Crabb

Who decided that a town needed a minimum of 200 people to have a mayor? This question bothered young Brian Zimmerman. He was only 11 years old in 1983 when he won an unofficial election for mayor of Crabb. Crabb is a small unincorporated community here in Fort Bend County. You wouldn’t know it to look at it now, but in the late 1800s, Crabb was a bustling hub with a population of 400. It even had its own cotton gin, two doctors, two orchards, and a Methodist church. Back then, it was known as Crabb Switch thanks to Eliza Jane Crabb who owned the land the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway used for their track. But the town’s fortunes dwindled, and by the time Brian Zimmerman entered the scene, Crabb was struggling to stay afloat. Brian, however, wasn’t deterred by the town’s size or its dwindling population. He campaigned with a vigor that would have impressed seasoned politicians. He pledged to bring back businesses and revitalize Crabb. He even envisioned incorporating the town. His youthful enthusiasm caught the attention of the media, and soon, Brian Zimmerman, the boy mayor of Crabb, became a national sensation. Imagine being 11 years old and having the weight of a town’s hopes on your shoulders. Young Brian faced a peculiar dilemma. If his efforts to incorporate Crabb were successful, he would lose his mayorship. Texas state law prohibited minors from holding the office. His story even inspired a movie called “Lone Star Kid”. Although his initial bid to incorporate Crabb failed, Brian was undeterred. He continued to serve as mayor, determined to put Crabb back on the map.