Rosharon, Texas
Encyclopedia
Rosharon, also known as "Buttermilk Station," is an unincorporated area
in Brazoria County
, Texas
at the intersection of Farm to Market Road 521
and Farm to Market Road 1462
.
The Rosharon town site went unnamed during its early years. The area was settled by cotton and sugar plantations before the American Civil War
. Once the Columbia Tap Railroad was completed in 1859, the Rosharon town site stop on the train line was given the name Masterson's Station, after a nearby plantation owned by Thomas G. Masterson (ca. 1813–1884). Rosharon was known locally by trainmen as “Buttermilk Station” because an early resident was known to bring a bucket of buttermilk and a dipper to the railroad station to give the engineer and crew a drink.
George Wetmore Colles, Jr. (1871–1951), an electrical and mechanical engineer educated at Yale University
(BA 1892) and the Stevens Institute of Technology
, bought property in the area around 1900 and called his estate the Rose of Sharon Garden Ranch after the many Cherokee Roses (Rosa laevigata) that grew there. Colles also designed the community water system.
Antonio G. Arcaro served as Rosharon's postmaster from 1912 to 1920. The Rosharon post office was discontinued in 1920 and mail was then sent to Sandy Point. The post office reopened in 1936, only to be closed again in 1979.
Tom Lochridge (1903–1985) platted the town site. Lochridge was responsible for having a cotton gin moved to Rosharon from Houston. Aside from providing employment for several persons, the gin's engine was used as Rosharon's first power plant. The community's first telephone exchange was operated out of Lochridge's home.
Rosharon's school was initially held in private home, and later in its own building. Eventually, the Rosharon school district was consolidated with the Angleton schools. Students began being bussed to Angleton in the late 1900s, a practice that continues to this day.
Church meetings were first held in a former school, then in a tavern that community members had bought and converted into a church. Eventually a brick church was constructed.
South Texas Water Company located in Rosharon in 1935, and its fresh watercanals for irrigating rice brought some seventy-five to eighty rice farmers to the area.
By the late 1980s, Rosharon had an estimated population of 500. In 1990 the population was 435. Most residents commute to jobs in nearby towns.
The farming and ranching economy is bolstered by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, which operates four prison units nearby.
Schlumberger
has one of its product centers stationed in Rosharon.
(TDCJ) prison units near Rosharon. Ramsey
(formerly Ramsey I), Stringfellow
(formerly Ramsey III), and Terrell
(formerly Ramsey II) are all co-located. In addition Darrington Unit
is near Rosharon. The Handbook of Texas
stated that the prison authority employees and their family members "added considerably to [Rosharon's] economy."
The United States Postal Service
operates the Rosharon Post Office at 1810 East Farm to Market Road 1462
. The post office reopened in 1936, only to be closed again in 1979.
. In the 20th century the Rosharon school district was consolidated into the Angleton district, and busing into Angleton began in the late 20th century.
Rosharon residents attend Manvel
schools in the Alvin ISD. Manvel High School
, Manvel Junior High, and E.C Mason Elementary
Rosharon is within the attendance zone of the Alvin Community College
. Rosharon was included through H.B. No. 2744, filed on March 6, 2007.
purchased 20 acres (8.1 ha) of land to build Wake Nation Houston, a water sports complex that would be the company's second cable waterboarding park. Construction is scheduled to begin in Spring of 2011. The company selected Greater Houston
because of the area's size, weather, and relatively inexpensive land.
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 Brazoria County
Brazoria County, Texas
Brazoria County[p] is a county in the U.S. state of Texas, located on the Gulf Coast within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. Regionally, parts of the county are within the extreme southern-most fringe of the regions locally known as Southeast Texas. Brazoria County is among a...
