Glen Rose Texas 20th-Century Ruins
Glen Rose Texas has a long history dating back to the 1870′s. After a prosperous beginning, the community went through tough financial times during much of the 20th Century. In 1902 a tornado damaged the Somervell County Courthouse and part of the town square. It took many years before that damage was completely repaired and the courthouse was finally restored.
That changed in the 1980′s when the Comanche Nuclear Power Plant was constructed. The plant brought much needed commerce and tax revenues. Since then, a building boom and tourism have helped the community grow.
As a result of the recent prosperity, there’s very little apparent decay to be found in Glen Rose. The old abandoned station pictured above is located on County Road 312. My guess is it was originally a country store and filling station.
Until a few years ago, there was an old iron bridge down the road. This bridge was one of the kit bridges counties bought in the early 20th century because they were cheap and they could construct them themselves. It’s just a guess, but I think this may have been a often-used road before Highway 67 was built.
The old building in the picture is constructed of cement, bricks and petrified wood. This unusual stone, a form of fossilized wood, is used in older buildings throughout the Glen Rose area. The gazebo and star fountain on the town square incorporate this stone. A little further up Barnard street, just maybe a block or so from the courthouse, heading back towards Highway 67, there’s an old building built from petrified wood that today houses an art gallery. The old high school building is another example of a large building constructed using this type of stone.
Where
On County Road 312. From the Sonic (restaurant) go out the back entrance turning left onto CR 312. It’s just a few hundred feet down the road.
For more information about the Glen Rose area see our Glen Rose Texas Guide.
