West Sinton Community

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about the West Sinton Community out in San Patricio County. Now, before there was a community here at all, there was cattle country. Big cattle country.

The land in this area sat within the large J. J. Welder Cattle Ranch in the early days of the twentieth century.

That's where this story begins. Then along came a man named George Paul. He developed much of the local acreage and started advertising a homesteaders program of land sales, pulling settlers in from states all across the country.

They answered the call, these newcomers, and when they arrived they found mesquite and brush as far as the eye could see. So they got to work clearing it, with the help of Mexican laborers, and they put cotton and corn in the ground on their new land. That right there is how a cattle ranch starts becoming something else entirely.

In 1913, Gust Adams and his family came in from Guadalupe County and settled here. The following year, 1914, the Adams family set aside land for a schoolhouse. That building didn't stay just a schoolhouse for long.

It was used for worship services too, and it became, quick as you'd expect, a social center for everyone in the area. People started calling the place Adams School. They also called it the West Sinton community.

Both names stuck. More settlers arrived after the first World War, and the community kept growing. Now, growing steady is one thing, but this place grew through some trials that would have broken a lesser community.

The influenza epidemic of 1918 and 1919 swept through. Then, that same year the epidemic was still going, 1919 brought a devastating hurricane. Back to back.

The community absorbed those blows and kept on. By 1923, the local cotton farmers had organized the West Sinton Gin Company and built a gin nearby. The next year, 1924, a two-story stucco school building went up on this very site, erected by the newly formed Adams Independent School District.

The community had grown large enough to support a separate Mexican American school and a grocery store. Neighbors gathered for sports, community suppers, parties, and dances. The San Patricio Farm Bureau was organized here in 1936.

Electric power came to the area in 1939. Then, in 1943, Adams School closed its doors, the students transferred to other area schools. The old schoolhouse kept serving the community for events until 1948, and it was razed in 1962.

The cotton gin, which had outlasted so much, closed in the 1980s. But cotton, milo, and corn remain the community's main economic focus to this day. The Lutheran church and many local organizations continue to serve the area.

Some places, you see, outlast the buildings that defined them. West Sinton is one of those places.

What the marker says

In the early days of the 20th century, the land in this area was situated within the large J. J. Welder Cattle Ranch. George Paul developed much of the local acreage and attracted settlers from many states by advertising a "homesteaders" program of land sales. The settlers cleared the mesquite and brush with the help of Mexican laborers, planting cotton and corn on their new land. In 1913 Gust Adams and his family arrived from Guadalupe County. The Adams family set aside land for a schoolhouse in 1914. Also used for worship services, the structure quickly became a social center. The area became known as both Adams School and West Sinton community. More settlers came after the first World War. The community grew steadily in spite of such tragedies as the influenza epidemic of 1918 and 1919 and the devastating hurricane of 1919. Local cotton farmers established the West Sinton Gin Company in 1923 and built a gin nearby. In 1924 a two-story stucco school building was erected by the newly formed Adams Independent School District on this site. The community was large enough for a separate Mexican American school and a grocery store. Neighbors enjoyed such activities as sports, community suppers, parties, and dances. The San Patricio Farm Bureau was organized here in 1936. Electric power came to the area in 1939. The Adams School closed its doors in 1943 when the students were transferred to other area schools. The schoolhouse was used for community events until 1948. It was razed in 1962. Although the cotton gin closed in the 1980s, cotton, milo and corn remain the community's main economic focus. The Lutheran church and many local organizations continue to serve the area. (1998)