Arcadia
When the Gulf, Colorado, and Santa Fe Railroad initially built a station at Hall’s Bayou near the Brazoria-Galveston County line, it was named Hall’s Station. However, in 1890, Galveston businessman Henry J. Runge, who specialized in importing, cotton exporting, and banking, established a town site near the station. He chose the name Arcadia after the Louisiana town; the name also comes from a peaceful, rural region in Greece known for having contented residents. The town included a school which Runge personally helped to construct, as well as a ten acre public park (still used today). Runge advertised his town nationwide, and organized trains to take people out to see the land, where several Galveston businessmen maintained country homes.
The economy consisted of diversified farming of vegetables, fruits, dairy, poultry, and cattle raising. As all of the area farming communities, several agricultural booms occurred over about four decades with cash crops of pears, citrus, figs, and strawberries.
| After World War I, dairy farming became the most profitable and lead to the opening of a creamery and processing and marketing plant. |
Arcadia became a part of Santa Fe when that town was incorporated in 1978.
Courtesy of the Santa Fe Area Historical Foundation
*Owner's Note:
I first learned about the above history right after we moved to Santa Fe. We couldn't find our kids' bus stop on the online map that the school referred us to. Turns out there is a CORNER there after all! Then one day I decided it was cache worthy, so here we are.
My research into the area I now call home didn't stop in 1978. A bunch of other things happened after 1978... a lot of it is pretty dark. I leave you to research more on your own if you are curious. Luckily it seems to me this area is finally turned around, but I just moved here in 2011. Keeping my fingers crossed that I am correct and positive change has truly taken hold so that the dark past of this area is just that, the past. May the future of Santa Fe, TX continue to be a bright and happy one where EVERY PERSON is treated with equality, respect and inclusion no matter what.
!!!Blessings to you all and Happy Caching!!!
one last note before you decrypt the spoiler "hint" below: this is my very 1st ever hide so please log your visit and let me know how i did. luv ya'll !!!
***!!!Congrats to Mamaof3monsters and Punkpenguin for 1st to Find!!!***