Danbury

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Map of Brazoria County

Danbury is on Spur 28 two miles off State Highway 35 and five miles northeast of Angleton in Brazoria County. Until the coming of the Missouri Pacific Railroad in 1905–06 this area was populated only by a few ranchers and farmers. The railroad gave access to hundreds of acres of rich farmland that had previously been almost inaccessible, and several towns grew up along the route. It is said the railroad construction workers gave the town its name in honor of D. J. "Uncle Dan" Moller, an area rancher who often entertained them at night with music and tall tales. Other sources say it was named for a Daniel T. Miller. Land promoters bought up large tracts and advertised in the North and Midwest. Settlers began to arrive, and a hotel was built to accommodate them. A demonstration farm garden was planted. Businesses began to open, including a general store, in which a post office was established in 1909.

Since most of the newcomers engaged in truck farming, docks were built on Austin Bayou, two miles southeast of Danbury, to ship produce by boat to Galveston. Watermelons, strawberries, cabbages, and onions went by train to Chicago, New York, and other cities in the north. When oil was found at nearby Hoskins Mound, it, too, was shipped by rail from Danbury. By 1916 most of the northerners had left, discouraged by freezes, floods, and storms; Czech farmers began to move into the area.

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Marie Beth Jones | © TSHA

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Adapted from the official Handbook of Texas, a state encyclopedia developed by Texas State Historical Association (TSHA). It is an authoritative source of trusted historical records.

Belongs to

Danbury is part of or belongs to the following places:

Currently Exists

Yes

Place type

Danbury is classified as a Town

Location

Latitude: 29.22729780
Longitude: -95.34624000

Has Post Office

Yes

Is Incorporated

Yes

Population Count, 2021 View more »

1,655