top of page

GOD & TEXAS: Changing Names


Have you ever visited Oneida, Texas? Or maybe the Texas towns of Connally’s Store, Tile City, Fiddlers Ridge, Mercer’s Crossing, or Santa Dorotea? The one thing these towns have in common is that they all changed their names.

Forty miles southwest of San Antonio, Connally’s Store started in the 1860’s. It was named after Bob Connally who operated a general store that supplied home and farm products. But in 1883, town leaders changed the name to Bigfoot to honor Texas hero William A.A. (Bigfoot) Wallace. The main features of Bigfoot include the Bigfoot Wallace Museum and a historic tree that stands in the middle of FM 472.

Fiddlers Ridge was named after Marvin McCracken who was an automotive mechanic by profession and a fiddle maestro on weekends. Before it became Fiddlers Ridge, it was called Tile City because most of the homes were built using tile from a factory in Mineral Wells, six miles west. But in 1942, at a lengthy town meeting, leaders changed the name to Cool, because it was cooler than other places.

Located in the Panhandle, Oneida became a center for railroad and ranching interests when J.T. Berry arrived in 1887. His townsite promised free land to cowboys who chose to settle there, and shop at his store, of course. But soon popular opinion rejected the original name and they changed it to Amarillo, after a nearby lake and creek.

Founded in 1829 by Eli Mercer, Mercers Crossing was located on the road from Matagorda to Columbus. Eli operated a large plantation and a well-used ferry crossing on the Colorado River. The area was also blessed with fertile soil that produced an abundance of corn, sugar cane, and cotton. Despite a severe drought around 1830, the fields produced enough corn to help many settlers all over the region. Soon, they started to refer to Mercer’s Crossing as Egypt, in memory of the Biblical story found in Genesis 42:1-3.

While there were many other towns that changed their name, do not overlook Santa Dorotea, one of the oldest towns in Texas. In 1749, the Spanish government moved Mission Espiritu and the Presidio La Bahia to a small Indian village 90 miles southeast of San Antonio. They initially named the area Santa Dorotea. But after the small town grew, the name was officially changed to Goliad in 1829.

Changing names goes back into Bible times. God changed Abram to Abraham (Genesis 17:5), and Jacob became Israel (Genesis 32:28). In the New Testament Jesus changed Simon to Peter (John 1:42), and He called the brothers James and John, Boanerges, or the sons of thunder.

Did you know that one day, all those who know Christ as Savior, will receive a new name (Revelation 2:17). Our earthly name is always associated with finite human imperfection. But in Heaven, our new name will be richer in significance and will precisely identify who we are in Christ so that God will receive all of the glory. What a day that will be!


For more inspirational reading please visit www.davidroseministries.com

To purchase the book GOD and TEXAS by David G. Rose please visit www.amazon.com

Comments


Featured Posts
Recent Posts
    bottom of page