The Water Fountain at Commerce & Sherman

Dad mentioned a photo he'd discussed with other long-time Mexia residents which shows a fountain in the center of an intersection of the town, probably turn of the century.

This is at the intersection of Commerce and Sherman, facing west toward the railroad

a closer view of the fountain appears in another photograph, looking the opposite direction with the railroad behind us

this 1885 map shows the Opera House in its position on Commerce Street, so it had been there for decades before the explosion in 1916

which didn't really narrow down the date of the fountain at all.

I was intrigued enough to go digging around to find out its history and, it turns out, its link with another turn of the century photograph in the same Facebook group, Old Time Mexia Photographs

The photo below is captioned incorrectly. The year is not 1905, it's 1906.

It was taken by the visiting photographer from the Dallas News.

It is this 1906 celebration, in fact, that led to the fountain in the first photo above.

That fountain, the three-tiered one, was not actually the first built on the spot.

Which means we can safely date the photograph no earlier than July, 1907.

If you'd like to follow the trail of newspaper clippings that got me to this date, here's the whole story:

June 15, 1905

A deal was reached to sell the waterworks plant to some with enough capital to connect to the Springfield water source and pipe water into Mexia. This has been one of the biggest stumbling blocks for enterprise growth in the town.

Waterworks Plant Sold

New Owners Will Connect with Springfield, thus giving us Plenty of Good Water

At last the deal for the transfer of the waterworks plant has been closed and the property is now owned by Mr. A. M. Turner and associates of Hillsboro.

The new company will take charge immediately and being the work of improving the plant and connecting it with the spring at old Springfield, laying an 8 or 10 inch pipe. It is believed that the connection will be made in about four months and then Mexia will have an abundancce of good, pure water suitable for all purposes.

This ought to put new life into the old town and cause it to step up high, for the lack of water in the apst has been the stumbling block for every enterprise that has been spoken of for Mexia. "Yes, but haven't any water," has been the cry for to these many years until our people have come to believe that with plenty of water we could have almost any kind of manufacturing enterprise.

Now that we have it in sight, let us all go to work and make a pull for those Frisco shops when the T.&B.V. is taken over by the Yoakum people, and let us have a steam laundry, an ice plant, a cannery, a creamery, and lots of other good things.

Hurrah for Mexia and her prospective water works anyway.

July 20, 1905

Water Works Deal Closed

The Plant is now the Property of the new Company and work on the Pipe Line will Begin Immediately

The papers have been signed up and the water works plan and franchise are now the property of the Turner people.

The survey of the line has been made from Springfield to the standpipe and nothing no remains to be done except to dig the ditch and lay the pipe. When Mexia will have at last secured an abundance of good pure water, something we have been in sore need for lo, these many years.

It is expected that work on the pipe line will begin at once and . . . proceed as rapidly as possible to an early completion. When this water is turned on Mexia can support a steam laundry, an ice plant, a cannery, and several other things that have been tried but had to suspend for want of sufficient water to run on.

We . . . the marking of a new era in the history and prosperity of Mexia and surrounding country, and our people should grasp the situations and reach out for other improvements that are sure to look this way for a field.

The company has also bought the electric light plant and Mr. H.O. Cravens has been retained as manager of the business, both light and water. Mr. Cravens will establish an office in the rear of the Western Bank and Trust Company, where his machinery for the fan plant is located.

Feb. 8, 1906

March 1, 1906

March 15, 1906

March 22, 1906

May 24, 1906

May 30, 1906

The first meeting had a date around July 4th for the Big Water Celebration

June 7, 1906

The Celebration is moved from July 4th to June 27th

June 14, 1906

June 27, 1906: Mexia's Big Day

June 28, 1906

(transcribed below clippings)

Our big celebration is now history. It has gone down in history as a turning point in our progressive little city. We did not pronounce the verdict, neither do we now pronounce it, but we merely give you the verdict of our visitors.

A News reporter on his rounds briefly interviewed a number of influential citizens from all points of the State and their expressions made us feel that the many weeks of patient toil and the $3500 cash expended by the various committees and the enterprising business firms and individuals was not in vain.

Promptly at 8:30 a.m. old Val Verde bellowed forth the proclamation that a New Mexia was born, and throughout the day she livened things up with her melodious voice.

Immediately after the beautiful street parade was over Capt. T.J. Gibson crowned as queen of love, beauty, and a Greater Mexia, Miss Gary Doyle.

The official photographer for the Dallas News arrived at this juncture on the Central and made a photograph of the crowd and floats around the band stand.

From here the crowd went to the city hall where Mayor Reynolds delivered an address of welcomes, after which Capt. T.J. Gibson in a splendid speech told the "History of the City of Mexia."

At this juncture dinner was announced and the thousands of visitors seemed to enjoy it immensely.

The afternoon program consisted of political speaking . . . the candidates had a large and attentive audience.

At 2:30 p.m. there was a water-fight by members of the Mexia fire department which furnished amusement for several thousand visitors.

After the water-fight there were two games of baseball at the park between Hubbard City and Mexia and the attendance at these games broke all previous records. The honors were even, each team winning one game.

At 5:00 o'clock Hon. C.K. Bell candidate for the democratic nomination for governor spoke at the band stand at the foot of Commerce Street. His speech was along the lines of his former speeches delivered at other places.