, 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...
at the intersection of Farm to Market Road 521
Farm to Market Road 521
Farm to Market Road 521 is a state highway the U.S. state of Texas.The road is one of the longest farm-to-market roads in the state at almost . It starts at U.S...
and Farm to Market Road 1462
Farm to Market Road 1462
Farm to Market Road 1462 is a farm to market road located in Brazoria and Fort Bend counties, Texas.- Route description :FM 1462 begins at at the community of Damon in Brazoria County. The road follows a northeasterly path, entering Fort Bend County and turning to the east...
.
History
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...
. Once the Columbia Tap Railroad was completed in 1859, the Rosharon town site stop on the train line was given the name Masterson's Station, after a nearby plantation owned by Thomas G. Masterson (ca. 1813–1884). Rosharon was known locally by trainmen as “Buttermilk Station” because an early resident was known to bring a bucket of buttermilk and a dipper to the railroad station to give the engineer and crew a drink.
George Wetmore Colles, Jr. (1871–1951), an electrical and mechanical engineer educated at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
(BA 1892) and the Stevens Institute of Technology
Stevens Institute of Technology
Stevens Institute of Technology is a technological university located on a campus in Hoboken, New Jersey, USA – founded in 1870 with an 1868 bequest from Edwin A. Stevens. It is known for its engineering, science, and technological management curricula.The institute has produced leading...
, bought property in the area around 1900 and called his estate the Rose of Sharon Garden Ranch after the many Cherokee Roses (Rosa laevigata) that grew there. Colles also designed the community water system.
Antonio G. Arcaro served as Rosharon's postmaster from 1912 to 1920. The Rosharon post office was discontinued in 1920 and mail was then sent to Sandy Point. The post office reopened in 1936, only to be closed again in 1979.
Tom Lochridge (1903–1985) platted the town site. Lochridge was responsible for having a cotton gin moved to Rosharon from Houston. Aside from providing employment for several persons, the gin's engine was used as Rosharon's first power plant. The community's first telephone exchange was operated out of Lochridge's home.
Rosharon's school was initially held in private home, and later in its own building. Eventually, the Rosharon school district was consolidated with the Angleton schools. Students began being bussed to Angleton in the late 1900s, a practice that continues to this day.
Church meetings were first held in a former school, then in a tavern that community members had bought and converted into a church. Eventually a brick church was constructed.
South Texas Water Company located in Rosharon in 1935, and its fresh watercanals for irrigating rice brought some seventy-five to eighty rice farmers to the area.
By the late 1980s, Rosharon had an estimated population of 500. In 1990 the population was 435. Most residents commute to jobs in nearby towns.
The farming and ranching economy is bolstered by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, which operates four prison units nearby.
Schlumberger
Schlumberger
Schlumberger Limited is the world's largest oilfield services company. Schlumberger employs over 110,000 people of more than 140 nationalities working in approximately 80 countries...
has one of its product centers stationed in Rosharon.
Demographics
Neighborhoods include Songbird Ranch Airport (private), Lindell Estates, Lakes of Savannah, Chenango Ranch, Coffee Lake, The Enclave at SouthFork, Southern Trails, Silverlake, Seven Oaks Ranch, Sun Creek Estates, Sun Creek Ranch and Sterling Lakes.Economy
There are four Texas Department of Criminal JusticeTexas Department of Criminal Justice
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is a department of the government of the state of Texas. The TDCJ is responsible for statewide criminal justice for adult offenders, including managing offenders in state prisons, state jails and private correctional facilities, funding and certain...
(TDCJ) prison units near Rosharon. Ramsey
Ramsey Unit
The W. F. Ramsey Unit is a Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison located in unincorporated Brazoria County, Texas. The prison is located on Farm to Market Road 655, near Rosharon, west of Farm to Market Road 521,. and south of Houston. The unit is co-located with the Stringfellow Unit and...
(formerly Ramsey I), Stringfellow
Stringfellow Unit
The A. M. "Mac" Stringfellow Unit is a Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison located in unincorporated Brazoria County, Texas. The prison is located on Farm to Market Road 655, near Rosharon, west of Farm to Market Road 521, and about south of Houston...
