During the Ore City Fun Festival on Saturday, it was like time stood still and 9-year-old Austin Clark Minor got to shake hands with his great-great-grandfather, Clark C. Coppedge, who carried mail during the railroad time, when Austin unveiled the historical marker at the site where the PB&IO Railroad (Port Bolivar & Iron Ore) once ran through Ore City. The historical marker is the third to proudly grace Ore City.

The Railroad and the marker memorializes more than a company or a location however. It stands for the Founders of the community. The railway ran from Ore City seven miles north to Ero (Ore backward) twice a day from 1912 to 1926 carrying mail, cotton, lumber, and people. Then it connected to Port Bolivar on the Gulf and Inter-State Railway enabling shipments of the rich iron ore to be transported on down to the Gulf, then shipped to Philadelphia. World War I halted the extension of the road. Legend has it that when they abandoned the railroad in 1927, they burned the bridges behind them as the train crossed.

As a crowd gathered for the unveiling, Mayor Glenn Breazeale introduced the event.

He shared about the history of the railroad, but also of the property where the marker is placed as well. The area was first known as Murry League. William Murry had been given a league and a labor of land for fighting in the Texas Independence Revolution. (As far as anyone knows, he never stepped foot on the land, however.)

Joshua Clark and William Lindsey Coppedge, two brothers-in-law out of Danceyville, Tenn., came down and looked over the property and bought it to bring down friends and relatives in 1853.

They formed a wagon train with four families—the Clarks, Coppedges, Pettits, Armstrongs and the Armstrong’s slaves. They built a school, a church, and farms.

In 1910, a portion of the Armstrong land was purchased for the railroad and city buildings. And the rest is history!

Mayor Breazeale first introduced John Markham, who birthed the idea of the marker along with other sponsors Judy Markham and Robert Newsom. Markham then was privileged to introduce his grandson, Austin.

Jim Daniels, County Historical Commission Chair, was up next. He is the liaison to the Texas Historical Commission for marker applications. Breazeale said that Mildred Harrison had seen Daniels earlier that day and said “Welcome home!” Mr. Daniels said that he “felt at home cuz he grew up huntin’ and fishin’ down the road there in Ore City!”

He told about the process for obtaining the marker. Judy Markham was credited with most of the year-long diligence. Robert Newsom financed the project and, along with John, encouraged Judy from the start. Much research and arduous labor went into filing the paperwork.

The marker site is near the Ore City Playstation park, which was designed to honor the railway as well. Inside the park is a history wall with pictures depicting the events through time of the history of the town including the railroad. Children’s handprints decorate the wall as well and Austin’s print will evermore stand for something significant...a handshake through time.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Carol Brock writes the Ore City News for The Gilmer Mirror, as well as covering events there.