Jourdanton

In 1909, Jourdan Campbell (1867-1938) and Theodore H. Zanderson (1854-1927) established the Jourdanton community, named for Campbell, on the eastern edge of their Toby Ranch property. Jourdan Campbell was born in Atascosa County, and was a merchant and county commissioner. He first met Zanderson, a Dane whose significant business interests centered on wool and mohair, in San Antonio. The two entrepreneurs convinced Dr. Charles Franklin Simmons, a land speculator who had previously worked with Campbell, to lay rail through the new townsite; the first train came through Jourdanton on September 4, 1909. Jourdanton soon had utilities, a bank, a newspaper (The Atascosa Monitor), a post office and several businesses. The community also had a school, several churches and a cemetery. Residents, encouraged by the settlement's rapid growth, and led by newspaper owner Ralph Roy "Railroad" Smith, began to promote the idea of Jourdanton becoming county seat. In 1910, Atascosa County residents voted that the county seat be moved from Pleasanton to Jourdanton. In 1911, the town incorporated, and by 1914, it had two railroads and the population had doubled. Many residents were farmers or ranchers. By the 1940s, oil and natural gas reserves were discovered nearby, which led to another period of growth; later, the discovery and mining of lignite to the south also helped sustain Jourdanton's economy. The town grew further with the additions of the Smith Village and Atascosa Estates developments. Although the railroads stopped running by the 1960s, Jourdanton continued to grow, and remains a community rich in culture, heritage and diversity. (2009)

Jourdanton is a historical marker in Jourdanton, Atascosa County, dedicated in 2009. It is one of 39 historical markers documented in Atascosa County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 126 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 28.9244, -98.5356 near Jourdanton. The nearest cataloged historic site is Jourdan Campbell (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Ralph Roy Smith, Atascosa County Courthouse, and Atascosa County Courthouse.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5507015743. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.