(formerly Ramsey III), and Terrell
Terrell Unit
The Charles T. Terrell Unit is a Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison located in unincorporated Brazoria County, Texas. The facility is located on Farm to Market Road 655, west of Farm to Market Road 521. The prison, has about of land, is co-located with Ramsey Unit and Stringfellow Unit...
(formerly Ramsey II) are all co-located. In addition Darrington Unit
Darrington Unit
The Darrington Unit is a Texas Department of Criminal Justice men's prison located in unincorporated Brazoria County, Texas, near Sandy Point, The unit is along Farm to Market Road 521, north of Rosharon, and south of Houston. The prison has about of land...
is near Rosharon. The Handbook of Texas
Handbook of Texas
The Handbook of Texas is a comprehensive encyclopedia of Texas geography, history, and historical persons published by the Texas State Historical Association .-History:...
stated that the prison authority employees and their family members "added considerably to [Rosharon's] economy."
Government and infrastructure
The Rosharon Volunteer Fire Department (RVFD) provides fire services for Rosharon. In the 1940s Rosharon community members, wanting to start a fire department, met with Brazoria County officials and purchased firefighting equipment. From the 1940s until 2004 the firefighting department received all of its support from fundraising events, private donations, and small contributions from the Brazoria County government. The volunteer group organized in 1956, and in 1986 the Rosharon Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. incorporated as a non-profit corporation. In 2002 taxpayers formed the Brazoria County Emergency Services District #3, which provides EMS services.The United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
operates the Rosharon Post Office at 1810 East Farm to Market Road 1462
Farm to Market Road 1462
Farm to Market Road 1462 is a farm to market road located in Brazoria and Fort Bend counties, Texas.- Route description :FM 1462 begins at at the community of Damon in Brazoria County. The road follows a northeasterly path, entering Fort Bend County and turning to the east...
. The post office reopened in 1936, only to be closed again in 1979.
Education
Students in Rosharon attend the Angleton Independent School DistrictAngleton Independent School District
Angleton ISD is a public school district in Angleton, Texas , operating 5 levels of education. Established in 1897, AISD encompasses in Brazoria County, serving Angleton as well as the Village of Bonney, parts of the unincorporated area of Rosharon, and the unincorporated areas of Chocolate...
. In the 20th century the Rosharon school district was consolidated into the Angleton district, and busing into Angleton began in the late 20th century.
Rosharon residents attend Manvel
Manvel, Texas
Manvel is a city in Brazoria County, Texas, United States. The current population is approximately 7,160 as of April 2008, a 235% growth over the 3,046 population recorded in the last official US Census in 2000.- Geography :...
schools in the Alvin ISD. Manvel High School
Manvel High School
Manvel High School is a secondary school located at 19601 Texas State Highway 6 in Manvel, Texas, United States.Manvel High School serves 9th through 12th grade and is part of Alvin Independent School District.- History :...
, Manvel Junior High, and E.C Mason Elementary
Rosharon is within the attendance zone of the Alvin Community College
Alvin Community College
Alvin Community College is a community college in Brazoria County in the U.S. state of Texas. Alvin Community College provides educational opportunities in workforce training, academics, technical fields, adult basic education, and personal development.As defined by the Texas Legislature, the...
. Rosharon was included through H.B. No. 2744, filed on March 6, 2007.
Recreation
In 2010 Wake Nation, a company headquartered in Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
purchased 20 acres (8.1 ha) of land to build Wake Nation Houston, a water sports complex that would be the company's second cable waterboarding park. Construction is scheduled to begin in Spring of 2011. The company selected Greater Houston
Greater Houston
Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown is a 10-county metropolitan area defined by the Office of Management and Budget. It is located along the Gulf Coast region in the U.S. state of Texas...
because of the area's size, weather, and relatively inexpensive land.