Campbellton is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

in Atascosa County,

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. According to the ''

Handbook of Texas The ''Handbook of Texas'' is a comprehensive encyclopedia of Texas geography, history, and historical persons published by the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA). History The original ''Handbook'' was the brainchild of TSHA President Wal ...

'', the community had an estimated population of 350 in 2000. Campbellton is part of the

San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= U.S. state, State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , s ...

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...

History

An Irish immigrant, John F. Campbell, began the community in the 1860s by promoting settlement in the area. He was the first postmaster in the community when the post office was established in the 1870s. He also opened a general store in the community and held

Catholic church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

services in his home. The population was 25 in 1894 but then grew to 30 in 1890. It had three churches, a gin, two

livestock Livestock are the domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to provide labor and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The term is sometimes used to refer solely to animals ...

breeders, and a

lumberyard A lumber yard is a location where lumber and wood-related products used in construction and/or home improvement projects are processed or stored. Some lumber yards offer retail sales to consumers, and some of these may also provide services suc ...

during that same time. The community's population went down during the middle of the decade, but it gained a general store and another livestock breeder. There were seven cattle breeders in Campbellton in 1914 and the population returned to 30. Its success continued with the arrival of the San Antonio, Uvalde, and Gulf Railroad in 1912.

Beekeeper A beekeeper is a person who keeps honey bees. Beekeepers are also called honey farmers, apiarists, or less commonly, apiculturists (both from the Latin '' apis'', bee; cf. apiary). The term beekeeper refers to a person who keeps honey bees i ...

s started manufacturing

honey Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of plants (primar ...

in the community for commercial purposes in 1914. The population grew to 50 in 1925 and jumped to 368 in the 1950s and had an average of ten businesses operating. Oil was then discovered in the community in 1956, but

ranching A ranch (from es, rancho/Mexican Spanish) is an area of land, including various structures, given primarily to ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle and sheep. It is a subtype of a farm. These terms are most often ...

came to an end. Its population was 275 from the 1960s through 1990 and had three businesses at that time. The population was 350 in 2000 and had ten businesses. The community's welcome sign and Texas Escapes magazine state that the population in 1990 was 482. Although it is unincorporated, Campbellton has a post office with the ZIP code of 78008. The Wild Man of the Navidad, one of the purported sightings of

Bigfoot Bigfoot, also commonly referred to as Sasquatch, is a purported ape-like creature said to inhabit the forest of North America. Many dubious articles have been offered in attempts to prove the existence of Bigfoot, including anecdotal claims o ...

, was also filmed as a

movie A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

in Campbellton, in which locals appeared in small roles.Beware: Bigfoot Ahead
from

The Austin Chronicle ''The Austin Chronicle'' is an alternative weekly newspaper published every Thursday in Austin, Texas, United States. The paper is distributed through free news-stands, often at local eateries or coffee houses frequented by its targeted demogr ...

Geography

Campbellton is located at the junction of U.S. Highway 281, FM 1099, and the Atascosa River in southeastern Atascosa County, approximately east of

Christine Christine may refer to: People * Christine (name), a female given name Film * ''Christine'' (1958 film), based on Schnitzler's play ''Liebelei'' * ''Christine'' (1983 film), based on King's novel of the same name * ''Christine'' (1987 fil ...

and south of

. It is also located south of Pleasanton, southeast of Jourdanton, and north of Three Rivers. It is strategically located on a thoroughfare to the

Rio Grande Valley The Lower Rio Grande Valley ( es, Valle del Río Grande), commonly known as the Rio Grande Valley or locally as the Valley or RGV, is a region spanning the border of Texas and Mexico located in a floodplain of the Rio Grande near its mouth. Th ...

. The alternate route of U.S. Route 281 also travels through the community.

Education

John F Campbell founded the community's first school in the 1870s. It had 30 students and one teacher in 1904 and then had 169 students ten years later. It had 240 students and seven teachers in 1938. Children who finished elementary school were sent to schools in Pleasanton for middle and high school. The community continues to be served by the

Pleasanton Independent School District Pleasanton Independent School District is a public school district based in Pleasanton, Texas (USA). In 2011, the School District was rated "Academically Acceptable" by the Texas Education Agency The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is th ...

to this day.

References

{{authority control Unincorporated communities in Texas Unincorporated communities in Atascosa County, Texas Greater San Antonio