Johnson's Gin

Kelm, an early farming community three miles west of Emhouse in north central Navarro County, was first settled in 1854 by T. R. Kelm. A local school was constructed in the early 1890s, and in 1894 a post office opened. By 1896 the town had two churches, a grocery store, a cotton gin, a general store, and an estimated population of 400. The town continued to prosper until 1907, when the Trinity and Brazos Valley Railway bypassed it two miles to the east. Most of the businesses and residents moved to the newly established town of Emhouse on the railroad, and by 1910 Kelm was a ghost town.

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Christopher Long | © 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

Johnson's Gin is part of or belongs to the following places:

Currently Exists

No

Place type

Johnson's Gin is classified as a Town

Associated Names

  • (Kelm)

Has Post Office

No

Is Incorporated

No