Drawn to the Jellico Plaque, one might wonder about the story it silently holds. The Jellico Plaque marks a place with a history rooted in the late 1800s. Robert Emmett Wilson and his family came to this area. It was during the 1880s. Wilson built a general store near this very site.
Jellico was chosen as the community’s name. This happened when a post office was established in 1898. The town was named after a town in Tennessee. Some settlers had come from that Tennessee town.
By 1895, Jellico was a bustling place. It had a cotton gin. A blacksmith shop served the community. There was also a grist mill and a syrup press. A school educated the children. Jellico was a self-sufficient town.
The town’s fortunes shifted. Cotton prices fell in 1907. This event started Jellico’s decline. Wilson’s General Store closed in 1912. The school was consolidated into another district.
The Jellico Plaque stands as a reminder. It reminds us that Jellico existed. Robert Emmett Wilson was central to Jellico’s establishment. He purchased land north of Big Bear Creek in 1881. Later in 1888, Wilson bought more land. He then built his general store. It sat on the north side of the Keller-Grapevine road.
In 1897, an attempt was made to name the post office Burr. The name was rejected. The town was named after the Jellico Ranch. The general store was located on this ranch. Early settlers had come from Jellico, Tennessee. The Jellico post office served about 300 people.
Before 1895, Wilson invested in a steam-operated cotton gin. It cost him $7,000. He moved it south of the general store. The blacksmith shop and other businesses clustered around the gin. The Lone Elm School operated north of the general store. It apparently existed from 1877 to 1917.
Wilson’s fortunes turned when cotton and cattle prices dropped in 1907. He had cosigned several debts. He sold the gin, mill, and cattle press. He then opened a dipping vat for cattle.
As automobiles became common, shopping habits changed. People could easily go to Keller, Grapevine, and other towns. The Jellico general store was no longer profitable. It closed its doors in 1912. The post office had already closed in 1903.
Today, a shopping center called Jellico Corners marks the spot. It was built in 1984. The Jellico Plaque stands as a testament. It tells the story of a community. It once thrived but faded with time. This plaque marks the spot where Jellico once stood. It ensures the town is not forgotten.