Phillipsburg 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 southern Washington County, in the U.S. state of

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 ...

. The very small rural community is located along State Highway 36 (SH 36) south of

Brenham Brenham ( ) is a city in east-central Texas in Washington County, United States, with a population of 17,369 according to the 2020 U.S. census. It is the county seat of Washington County. Washington County is known as the "Birthplace of Texas, ...

. Aside from the names of two local roads, the name Phillipsburg is no longer marked on modern maps. The cemetery and

Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched th ...

church, which is still open for worship, are actually slightly to the south in neighboring Austin County.

Geography

Phillipsburg is situated on SH 36 at Old Phillipsburg Road, from downtown Brenham. Another source stated that the community is south of Brenham. At this point, the

BNSF Railway BNSF Railway is one of the largest freight railroads in North America. One of seven North American Class I railroads, BNSF has 35,000 employees, of track in 28 states, and nearly 8,000 locomotives. It has three transcontinental routes that ...

runs roughly parallel with SH 36 and on the west side of the highway. Local roads include Bilski Lane which intersects with SH 36, a short distance north of Old Phillipsburg Road and goes a short way to the east-northeast. New Wehdem Road meets SH 36 just south of Old Phillipsburg Road and heads generally to the southwest. Phillipsburg Church Road, which approximates the Austin-Washington county line, starts at SH 36 south of Old Phillipsburg Road. Phillipsburg Church Road goes to the east-northeast before turning sharply to the south-southeast at Wonder Hill Road near St. Paul

Lutheran Church Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched th ...

of Phillipsburg. There is a state historical marker at the church, which is in Austin County. Phillipsburg Church Road goes south-southeast to Phillipsburg Cemetery, also in Austin County. Continuing in a southerly direction, the road intersects with SH 36 near Kenney.

History

Phillipsburg attracted mostly residents of German ethnicity. In 1889, a post office opened in the settlement, which was located along the

Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway The Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway was a subsidiary of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway. From its starting point in Galveston, Texas, the railroad eventually extended northwestwards across the state to Sweetwater and northwards via ...

. The following year, the community acquired a station along the railroad. A competing settlement named Pesch was located nearby, but by 1891 Phillipsburg was the more important of the two. Phillipsburg became a significant supply point by 1896. St. Paul Church was built in 1901 and was welcomed into the Texas Lutheran synod twenty years later. In 1904, the post office closed. In 1936, there were about 100 persons and one business establishment in the town. The population decreased to 40 in 1952 and no businesses remained in Phillipsburg by 1970. In 2000, there were 40 persons reported as living in the area.

Education

Today, Phillipsburg is served by the Brenham Independent School District.

Gallery

File:Phillipsburg TX St Paul Church.JPG, St Paul Lutheran Church on Phillipsburg Church Road File:Phillipsburg TX Church Marker.JPG, Historical marker at St Paul Lutheran Church in Phillipsburg File:Phillipsburg TX Cemetery.JPG, Phillipsburg Cemetery on Sempronius Road, seen at left File:Phillipsburg TX Cemetery Marker.JPG, Historical marker at Phillipsburg Cemetery

References

{{authority control Unincorporated communities in Austin County, Texas Unincorporated communities in Washington County, Texas Unincorporated communities in Texas