Rockdale 150th History

Rockdale: A History

HEALTHCARE IN ROCKDALE TEXAS
A PERSONAL JOURNEY
By Dr. John M. Weed
  I am recording this history as a personal journey because I do not have access to precise dates and times of certain events. Please do not quote me as this is my vision of a difficult past but I think the lack of accuracy will be made up by for the drama of the events. This was drama filled with triumphs and defeats. Click HERE to read more...

Rockdale is at the intersections of U.S. Highway 79 and Farm roads 908 and 487, thirteen miles south of Cameron in southern Milam County. In 1873 George Green, B. F. Ackerman, and Frank Smith sold 400 acres of land to the International-Great Northern Railroad, which was laying track from Hearne to Austin. Click HERE to read more...

The Rockdale Post Office was established as an office of the Fourth Class on October 20, 1873, since which time fifteen men and two women have served as postmaster.
Names and dates follow:
James A. Muir        Oct. 20, 1873-March 3, 1874
Robert Doenicke    March 3, 1874-June 6, 1876
Milton Anthony June 6, 1876-April 26, 1877 Click HERE to read more...

Lignite is the most important mineral resource in the Rockdale area. It occurs in great quantities within Milam County. This resource of coal attracted the attention of the early settlers.
Seven years before the founding of Rockdale, in 1867, the coal deposits of Milam County were surveyed by Samuel B. Buckley, Assistant State Geologist. This survey showed extensive deposits of coal beds in the county. Click HERE to read more...

It was an arduous task to gather this information, to separate fact from fiction, and to select those persons whose lives and work meant something of value to Rockdale's history. Thus we present our part of Rockdale's Centennial literature.
         W. A. ALLEN
W. A. Allen was born in Jefferson, Texas, and reared by a white family that became his educational benefactors. He was to become the one and only Negro doctor in Rockdale's history. Practice began here in 1905 and his influence on the entire community was notable for many years.
Click HERE to read more...

 The Crucible of Milam County: Railroad Construction and Community competition in Late Nineteenth-Century Texas Philip G. Pope
Benjamin and Joseph Loewenstein came to Rockdale from Prussia in 1873. shortly before the arrival of the I&G. upon arriving, they opened a dry goods tore that came to be one of the most successful in the area. In addition to their store, they also operated the Rockdale Brick Works and helped build seven brick business buildings in Rockdale. 
Click HERE to read more...



  1. 1 Downtown Rockdale 1948 with bank and Dixie
  2. 2 Downtown Rockdale in 50s maybe
  3. 3 Early Rockdale with Fountain in the center of Main and Cameron Ave
  4. 4 Early street scene on Main St.
  5. 5 Farmers Union Gin, Rockdale 1909
  6. 6 Henry Garage old pic
  7. 7 Kay Theater Quanset hut from the WWII
  8. 8 Maxies in Rockdale corner of Bell and Main
  9. 9 OCH and Rockdale Police Department 2019 (2)
  10. 10 Old City Hall on a post card
  11. 11 Rockdale in 1910
  12. 12 Bank in Rockdale corner of Cameron and Ackerman
  13. 13 Bushdale cotton gin
  14. 14 Cameron St BLOCK with Vogels, Pruett Drug etc
  15. 15 Cameron St,Looking East from Main Rockdale, Texas
  16. 16 Cameron Street, Rockdale 1910 postcard
  17. 17 Cameron Street, Rockdale 1910
  18. 18 1910 picture of Rockdale and you can see the Old City Hall down Cameron Street_Page_1
  19. 19 1912 Rockdale Fair Park horse races
  20. 20 1916 Otto Stein Bakery wagon Parked in front of what is now Orsags on Main St, Rockdale
  21. 21 1952 Roberta Pounders, telephone operator in Rockdale in 1952
  22. 22 2015 Mike Brown article about pre-fires 1948 Rockdale photo
  23. 23 Rockdale pictures of Cameron St years apart and story of Rockdale v1_Page_2

Texas Alpha Tau Delta was the first chapter of Beta Sigma Phi in Rockdale. Beta Sigma Phi is an international noncollegiate sorority for women. Click HERE to read more...

The history of St. John’s United Methodist Church is closely intertwined with the history of Rockdale, Texas.  Established as a railroad town in 1874, by the International and Great Northern Railroad, new citizens of Rockdale were busy building a town and community in the agricultural area in central Texas. Click HERE to read more...

