Taiton or Tait or York was an
unincorporated area
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 northwest
Wharton County, Texas
Wharton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 41,570. Its county seat is Wharton. The county was named for brothers William Harris Wharton and John Austin Wharton.
Wharton County ...
, United States.
The one-time community was located north of
New Taiton on
State Highway 71 (SH 71). Taiton's population peaked around 1910 but then went into decline. At some time, Taiton either moved south to New Taiton or was replaced by that community. Unlike New Taiton, Taiton is not identified by road signs, not shown on maps and not served by any
Farm-to-market road
In the United States, a farm-to-market road or ranch-to-market road (sometimes farm road or ranch road for short) is a state highway or county road that connects rural or agricultural areas to market towns. These are better quality roads, usually ...
. The additional fact that there are very few homes in the area suggests that Taiton has become a
ghost town
Ghost Town(s) or Ghosttown may refer to:
* Ghost town, a town that has been abandoned
Film and television
* Ghost Town (1936 film), ''Ghost Town'' (1936 film), an American Western film by Harry L. Fraser
* Ghost Town (1956 film), ''Ghost Town'' ...
.
History
Taiton is described as being located on SH 71 a distance of north of New Taiton.
The region was first settled by Anglo-Americans in 1886. However, numbers of German and Czech immigrants arrived in 1894 looking for land to cultivate near El Campo. The community was first named Tait but the name was changed to Taiton in 1896 when the post office was established. In 1901 Ignace Jurasek contributed land for a new schoolhouse to replace the old one. B. E. Medina opened a general store and there was a dance hall by 1903. The school reported 75 students and one teacher in 1905. Taiton's farmers raised cattle, corn, cotton, rice and watermelons. When the population climbed to 800 in 1910, the town included a dry-goods store, a produce buyer and some grocers.
St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church was founded in 1912.
Taiton's population declined after 1915. The school counted two teachers and 104 white and four black pupils in 1926, but only 20 people lived in the community. The post office closed sometime in the 1930s.
[ In 1936, New Taiton showed up on a county map with a church, a factory and some homes.][ In the 1940s the Taiton school merged with the Rancho Grande community school and moved to a new location. Taiton had 80 residents in 1947 and included the church, school and two stores.][ Taiton is not marked at its historic location on the 1965 ]USGS
The United States Geological Survey (USGS), formerly simply known as the Geological Survey, is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, a ...
Hahn Quadrangle, though the tiny community of Hahn is on the map.[
File:New Taiton TX Community Center.JPG, Taiton Community Center is located to the south at Hwy 71 and FM 961 in New Taiton.
File:New Taiton TX St John Catholic Church.JPG, St John Nepomucene Catholic Church can be found on FM 961 in New Taiton.
]
References
;Footnotes
;Citations
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Populated places in Wharton County, Texas
Unincorporated communities in Texas
Ghost towns in South Texas