was commissioned and is stil present post mistress.

I.O. Crosthmait and Joel V. Grimes were first rural carriers on Route #1 and 2. W.A. Stephens succeded I.O. Crosthwait on Rt. #1 and W.B. Griffith succeeded Joel V. Grimes on Route # 2. Glenn Runnels succeeded W.A. Stephens and H.H. Dunklin succeeded W.B. Griffith.

Avoca's first weekly newspaper was edited by J.C. Alterbery and was called "Avoca Telegram" this paper changed editors three or four times. Earl Anderson, O.A. Matthews, Joel V. Grimes, were at different times editors. The paper was also called the "Avoca Advocate" finally it was consolidated with the Goree Advocate and moved there.

The next building on Main Street was Gust Carlson General Mercantile, Henry Housen was head cleerk and bookkeeper for this firm. T.D. Morrell purchased this business and it later burned to the ground. The Crosthwait store came next it was later purchased by J.E. Sadler & Son. Ward's Mercantile building was next. This was moved to the country and a dwelling was made of it. Then the Storkley and Block Groceries and W.A. Stephens purchased the building and stock. Later Joe Morris purchansed it and it was destroyed by fire in 1920. On the corner, a brick building was built in 1907 and was owned by Slover Culwell and Company north side was used for groceries and operated by J.S. Culwell Drug. Slover Culwell purchased the Johnson and Culver stock, and store using the old building for a warehouse. The center of this store was used for Dry good department operated by Willie Culwell, Henry Huffaker, as bookkeepers. Lee Culwell, head clerk, Miss Nora Matthews, Helen Buster Millinery ladies. The south side was used as a drug store.

Managed by H.E. and J.N. Culwell, John W. Culwell, General Manager for the company. J.N. Culwell finally purchased the groceries and dry goods and moved it to the center part. H.E. Culwell Drug Store, a doctor's office was in the rear of the Drug Store.

T.C. Taylor & Son had the Deparment the Culwell groceries recently occupied, and operated a grocery store for several yaers. "M System" also has occupied this part of the building and was managed by Buster Collins and B.R. Onstott who operated a dry goods store building. Before moving, the building burned September 1930.

The first bank was in the Avoca Mercantile Company building in connection with the mercantile business on the east side of Howard Street, operated by A.S., J.C. and J.N. Williams. In 1907, the brick bank building was built. Dr. L.B. Roebuck was first cashier of Avoca State Bank, assisted by Fuller Carter. J.C. Williams was first president, H.H. Hall was cashier following Dr. Roebuck. The Guaranty State Bank was next organized in 1915. Joe Meadows was cashier. The next bank was promoted by H.O. Westerfied of Cisco, Texas. Jerry Culwell was cashier; L.H. Thomas was next cashier and the last one in Avoca. The bank was moved to Lueders. A real estate offic was in the rear of the bank building. Bob Taylor and George Gilley were agents. The Post Office later occupied this office for 19 years. The telephone office and Masonic Hall was in the upper story of the Bank builidng. Rice Jackson, Ira Culwell, Miss Laura Philley, Elmer Grimes, Austin Matthews, Mrs. S.T. Griffith and daughter, Mollie and Miss Beatrice Adams and probably numerous others were operators of the Telephone switch board.

There just south of the bank building was the first barber shop operated by J.N. and H.E. Culwell before they were engaged in the business previously mentioned later this barber shop and building were sold to W.C. Cox and was moved between the Crosthwait & Starkey building on Main Street. Frank Patty assisted Mr. Cox. The next building south was a blacksmith shop built and operated by R.E. Chitwood. He took as a pardner, Clyde Ross. Carl Horton purchased Dr. Chitwood's interest and the business was known as Horton & Ross Blacksmith and Woodwork shop. Avoca Mercantile store was a general merchantile, Hardware and furniture store operated by A.S., J.S. and J.N. Williams on east side of Howard Street across from bank building. Former cooperative store succeeded Avoca Mercantile. This building burned in 1923. The next business east on Howard was E.G. Jones Photograph gallery later owned by Mr. Carmack in 1913. On the north east corner of this city block was the Avoca Hotel owned and operated by W.D. Kight. This building burned to the ground near the time the section house and depot burned on New Year's Night, 1911. The section house burned and in about 30 minutes the depot burned.

Then west of the Bank building, about 1908, a brick building joining the bank was built by J.F. Copeland occupied by a grocery store. Later east half was occupied by Dr. J.F. Pritchard, a dentist. then Bill Johnson's barber shop, Clarence & Burrell Smithey, Tayor Shop, J.N. Culwell occupied the west half with a grocery store later. The next building was a frame building occupied by Albert Beaty and Ira Culwell known as Blue Front Cafe. "Hamburger and plate lunches."

Walter Ward build a building west of this and established a drug store known as the "Owl Drug Store." State Black later operated this Drug Store. J.H. Huffaker, C.C. Matthews also operated a meat market and restaurant in these buildings in town. T.W. Price built east in some block and opened with a meat market and grocery. These buildings were used as a theatre some three or four months about 1910. This picture show was known as the Blue Front Theatre.

W.G. Black purchased these building and placed a market, grocery and restaurant in the West building Dry goods. Drugs and undertakers goods in east part.

A tin shop man was west of Clover Culwell building. The tin shop closed out and a man came to our fair city proposedly to operate a Frosty Shop and joint. The good citizens helped him to close his doors right quick, maybe he stayed in business 24 hours. The first blacksmith shop of the town was west of the tine shop and owned and operated by Sidney Johnson. It is now owned by W.A. Sylvester.

