Williamsburg

The tiny settlement of Williamsburg is located off U. S. highway 77 and about four miles south of Hallettsville in central Lavaca County. The village was settled near Rocky Creek in 1876 and named after its founder John Williams. Williams owned a gristmill and general store and also served as an early postmaster. In 1884 the Texas State Gazetteer reported a population of 120. At that time Williamsburg (spelled Williamsburgh) had a school, church, steam sawmill, and cotton gin. Residents included physician W. D. Burt, carpenter W. P. Gainer, blacksmith B. J. Grace, and teacher Miss H. D. Lay. Williamsburg's population increased to 150 in 1890 and was 200 by 1896, when the town supported both Catholic and Methodist churches. By 1910, however, the post office closed, and the community suffered a decline. As late as the 1930s the area consisted of farms and a rural school, but no population statistics were available. Williamsburg still appeared on highway maps in the 1980s, and the Hallettsville Municipal Airport was located in the vicinity.