DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about De Kalb, Texas — and friend, this one's got layers. Now, most towns are lucky to have one good story. De Kalb, up in Bowie County, seems to have collected them the way a screen door collects June bugs.
Let's start at the very beginning — the name itself. De Kalb is named for Major General Johann de Kalb, a hero of the American Revolution. And who, you might ask, suggested that name?
Only David Crockett. In 1836, Crockett passed through here on his way to fight in the Texas War for Independence. He stopped long enough to put in a word for a Revolutionary War general, then rode on toward his own chapter in history.
James B. Fannin and William B. Travis — two more names that echo hard across Texas — also traveled through this same ground.
Think about that for a second. This little stretch of East Texas dirt had Crockett, Fannin, and Travis pass through it. That's not a town square, that's a crossroads of consequence.
The settlement itself was already taking root by 1831. That year, land was given for a public school by five men: Dr. W.
H. Boyce, William L. Browning, D.
M. Chisholm, Clement R. Johns, and Judge — and also Dr. — James W.
Smith. Five men, one school, one town finding its footing. By 1839, De Kalb was home to the first college in all of Bowie County.
The year after that, 1840, the Ninth Masonic Lodge in Texas was organized here. Also in 1840, De Kalb was named the county seat — a title it held until 1841. Short tenure, but it counts.
De Kalb sat on two early stagelines, which made it a natural stopover. U.S. immigrants heading into the Texas Republic came through. Then the forty-niners rolled through on their way west to the California gold rush.
This was a place where people passed through chasing something — freedom, land, gold. And then there are the guests nobody exactly put out the welcome mat for. In the 1870s, the hideouts of train robbers Sam Bass, Jesse James, and other notorious characters were nearby.
Just sitting out there in the piney woods. Neighborly. The Texas and Pacific Railroad reached De Kalb in 1876, and things kept building.
By 1889, a man named P. S. Ramseur had a sawmill here — and not just any sawmill.
That mill shipped high quality lumber all over the United States. To get logs to the mill, Ramseur built his own railroad. Traces of that railroad still exist.
Fire came calling twice. In 1896, most of the businesses were destroyed. Then in 1923, it happened again.
Most of the businesses, gone a second time. Most towns, after the second fire, start to wonder if somebody up there is trying to say something. De Kalb just rebuilt.
Today the city prospers. It's a center of ranching, truck farming, and pulpwood production. They call it the Pride of East Texas.
Given everything that passed through here — and everything that tried to burn it down — that title wasn't handed out. It was earned.
What the marker says
Named for Maj. Gen. Johann de Kalb - a hero of the American Revolution - upon suggestion (1836) of David Crockett, a visitor on his way to fight in Texas War for Independence. Other Texas heroes traveling through here were James B. Fannin and Wm. B. Travis. Settled by 1831, when land was given for a public school by Dr. W. H. Boyce, Wm. L. Browning, D. M. Chisholm, Clement R. Johns and Judge (and Dr.) James W. Smith. Site of first college in Bowie County, founded in 1839 and of Ninth Masonic Lodge in Texas, organized 1840. Served as county seat, 1840-1841. On two early stagelines. A stopover for U.S. immigrants to Texas Republic, and 49'ers on way to California gold rush. In 1870's hideouts of train robbers Sam Bass, Jesse James, other notorious characters were nearby. Texas & Pacific Railroad reached here 1876. Site in 1889 of P. S. Ramseur's sawmill which shipped high quality lumber all over United States; to get logs to mill, he built a railroad, traces of which still exist. Although in 1896 and 1923 most of businesses were destroyed by fires, city prospers today. Center of ranching, truck farming, and pulpwood productions. Known as "The Pride of East Texas". (1966)