The First school house was a two room box house built in 1900. Mr. B.C. Humphrey, W.D. Kight, John Moore were first trustees. A larger house was built about 1904, J.C. Williams and Rev. C.D. West carried the chains that measured the district to make Avoca an independent school district. The brick building was built in 1910 on the hill west of town.

Leonard Sadler operated the first filling station, Roy Hines, Earnest Clark, F.L. Stiff, Marion Humphrey, J.C. Willimas, Jim Easterling, Avcoa Drug, Henry Hansen, B.R. Onstatt, L.C. Knowles, J.E. Runnels, Dove Clark, Jake Salmon, Joe Cockrell, Alvin Sylvester, S.P. Jones, Joe Morris, Mr. Carnes, all have had a chance in the filling station business since Avoca started.

Our doctors were first Dr. J.W. Grace the streets in Avoca are named for Dr. Grace's children. Second was Dr. Lowrey, by the way, Dr. Lowrey had the first telephone. Then Dr. Dunlap, Dr. Collins, Dr. B.B. McGee, Dr. Southard, Dr. Oliver were the little cities physicians.

Meat market restaurant were operated by C.C. Matthews, Delbert Blackstock, Clyde Shirley, L.C. Knowles, A.F. Beaty, Ira Culwell, Hilton White, Alvin Sylvester.

The first church building was Presbyterian with Dr. Jerry Ward, pastor. Then the Methodist church building was built. Rev. C.D. West, pastor. The Baptist church building was built next. The Christian people built an open tabernacle in 1910. This was sold and moved away. It was located one block east and 1/2 block south of Methodist church.

The first child born in this famous little city was Ramsey Phillip Henderson. He was born 5 January 1900. He was the eldest son of George Henderson and wife. This baby was named for Ramsey Cox. Mr. Cox presented the baby with a town lot.

One of the outstanding events in the history of Avoca was or is the Avoca Fair of 1908 - promoted by Taylor and Gilley Real Estate agents. Prizes were given for different things. Some 3,000 people attended.

The highway came north of town in 1929 and B. Ronstatt built a stucko building on highway and operated a filling station and general mercantile store. J.F. Clark built a fram building on highway. Hines and Clark moved their garage from south of highway to north side and occupied the Clark Building. Mr. Clark built another frame building between garage and Onstott buildings. Mr. W.H. Wright occupied with Knowles Cafe. When J.E. Runnels purchased this and built a rock garage building.

J.C. Williams built a stucco building north of this location on the street a filling station was operated in this building. The building burned and a building occupied by Alvin Sylvester garage and laundry replaced it.

February 13, 1928, a jolly fellow brought to our fair city a grocery store from Clareit. He has survived the depression and is still one block north west of Sylvester's garage.

The Post Office was moved across the tracks and Highway about nine years ago. This was the last of the city left south of the tracks except the church building and school and the large amount of dwellings.

Avoca has had 10 gins since she has been a town site: Lucious Keen, Jim Penley and Reynolds Brothers, Swenson Brothers, J.C. Caruthers Farm Cooperative, Douthitt Gillespie have built three. Two burned down and one is in operation at present. Mr. D.R. Crow & Sons built a gin, that ws destroyed by fire, never having ginned a bale in it. Our little town has been visited by the fire by several times claiming besides our gins several dwellings. The much beloved high school building in April 1935. Then on 13 October 1935 the entire block that the post office and Salmon Store and dwelling occupied was cleared away by the monster fire. We now have a very nice grocery store, and market occupied by A.D. Salmon and wife and Mrs. Ed Hamett. The Red and White store. A very neat little variety and Drug Store occupied by Uncle Jake Salmon and wife. A new post office building, larger and better than before. A blacksmith shop operated by W.A. Sylvester. Laundry operated by Alvin Sylvester and wife, filling station managed by Alvin Sylvester and Mr. Lieb. A garge with E.E. Clark, proprietor assisted by Terrell Clark as mechanic. A Gulf Filling Station operated by Mr. and Mrs. Runnels. A cafe in C.A. Williams building with Mr. Rushing as proprietor. A lumber yard owned by Acme Lumber Co., Ed Southern Welding Company operated by Mrs. L.R. Wise. Mr. Horton's Barber shop was operated in a small building just east of Club Cafe, a short while and has been moved to Abilene. Mrs. Skinner operated the Club Cafe for a while and later took a partner, Mr. Jack Kennison. It is now know as Club Cafe operated by Mr. and Mrs. Jack Kennison, a filling station managed by Mr. Carnes and our M.K.T. Depot agent is Mr. Crawford. The Methodist Episcopal Pastor is Brother R.B. Browder and the Baptist pastor is Brother Joel V. Grimes.

On 16 January 1936, the gound was broken for the new school house which we are all enjoying so much better than the little 12x30 building that we who are charter pupils of Avoca school had to study in. Your desk and tables are far better than the benches that was prepared for us the first year. A bench like those under the Tabernacle for the older ones and the primary grade pupils had rocks with boards across them using the bench for the desk and the plank for a seat. Mr. Neal Humphrey was the only child in the primary grade for a long time. Some 30 pupils were enrolled and the first teacher was Mrs. Lucian Keen who lives in Hamlin, Texas. The second years we had seats like the one you have in your study hall except we had double desks. When we did not obey rules, we were assigned a desk mate that we did not want to sit with. We sure was proud of them. The building was built for a dwelling without a partition between the rooms. The house Mrs. V.M. Hibbitt's calls home is a good picture of it. It was rented for the term of school which laster only three months the first year.

We are anxiously waiting for the oil field that has gradually been coming towards us since July 1937 to help us make this the richest little school in West Texas, with W.O. Winstead as our superintendent.

Present school building built 1936 
Vocational Agriculture building built 1949 
Cafeteria Lunch Room built 1951