Grass Pond Colony, Texas

Grass Pond Colony was located at the site of several large natural ponds which remain filled by water year-round due to natural springs, it is located in the northern part of Wilson County, Texas, U.S.A. about five miles south of Sutherland Springs.

History

Due to the reliable source of water the site was occupied early on by native americans. The Grass Ponds were later part of a Colonial Spanish "Rancho" during the Spanish Colonial period. After the Civil War several "Colonies" of freed slaves were established in the area, one of these was Grass Pond Colony. Grass Pond Colony was named for the large lilly pad filled ponds, located in the large natural grassy meadows nearby. In 1875 the community had a church and school built of hand-split logs and filled with handmade furniture made from logs. The first teacher at the school was August Harrison who was paid $40 a month. With the growth of nearby Floresville, La Vernia and Sutherland Springs, and after being bypassed by the railroad and major roads, the community declined until all that remains at the site today are the large lilly-pad filled ponds it was named for.

ources

*"The Good Old Days: a history of LaVernia" by the Civic Government class of LaVernia High School, 1936-1937 school year."
*"Wilson County Centennial 1860-1960" By the Wilson county library, Centennial program handed out at The 100yr centennial celebration."
*"Segregated schools of Wilson County" Floresville Chronicle Journal May 20, 1971.
*"African Americans in Wilson County Texas", Jamie L. Harris, Lynbrook Books, 2006.
*"Wilson County History", Diane Jimenez, Taylor Publishing Co. 1990

ee also

*Doseido Colony, Texas

External links

* [http://abstusa.com/tx/grass-pond-colony Map of Grass Pond Colony]
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