Wood County Historical Commission, Quitman, Texas

11/04/2026

Jim Phillips of the Wood County Historical Commission presented historical recognition awards on Sat., Oct. 31, 2026, at 2:30 pm, at the pavilion at Jim Hogg Park. The 2026 recipients were announced and will be honored, along with County Judge Kevin White and Wood County Commissioners, on Tues., Nov. 10, 2026, 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. at the WCHC OPEN HOUSE, Archives & Research Center (ARC Building), 115 Lipscomb, Quitman, Texas. We are located north of the Courthouse just across the parking lot. Refreshments will be served.

Wood County Historical Recognition Recipients 2026 are as follows:

Lifetime Achievement: people who have spent a lifetime preserving Wood County history…Jerry Bolding (preservation work of Chalybeate Springs, located east of Winnsboro off Hwy 11 E).

Community History Project: people who saved a part of Wood County history through architectural preservation or publication…D’Ann Drennan (preservationist… restoration and preservation of the old Lloyd School [Coke], located west of Winnsboro, FM 515 W).

Guardians of Heritage: storytellers of Wood County history and culture…the late Ona Wood (local historian and preservationist; artifact contributor to the Ima Hogg Museum; member of the Publication Committee for the Wood County 1850-1900 book).

Come join us on Tues., Nov. 10, 10:00 a.m-2:00 p.m. to celebrate our award recipients, their families, Judge White, and county commissioners!!!

11/04/2026

A little more about New Hope…

History of New Hope, Texas: From Settlement to Community

Explore the rich history of New Hope, Texas, from its early settlement in 1842 to its development as a community with schools and churches. Discover the stories behind its name and growth.

11/04/2026

A newly-erected state historical marker commemorates the New Hope Common School District No. 33 site (1937-1964) and was recently honored with a local dedication and alumni gatherings which were hosted at the nearby New Hope Baptist Church.

New Hope School was a historical rural school in the unincorporated community of New Hope in Wood County, Texas, located about four miles east of Mineola on FM 1801, about one mile east of the New Hope Baptist Church.

The older school building was located across from the church but was vacated in 1936. It was later torn down. A newer school building was constructed about one mile down the road around 1937, featuring separate wings for different grades (1st through 10th grades), an administration office, and a principal's office. This newer school remained open until 1964. New Hope School then consolidated with the Mineola Independent School District.

Much appreciation to Jim Phillips, Chair of the Wood County Historical Commission and Historical Markers and Research Committee, for his work in procuring this beautiful marker for New Hope School.

10/31/2026

10/29/2026

The 123rd Wood County Old Settlers Reunion will be held at Jim Hogg Park on Saturday, October 31, and Sunday, November 1, 2026. This year will feature the return of a carnival.

A LITTLE HISTORY AND BACKGROUND…
The Old Settlers Reunion in Quitman, Texas, is an annual community heritage celebration that began in 1898 as an end-of-harvest gathering for Wood County, Texas.

Origins and Early History:
• Founding (1898–1900): The event was organized under the leadership of local newspaper editor James L. Ray. The first official committee-run reunion took place in 1900, initially held on the lawn in front of the Wood County courthouse for two years.
• J.H. Jones and the Permanent Grounds (1902): J.H. Jones…an Alabama native who arrived in Texas in 1877, taught school, and later served as Wood County clerk and a Quitman merchant…donated a seven-acre tract of land to the Old Settlers of Wood County Association in 1902.
• Land Ownership: The committee donated the land to the State of Texas with a formal agreement allowing them to lease it for one week every year for the reunion. The property later transferred to the City of Quitman and is now known as Governor Jim Hogg City Park (also referred to as Governor Hogg Shrine State Park).

Evolution and Traditions:
• Schedule Change: Traditionally held during the summer at the end of the harvest, the multi-day event was later moved to late October or early November to escape the severe East Texas summer heat.
• Core Activities: Over the decades, staples of the reunion have included gospel music nights, local vendor booths, historical fellowship, and a traditional carnival.
• Milestones: Except for a brief interruption during World War I, the homecoming has continued annually, marking its 123rd multi-day celebration in 2026. The historical significance of the site is commemorated by a Texas Historical Commission marker dedicated to J.H. Jones and the Old Settlers Reunion Grounds.

