HomeMy WebLinkAboutCollege Station History - A Primer 1876-1981 r
College Station History —a primer.
Harvey Mitchell, T. Fredrick Cox, Rebecca and Nelson Rector donate 2416 acres
for the A &M College of Texas on June 21, 1871.
Land is located four miles south of Bryan, "Far enough away from evil influences
of the city so the morals of the students would be protected."
1876: October 4. College opens with 106 students.
1890: Electricity for the school is contracted from 'Water, Ice and Electric
Company of Bryan.
1893: College builds its own electric plant.
Off campus growth is virtually non existent until the 1920's.
Off campus rural living is primitive.
1897: Bike Club formed. Bike path between College and Bryan is adjacent to the
RR tracks.
A trolley is established between the College and Bryan. When not derailed, the
trolley ride takes 30 minutes.
1921: Dr. Floyd B. Clark forms the Southside Development Co. He uses College
utilities.
Professor Hensel, landscape architect, designs a small lake and tree plantings
off Dexter St. for College Park, the first subdivision. Dock Burk's house is the first
built. Lake is later drained because of mosquitoes.
1932: Hershel Burgess forms the Oakwood Realty Co. All utilities are built by the
developer. North Oakwood and South Oakwood subdivisions are developed by
the Oakwood Realty Co.
The college community had existed for 60 years but with minimal off campus
residential development. The community discussed incorporation. During these
discussions the city of Bryan annexed "as much land as legally possible,"
extending almost to Northgate and took over areas that previously had been part
of the A &M Consolidated School District.
1938 October 19 citizens vote 217 -39 to incorporate the City of College Station.
1939: February 25. First C.S. council meetingis held in the Administration
Building on campus. Thereafter they meet weekly in Room 400 of the Agricultural
building.
College Station becomes the only town between Houston and Dallas to have
Planning and Zoning.
Residents of North Oakwood subdivision unanimously vote to be annexed by
Bryan.
September: College orders all professors off campus by 1941.
First off campus meeting place for the council was on the second floor of
Aggieland Studio at Northgate.
The city's first property tax rate was .60 per $100 valuation.
The city's "official newspaper was the Battalion.
The city's first utility lines were built in 1939.
Sidney Loveless was the first secretary, treasurer, and city assessor /collector.
C.S. contracted with the College and Bryan for utility services.
1946: College Station negotiates with Bryan to buy the REA (Rural Electrification
Act) power lines in College Hills subdivision. These lines belong to Bryan. Bryan
agrees to set a valuation and to sell.
1947: December. First City Hall opens(now Cafe Excel).
1950: Four years after Bryan say they will sell the REA electrical lines to C.S.
they agree to do so under these conditions: C.S. must pay for the lines and the
city must build auxiliary lines around C.S. to serve REA patrons living outside
C.S. city limits, and C.S. can only buy electricity from Bryan. C.S. agrees.
1951: April. Battalion reports "war of annexation" between C.S. and Bryan. Bryan
is a "Home Rule" city and annexed aggressively. College Station citizens discuss
becoming a Home Rule city to ward off Bryan's attempts to take over areas
surrounding the city of C.S.
1952: January 8. C.S. citizens vote 220 -11 to become a Home Rule city.
1966: Mayor Andy Anderson announces his "displeasure with the Bryan - College
Station label. "We are no longer a little community. We need to think big. We
need a separate Chamber of Commerce and Newspaper."
Mayor Anderson and his council develop the city's first 5 year plan.
1976: January. Bryan's electrical rate for C.S. is 40% higher than leading
competitors. C.S. seeks a new source for electricity. Bryan's mayor, Lloyd Joyce,
threatens to end all water and sewer services provided to C.S. by Bryan if C.S.
does not renew the electrical contract.
The Bryan council prevents C.S. from getting a grant to build its first water well.
C.S. voters approve bonds to build its own water well and sewer treatment plant.
C.S. signs contract with Gulf State Utilities for electricity.
1977: Bryan sues to stop Gulf State Utilities from serving College Station.
1979: College Station signs contract with TAMU for the university to provide
water to the city at a reduced rate in exchange for ownership of a water well
"expressly drilled for the school at city expense."
Bryan council suggests College Station and Bryan form one city.
College Station citizens reject the notion citing differences of political and zoning
philosophies, and fear that Bryan will dominate and control College Station
areas.
1980: College Station forms the College Station Industrial Development
Foundation. Dennis Goehring heads the organization.
1981: December. College Station has its first independent water system.