Quemado

Normandy is on U.S. Highway 277 one mile east of the Rio Grande and three miles southeast of Quemado in northwestern Maverick County. Around 1878 the Lehmann Ranch, described as a small settlement composed chiefly of resident Mexican ranch employees, was established at the site. A post office by the name of Upson was established there in 1879 with Frank R. Lehmann as postmaster. During the remainder of the nineteenth century the small community had a couple of stores and a one-teacher school, which in 1897 had thirty-eight students. The Upson post office was discontinued in March 1901 and was replaced by the Quemado post office in 1903. Louisa Lehmann was postmistress. The community was also known as Lehmann's Ranch at that time and had an estimated 200 residents. In 1915 Lehmann Ranch was a military headquarters for United States soldiers during the Mexican Revolution. The Quemado post office was discontinued in 1918. In 1937 another local post office opened as Normandy with Edna W. Brewer as postmistress. By 1939 Normandy had three businesses and an estimated population of sixty. The population remained stable until 1956, when an estimated population of 250 was reported. In 1964 the population was 260. Since Normandy was in the Maverick County canal system, the increase in population was due to increased profitability of agricultural production. By 1968 the population had dropped to an estimated 138, and by 1974 only ninety-eight people and one business were reported. In 1990 and again in 2000 Normandy still had an estimated population of ninety-eight.