Town of Nash

Duane's take

Here's the official marker's account of Nash, Texas, and I'm gonna tell it the way it deserves to be told. Now, every town out here has a story, but Nash has something most towns don't. It has three names, and every single one of them meant something.

The place got its start around 1873, sitting right on the Transcontinental Division of the Texas and Pacific Railroad. They called it T. C.

Junction back then, which is about as no-nonsense a name as you're going to find. It said exactly where you were and why you were there. A junction.

On the Transcontinental. Done. Then 1884 rolls around, a post office gets established, and somebody decides the town needs a little more dignity.

They named it Park, after Dr. J. N.

Parker, the first postmaster. Now, a school followed not long after, first opening its doors in 1885 in a single room. One room.

You can picture it, every age, every grade, every argument about whose turn it was at the chalkboard, all of it happening under one roof. New school buildings would come along in 1904, and again in 1924, and again in 1967, which tells you something right there about a community that kept growing and kept believing in itself. But let's get back to the name, because in 1906 the town changed it one final time.

They named it Nash, in honor of Martin Manny Nash, division superintendent of the Texas and Pacific Railroad. The railroad that started the whole thing now had its man's name on the town. And then there's Dr.

Joseph Abner Dodd, born 1871, died 1944, a noted resident of Nash who served six terms in the Texas House of Representatives. Six terms. That is not a man passing through.

That is a man who kept going back, and the people of Texas kept sending him. By 1970, Nash was home to two thousand people. Three names, one room turned into new buildings twice over, a six-term legislator, and a railroad running through it all.

That's Nash, Texas, and it earned every letter of its final name.

What the marker says

Begun about 1873; first named "T. C. Junction" for its location on Transcontinental Division of Texas & Pacific Railroad. In 1884 post office was established and named "Park", after Dr. J. N. Parker, the first postmaster. First school started 1885 in single room. New buildings have been erected in 1904, 1924, 1967. In 1906 the town was named in honor of Martin Manny Nash, division superintendent of Texas & Pacific. Noted resident was Dr. Joseph Abner Dodd (1871-1944), who served 6 terms in Texas House of Representatives. Present town population stands at 2,000. (1970)