Helena, Texas
Encyclopedia
Helena is a ghost town
in Texas
located approximately 70 mi (112.7 km) southeast of San Antonio
in Karnes County
. The seat of Karnes County from 1854 to 1894, Helena was once known as the self-proclaimed "toughest town on earth" in the mid-19th century. It was named for the second wife of Lewis Owings
, Helen Marr Swisher (1831–1910).
The town was the birthplace of the so-called "Helena Duel", in which the left hands of two opponents are tied together with buckskin and each fighter is given a knife with a three-inch blade—too short to reach a vital organ or cause a single fatal stab. After the combatants are whirled around a few times, they slash away at each other until one bleeds to death from the accumulation of cuts and stabs. Crowds of spectators would view this gory, gruesome spectacle and even bet on the outcome.
Helena is now a ghost town, allegedly due to the vendetta of one Colonel William G. Butler (1831–1912) against the town he blamed for the death of his son, Emmett. On December 26, 1884, Emmett Butler was killed by a stray bullet from a bar fight. A few days later, Colonel Butler went to Helena with group of cowhands
and demanded to know who had shot his son and found that nobody in town was willing to tell the truth about the incident. Enraged, Colonel Butler reportedly shouted: "All right! For that I'll kill the town that killed my son!" Following through on his threat, Butler, a veteran of the American Civil War
veteran and a wealthy rancher, arranged for the railroad to be built 7 mi (11.3 km) away from Helena and the town quickly died.
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
in 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...
located approximately 70 mi (112.7 km) southeast of San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
in Karnes County
Karnes County, Texas
Karnes County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of 2000, the population was 15,446. Its county seat is Karnes City. Karnes County is named for Henry Karnes, a soldier in the Texas Revolution.-Geography:...
. The seat of Karnes County from 1854 to 1894, Helena was once known as the self-proclaimed "toughest town on earth" in the mid-19th century. It was named for the second wife of Lewis Owings
Lewis Owings
Dr. Lewis Sumpter Owings was a medical doctor and politician in the New Mexico and Arizona territories. He was chosen twice for the role of Provisional Governor for the territory of Arizona by conventions seeking to organize the territory-by both pre-Civil War Union and Confederate...
, Helen Marr Swisher (1831–1910).
The town was the birthplace of the so-called "Helena Duel", in which the left hands of two opponents are tied together with buckskin and each fighter is given a knife with a three-inch blade—too short to reach a vital organ or cause a single fatal stab. After the combatants are whirled around a few times, they slash away at each other until one bleeds to death from the accumulation of cuts and stabs. Crowds of spectators would view this gory, gruesome spectacle and even bet on the outcome.
Helena is now a ghost town, allegedly due to the vendetta of one Colonel William G. Butler (1831–1912) against the town he blamed for the death of his son, Emmett. On December 26, 1884, Emmett Butler was killed by a stray bullet from a bar fight. A few days later, Colonel Butler went to Helena with group of cowhands
Cowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
and demanded to know who had shot his son and found that nobody in town was willing to tell the truth about the incident. Enraged, Colonel Butler reportedly shouted: "All right! For that I'll kill the town that killed my son!" Following through on his threat, Butler, a veteran of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
veteran and a wealthy rancher, arranged for the railroad to be built 7 mi (11.3 km) away from Helena and the town quickly died.