Glidden, Texas
Encyclopedia
Glidden is an unincorporated populated place
in Colorado County, Texas
, United States
. It lies just north of Interstate 10
, and 3 miles to the west of Columbus
.
, the town site was originally established by the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway in 1885.
The post office was opened three years later, and the town served as a major railroad maintenance facility stop between Houston and El Paso
. The community flourished during the Spanish-American War
and the two world wars. Shortly after, the railroad movement from steam engine
s to those operating with diesel
and electric rendered most of the railroad maintenance shops in Glidden obsolete. This caused the population to decrease to 150 residents by the late 1940s.
Between January 1911 and April 1912, a series of ax murders occurred in both Texas and Louisiana
, claiming 49 victims. Glidden is just one of the numerous towns in which this type of homicide took place. It is believed that all victims died at the hands of an unidentified killer (or killers) during the reign of terror. In Glidden, a woman with her four children and a male guest were all murdered in their sleep in March 1912. There were several individuals suspected in the crimes in the different locations, but charges were dropped against all of them for lack of evidence. The murder cases remain unsolved.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Colorado County, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It lies just north of Interstate 10
Interstate 10
Interstate 10 is the fourth-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90, I-80, and I-40. It is the southernmost east–west, coast-to-coast Interstate Highway, although I-4 and I-8 are further south. It stretches from the Pacific Ocean at State Route 1 in Santa Monica,...
, and 3 miles to the west of Columbus
Columbus, Texas
Columbus is a city in Colorado County, Texas, United States, west of Houston along Interstate 10, on the Colorado River. In 1890, 2,199 people lived in Columbus, Texas; in 1900, there were 1,824 residents. The population was 3,916 as of the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Colorado County...
.
History
Located at the main line of the Southern Pacific RailroadSouthern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
, the town site was originally established by the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway in 1885.
The post office was opened three years later, and the town served as a major railroad maintenance facility stop between Houston and El Paso
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
. The community flourished during the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
and the two world wars. Shortly after, the railroad movement from steam engine
Steam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...
s to those operating with diesel
Diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
and electric rendered most of the railroad maintenance shops in Glidden obsolete. This caused the population to decrease to 150 residents by the late 1940s.
Between January 1911 and April 1912, a series of ax murders occurred in both Texas and Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, claiming 49 victims. Glidden is just one of the numerous towns in which this type of homicide took place. It is believed that all victims died at the hands of an unidentified killer (or killers) during the reign of terror. In Glidden, a woman with her four children and a male guest were all murdered in their sleep in March 1912. There were several individuals suspected in the crimes in the different locations, but charges were dropped against all of them for lack of evidence. The murder cases remain unsolved.