Amphion, Texas
Encyclopedia
Amphion is an unincorporated community fourteen kilometres (nine miles) northwest of Pleasanton
in west central Atascosa County. The origin of the name is not known.
Amphion was settled in the late 1880s, and had a post office from 1881 to 1916. It served as the first county seat
of Atascosa County. In 1896, the population was reported as 100, and by 1904 the local public school had 72 students and two teachers. Amphion's decline began in 1909 when the Artesian Belt Railroad (from Macdona
to Simmons City) bypassed it in favor of Jourdanton
. In the 1940s Amphion still had a school, a cemetery, and a few dwellings, and by 1956 it was described as a ghost town
. In the late 1960s only the cemetery and a few buildings remained. In 2000 the population was twenty-six.
The soil series
known as "Amphion clay loam
", classed as a fine, mixed, superactive, hyperthermic Pachic Paleustoll, is named after the town.
Pleasanton, Texas
Pleasanton is a city in Atascosa County, Texas, United States. The population was 8,266 at the 2000 census. Pleasanton's official motto is "The City of Live Oaks and Friendly Folks." It is part of the San Antonio-New Braunfels Metropolitan Statistical Area....
in west central Atascosa County. The origin of the name is not known.
Amphion was settled in the late 1880s, and had a post office from 1881 to 1916. It served as the first county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Atascosa County. In 1896, the population was reported as 100, and by 1904 the local public school had 72 students and two teachers. Amphion's decline began in 1909 when the Artesian Belt Railroad (from Macdona
Macdona, Texas
Macdona is an unincorporated community in Bexar County, Texas, United States. Macdona lies along the Union Pacific rail line near Loop 1604 in southwest Bexar County. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
to Simmons City) bypassed it in favor of Jourdanton
Jourdanton, Texas
Jourdanton is a city in and the county seat of Atascosa County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,732 at the 2000 census. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
. In the 1940s Amphion still had a school, a cemetery, and a few dwellings, and by 1956 it was described as a ghost town
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 the late 1960s only the cemetery and a few buildings remained. In 2000 the population was twenty-six.
The soil series
Soil series
Soil series as established by the National Cooperative Soil Survey of the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service are a level of classification in the USDA Soil Taxonomy classification system hierarchy. The actual object of classification is the so-called...
known as "Amphion clay loam
Loam
Loam is soil composed of sand, silt, and clay in relatively even concentration . Loam soils generally contain more nutrients and humus than sandy soils, have better infiltration and drainage than silty soils, and are easier to till than clay soils...
", classed as a fine, mixed, superactive, hyperthermic Pachic Paleustoll, is named after the town.