Rising Star Baptist Church was organized in 1907 under the leadership of Rev. W. M. Larry, in Tracy, (Milam County) Texas. A new edifice was built and dedicated December 4, 1924, under the leadership of Rev. D. Westbrook. Click HERE to read more...

On June 10, 1954, Rev. L>B> Jones, Pastor of First Baptist church, Rockdale, Texas appointed a committee composed of J>R> Fuller, Chairman, T>L. Austin, Jr., and Dale Cockrell to initiate the organization of a new church. Click HERE to read more...

  1. 1 2. Legacy Histories of Conoley, Duncan, Elevation Friendship, Gay Hill, Hamilton Chapel, Leadville,
  2. 2 3 Legacy Histories of Milano, Minerva New Salem Nashville-on-the Brazos
  3. 3 1. Legacy Histories of Bethelem, Bushdale, Button Prairie
  4. 4 Rockdale in 1910
  5. 5 The old Locket Home in Rockdale 1874
  6. 6 The old St. Joseph Catholic Church built in 1912
  7. 7 The Wolf Hotel We meet all trails, where American Legion building was on Main
  8. 8 Wallis House, one of the oldest houses in Rockdale. Is now the site of the New Rockdale Police Depa
  9. 9 Wolf Home next to City Hall on Cameron
  10. 10 Wolf Hotel - Copy
  11. 11 Wolf Hotel 2
  12. 12 WPA Mural at the Post Office in Rockdale
  13. 13 Scarbrough and Hicks in Rockdale 1910
  14. 14 scarbrough_hicks_1935_fire
  15. 15 Sherrif in front of Rockdale City Hall
  16. 16 Street Corner in Rockdale, Texas in 1951 by Russell Lee worked as a WPA photographer

Lucy Hill Patterson Memorial Library

In 1953-54 the library was actually started with 2,300 books donated by the citizens and the Texas State Library. October 17, 1954, the public was invited to an open house. In 1957, a lot donated by the heirs of E.M. Scarbrough to the city was offered as the site for a proposed George Sessions Perry Memorial Library. Perry was an author and native son of Rockdale. Hope for a Perry Library faded, however, due to funds being unavailable at that time.

In 1961, Dr. George Hill Patterson made a $12,500 donation in memory of his mother who was born in Rockdale. The city provided matching funds and on May 25, 1963 the dedication of the new Lucy Hill Patterson Library was held. Dr. Patterson was pleased with the acceptance and operation of the library and provided a generous gift in his will for library expansion. In 1980 the library was completely remodeled, tripling in size with a second story.

With a staff of three and an active volunteer program, a variety of programs and services are offered to patrons of all ages. The library currently works closely with the Milam County Genealogical Society and is a member of the Central Texas Library System.


Lucy Hill Patterson Memorial Library!

Rockdale Fire Department

Early records are not available to determine the actual time of the organization of the Rockdale Fire Department, but it is believed to be in the mid or late 1880's. Since that time Rockdale has been protected from loss by fire by a totally volunteer department. Apparatus used by the early firemen was hand-drawn hose carts pulled to the scene of a fire. One of these carts is still stored in our fire station. In the early 1900's a horse-drawn hook and ladder wagon became the pride of the department. Click HERE to read more...

With last week’s fire which gutted what’s believed to be the oldest house in Rockdale, there have now been six historic blazes within a slightly less than three-block area of downtown Rockdale. Click HERE to read more...

Rockdale Police Department

One of Milam County's most stalwart architectural artifacts - the two-story building at 140 W. Cameron Ave., that somberly originated as Rock dale City Hall and to day bustles in its new role as headquarters of the Rock dale Police Department - will be recognized with a Texas Historical Marker during 3 p.m. ceremonies Sunday, Oct. 23. Click HERE to read more...

