Tow, Texas
Encyclopedia
Tow is a small unincorporated community
in Llano County
, Texas
, United States
. The population was 305 at the 2000 census.
Residents pronounce the name of the town as if it rhymed with "cow," rather than "toe" as might be expected.
, and on the western shore of Lake Buchanan.
. The Cowans were directed by local Indians
to a salt
bed near the Colorado River, which they developed into a successful saltworks. Significant not only in the local economy, the Bluffton-Tow Salt Works was also known as the Confederate States of America
Salt Works for its contribution to the Confederate cause. The operation was destroyed by the "salt works cyclone" in 1871. John F. Morgan arrived in the area with his family in 1853 and soon established a hat business, using beaver
and other fur
trapped locally. When the Tow brothers, William and Wilson, arrived with their families in 1853, they named the nearby area in which they settled Tow Valley. A post office
was established there in 1886 as Tow with Mathew B. Clendenen as postmaster
. Tow grew rapidly in the 1970s and 1980s with the addition of retirement
and recreation
to its economic base. From a population of fifty before 1950, the lakeside town had grown to 305 by 1974, when it had a post office and numerous businesses. In 2000 the population was still 305; thirty-one businesses were reported.http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/TT/hlt26.html
, Tow is served by the Llano Independent School District
. However, some areas are served by the Burnet Consolidated Independent School District
.
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 Llano County
Llano County, Texas
Llano County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2010, its population was 19, 301. Its county seat is Llano, and the county is named for the Llano River....
, 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...
. The population was 305 at the 2000 census.
Residents pronounce the name of the town as if it rhymed with "cow," rather than "toe" as might be expected.
Geography
Tow is located on Ranch Road 2241, approximately 61 miles (as the crow flies) northwest of Austin, 20 miles northeast of LlanoLlano County, Texas
Llano County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2010, its population was 19, 301. Its county seat is Llano, and the county is named for the Llano River....
, and on the western shore of Lake Buchanan.
History
Tow, which is the oldest community in the county, began with the arrival in 1852 of David and Gideon Cowan and their mother, Ruth, originally from TennesseeTennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. The Cowans were directed by local Indians
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
to a salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
bed near the Colorado River, which they developed into a successful saltworks. Significant not only in the local economy, the Bluffton-Tow Salt Works was also known as the Confederate States of America
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
Salt Works for its contribution to the Confederate cause. The operation was destroyed by the "salt works cyclone" in 1871. John F. Morgan arrived in the area with his family in 1853 and soon established a hat business, using beaver
Beaver
The beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world...
and other fur
Fur
Fur is a synonym for hair, used more in reference to non-human animals, usually mammals; particularly those with extensives body hair coverage. The term is sometimes used to refer to the body hair of an animal as a complete coat, also known as the "pelage". Fur is also used to refer to animal...
trapped locally. When the Tow brothers, William and Wilson, arrived with their families in 1853, they named the nearby area in which they settled Tow Valley. A post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
was established there in 1886 as Tow with Mathew B. Clendenen as postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
. Tow grew rapidly in the 1970s and 1980s with the addition of retirement
Retirement
Retirement is the point where a person stops employment completely. A person may also semi-retire by reducing work hours.Many people choose to retire when they are eligible for private or public pension benefits, although some are forced to retire when physical conditions don't allow the person to...
and recreation
Recreation
Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure and are considered to be "fun"...
to its economic base. From a population of fifty before 1950, the lakeside town had grown to 305 by 1974, when it had a post office and numerous businesses. In 2000 the population was still 305; thirty-one businesses were reported.http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/TT/hlt26.html
Education
Like other small towns surrounding LlanoLlano, Texas
-History:Llano County was established in compliance with a February 1, 1856, state legislative act. The Llano River location was chosen in an election held on June 14, 1856, under a live oak on the south bank of the river, near the present site of Roy Inks Bridge in Llano...
, Tow is served by the Llano Independent School District
Llano Independent School District
Llano Independent School District is a public school district based in Llano, Texas .In addition to Llano, the district serves the city of Sunrise Beach Village, the community of Kingsland, and a portion of Horseshoe Bay as well as most rural areas in Llano County.In 2009, the school district was...
. However, some areas are served by the Burnet Consolidated Independent School District
Burnet Consolidated Independent School District
Burnet Consolidated Independent School District is a public school district based in Burnet, Texas .Located in Burnet County, small portions of the district extend into Llano and Williamson counties....
.
See also
- Texas wineTexas wineTexas has a long history of wine production. The sunny and dry climate of the major wine making regions in the state have drawn comparison to Portuguese wines. Some of the earliest recorded Texas wines were produced by Spanish missionaries in the 1650s near El Paso...
- Lake Buchanan
- Texas Hill CountryTexas Hill CountryThe Texas Hill Country is a vernacular term applied to a region of Central Texas featuring tall rugged hills consisting of thin layers of soil atop limestone or granite. It also includes the Llano Uplift and the second largest granite monadnock in the United States, Enchanted Rock, which is located...
- Llano County, TexasLlano County, TexasLlano County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2010, its population was 19, 301. Its county seat is Llano, and the county is named for the Llano River....
External links
- Handbook of Texas Online
- http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=tow,+texas&ie=UTF8&z=14&ll=30.882927,-98.471231&spn=0.054288,0.10849&t=h&om=1Satellite image from Google MapsGoogle MapsGoogle Maps is a web mapping service application and technology provided by Google, free , that powers many map-based services, including the Google Maps website, Google Ride Finder, Google Transit, and maps embedded on third-party websites via the Google Maps API...
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