10/29/2026

The 123rd Wood County Old Settlers Reunion will be held at Jim Hogg Park in Quitman, Texas, on Saturday, October 31, and Sunday, November 1, 2026. This year will feature the return of a carnival.

Also, please note that the Wood County Historical Commission will present awards on Sat., Oct. 31, 2026, at 2:30 pm at the pavilion. The 2026 recipients will be announced at this time. Previous recipients for Wood County Historical Recognition Awards 2025 were as follows:

Lifetime Achievement: people who have spent a lifetime preserving Wood County history…Saundra Burge, Sue Hamm, Bill Jones, Lou Mallory, Ulna McWhorter.

Community History Project: people who saved a part of Wood County history through architectural preservation or publication…Cemeteries of Wood County by Ida Marie Turner, Adele W. Vickery.

Guardians of Heritage: storytellers of Wood County history and culture…Joe Dan Boyd, James Dear, Fred Morrow, Sam White.

🎡🍂 TWO DAYS AWAY! Your Wood County Old Settlers Reunion schedule is here!

We’re getting ready for a full weekend of carnival rides, fall fun, hometown traditions, and activities for the whole family at Gov. Jim Hogg City Park in Quitman!

📅 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31 | 8:30 AM–8 PM

🏃 8:30 AM: Monster Mash Dash 5K
🧵 10 AM: Stitchin' Heaven Quilt Shop at the Arboretum
🍴 10 AM: Food trucks open
🎨 10 AM: Stitchin’ Heaven kids crafts
⚡ 11 AM: WCEC member meeting
🦛 11 AM: Hungry Hippos, maze + kiddy midway
🎡 NOON: Carnival + retail vendors
🎱 1 PM: Quitman-Lake Fork Kiwanis Club Bingo
🏛️ 2:30 PM: Wood County Historical Commission presentation
🥧 3 PM: Pie-eating contest
🐴 5 PM: Stitchin’ Heaven hay rides
🎃 5 PM: Trunk-or-treat + church bands
👻 6 PM: Costume contest

📅 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1 | 11 AM–7 PM

🎡 11 AM: Carnival, Hungry Hippos, maze, kiddy midway, food + retail vendors
🎱 1 PM: Bingo + co****le
🎶 5 PM: Live music with The Erwins

🎟️ Carnival wristbands are required for rides. Activities are subject to change.

📲 Want all the details? Visit our website for the full schedule, locations, and event information:
https://oldsettlersreunion.org/full-schedule

Bring your friends, bring the family, and make a weekend of it! We can’t wait to see everyone at the 2026 Wood County Old Settlers Reunion! 🎡🍂

10/24/2026

More photos from the DAR Day of Service as members cleaned headstones at Mineola City Cemetery (Cedars Memorial Gardens) today, Sat., Oct. 24, 2026. Thank you, Ron Schell, for sharing the photos with me!

10/24/2026

Ron Schell, WCHC Cemetery Chair, helped coordinate the efforts of these ladies on their DAR Day of Service as they cleaned headstones at Mineola City Cemetery (Cedars Memorial Gardens) today, Sat., Oct. 24, 2026. Thank you, Ron, for your work in promoting cemetery preservation!!

10/01/2026

RAIN OR SHINE…The City of Quitman and the Wood County Metal Detecting Club are working together on CLEAN SWEEP at the Jim Hogg Park Sat., Oct. 3, and Sat., Oct. 10, 2026. We will be there from 8:00 a.m. until 4 p.m. both days. Don Mayborn is the point man on this project. It is named CLEAN SWEEP because participants will be gathering all the trash above ground AND below the ground. We will be donating everything found to the Jim Hogg Museum. All the scrap metal will be recycled. Everyone is invited to come out and visit and/or help with this community project. Hope to see y’all there!! A little rain won’t damper our spirits for this project!! Come on!! Joyce Alexander Williams Jerry Tinney Don Mayborn

08/06/2026

Here’s the old oak tree referenced in the organization of Wood County on August 5, 1850. Photos courtesy of Joyce Alexander Williams.