  1. 1 2018 New Rockdale Police Department 1
  2. 2 2018 Rockdale Police Department
  3. 3 301 N. Wilcox Rockdale Firemans Memorial Garden
  4. 4 historic fires Jan 20 1974 Singer Grill-Veras Fads and Fashions
  5. 5 Document
  6. 6 1912-FireDeptFloat
  7. 7 Rockdale Volunteer Fire truck
  1. 1 Store2_Page_17
  2. 2 Store2_Page_18
  3. 3 Store2_Page_19
  4. 4 Store2_Page_20
  5. 5 The First Baptist Church at Rockdale
  6. 6 Store2_Page_08
  7. 7 Store2_Page_09
  8. 8 Store2_Page_10
  9. 9 Store2_Page_11
  10. 10 Store2_Page_12
  11. 11 Store2_Page_13
  12. 12 Store2_Page_14
  13. 13 Store2_Page_15
  14. 14 Store2_Page_16
  15. 15 The Rockdale Reporter
  16. 16 Store
  17. 17 Store2_Page_01
  18. 18 Store2_Page_02
  19. 19 Store2_Page_03
  20. 20 Store2_Page_04
  21. 21 Store2_Page_05
  22. 22 Store2_Page_06
  23. 23 Store2_Page_07
  24. 24 Building_Page_5
  25. 25 Building_Page_6
  26. 26 Main Street
  27. 27 Random Photos
  28. 28 Rockdale Post Office
  29. 29 Rockdale Streets 1910
  30. 30 1899_Page_08
  31. 31 1899_Page_09
  32. 32 1899_Page_10
  33. 33 Building_Page_1
  34. 34 Building_Page_2
  35. 35 Building_Page_3
  36. 36 Building_Page_4
  37. 37 1899_Page_01
  38. 38 1899_Page_02
  39. 39 1899_Page_03
  40. 40 1899_Page_04
  41. 41 1899_Page_05
  42. 42 1899_Page_06
  43. 43 1899_Page_07

Rockdale Schools

The school which bears the name "Aycock" was opened in 1902, and was known as the Rockdale Colored Public School. Its building consisted of two rooms furnished with a few battered desks, a bench or two for additional seating, a small table and chair for each teacher, two boxes of crayons, a few erasers plus a tin water pail and dipper which made up the supplies. Click HERE to read more...

School Board and Superintendent from 1936 to Current plus photos and information about the old schools. Click HERE to read more...

RISD Education Foundation. Click HERE to read more...

  1. 1 Pictures of Rockdale Schools as of 1956
  2. 2 Rockdale Schools in 1961 2
  3. 3 rockdale_high_school_old
  4. 4 Scenes from Fair Park 1927
  5. 5 School Building in Rockdale 1952 (1)
  6. 6 School Building in Rockdale 1952 (2)
  7. 7 The School 1927
  8. 8 Views around school 1927
  9. 9 Rockdale High School in early 1900s
  10. 10 Rockdale HS 1927
  11. 11 New Elem School 1961
  12. 12 1927 Elem. Playground and 2nd Gr class
  13. 13 1927 HS (2)
  14. 14 1927 HS
  15. 15 1952 1st and 2nd Graders
  16. 16 1952 All Rockdale School buildings
  17. 17 1952 Elem students entering old Elem school
  18. 18 1952 HS and gym
  19. 19 1952 HS kids in the Gym
  20. 20 1952 HS
  21. 21 1961 Rockdale Schools
  22. 22 HS and Gym in 1927
  23. 23 La Recluta and La Escuelita v1_Page_1
  24. 24 La Recluta and La Escuelita v1_Page_2
  25. 25 RIS (front) 2024
  26. 26 Rockdale HS 2024
  27. 27 Rockdale Intermediate School 2024
  28. 28 Rockdale Jr. High School 2024
  29. 29 Old Rockdale HS Gym now Elementary Gym 2024
  30. 30 RES (front) 2023
  31. 31 RHS (front) 2024
  32. 32 RHS Cafeteria 2024
  33. 33 RHS front 2024

Surrounding Communities

BETHELEM – 1974 (Researched by Mrs. Roy Lee Vongonten) Bethlehem, a farming community three miles north of Rockdale was named for the Biblical city of Bethlehem. Some of the early settlers who came to this area were Wilhelm Guthman, August Seelke, Sr., Charles Brockenbush, Tom Phillips, S. W. Christian, Henry Walker, Antone Strelsky, J. M. Corley, dr. Isaacs, Spratt Wilson, David Hamilton, William P. Henry, Oscar L. Moody, Joe Frank Horton, Carl Kraatz, William Luetge, J. Busby, and Thomas Murray. Click HERE to read more...