Following is the order of the parade:

Mounted Officers: Joe Johnston Rifles, Capt. N.P. Houx, Lieut Claude Exell

Prairie Grover Band

Queen's Float beautifully decorated in white, Queen Miss Gary Doyle

Attendants: Misses Katten, Ross, Corley, and Ward

Mounted escort: Masters Lewis, Wyckoff, McKenzie, and Rosst

Attendants: Mildred Desenberg, Elizabeth Watson, Fanchel Jackson, Frederika Karner, Annie Lou Karner, Milton Lanning, Phil Karner Jr., Henry Munger

Karner and Phillips float

Cowboys advertising Jackson Bros. saddlery

Blue and white trimmed charior drawn by two white horses driven by Miss Gerda Epperson

Maud and Si. representing harness made by Jackson Bros. harness factory

Chariot draped in red, drawn by two dapple gray ponies driven by Miss Anita Park

Hardware and harness float, Jackson Bros.

Daniel Dick's 'horseless carriage' pushed by two oxen and representing his export timber business

Mr. and Mrs. H.O. Cravens' beautifully decorated vehicle

Beautufiul horse carrying a $100 saddle, Jackson Bros.

Decorated vehicle, Mr. Edwin Mitchell and Miss Miller, of Ennis

Hay seed band, Mr. Gilder H. Fields, drum major. This band was indeed a great feature.

Old Val Verde drawn by four horses

Pat B. Jones cannon drawn by four horses

D.H. Gibson's vehicle decorated in white

Old Glory carried by E.W. Williams and Mrs. James T. Bennitt representing the Daughters of the Confederacy

horseback riders, ladies and gentlemen

Decorated vehicle of Richard C. Steen

Decorated vehicle of Will Corley

Decorated vehicle Miss Louise Bonner

Maypole float, and young ladies

Sanky Park's Shetland pony and vehicle

Famous Shoe Store decorated vehicle consisting of a large white shoe drawn by a beautiful white horse, driven by little Miss Ruth Jackson dressed in white.

Jos. Nussbaum & Co. Hardware float

Buster Brown's float with Buster and Mary Jane and Tige on board. On the wagon was an inscription which read: "Resolved, that we get married and move to Mexia where they have the finest water on earth."

W.D. Pittman's float advertising his business

Pumpkin wagon from Arkansas full of pretty girls

Tehuacana's beautiful white float with a number of young ladies and gentlemen on board. This float won the prize by Mr. A.T. Schulz for the best out-of-town vehicle.

J.B. Mathis of Tehuacana, decorated vehicle.

Hodges & Smith's float advertising their grocery store.

Beautifully decorated vehicle occupied by Miss Cook of Marlin and Miss Lou Dell Houx, driven by a little colored boy.

Beautifully decorated vehicle of Mrs. J. Desenberg in green and white

Decorated trap of the little Misses Desenberg drawn by a pretty little pony.

Beautifully decorated trap of Waller Cosnahan, drawn by a Shetland pony full of babies. The decorations were snow white: all the babies dressed in white and carried white and pink parasols.

Goat car, Master W.B. Renolds. This little turnout was another feature of the parade and attracted lots of attention and drew much applause.

Masters Rober and Reuben Storey, twin boys of Mr. and Mrs. W.R. Storey in a little decorated push cart.

The next vehicle was indeed the feature in this parade and would have been in any parade. It contained representatives of five generations of people, the descendents of Mr. Alfonso Steele, veteran soldier of the San Jacinto battlefield and an honored citizen of Limestone county. If there is a town or city in Texas that can beat this record we take off our hat to it.

Ox team of four drawing two of the Bonner Hardware Co's wagon, filled with candidates.

Oscar Park, very much dressed up, on a wheel.

Mayor Rennolds surrey containing the members of the Water Company.

Wagon load of old Confederates in their beautiful grey uniforms in the wagon of Comrade J.M. Des, with "Boney" the faithful old colored man driving the team.

Mexia Fire Department still the best volunteer fire fighters in Texas

The Queen, Miss Lelia Kennedy, with her maids of honor and the rpetty little daughter of Mr. Frank Houser in a pretty uniform.

Flower float of fifteen young girls.

Boys float carrying a banner inscribed thus, "Future voters of Texas."

Daughters of Confederacy in a surry

Beautiful Float of little Japs with the little folks dressed in the Oriental costume.

Float load of tacky folks which was very attractive and elicited much applause with their back talk.

The beautiful fountain in the center of Sherman and Commerce street under an arc light containing a beautiful fern and a number of large black-bass was one of the main attractions of Wednesday. Mr. John A. Gentry deserves much credit for this fountain and Mr. Joe Murphy and Mr. John Groover also deserve credit for catching the fish. The large bass the property of Joe Murphy.

The decorations of the city as well as those of the enterprising firms were simply beautiful.

The strings of electric lights, which were seen in every direction added much to the beauty of the scene. The efforts of Manager H.O. Cravens of the Water & Light Co. are most commendable and we are indeed proud of what they have done.

There are many in Mexia who deserve a great deal of credit for their efforts in getting up out entertainments of various kinds for Wednesday, and especially those who spend so many hours working on the different floats and vehicles for the parade.

There are many in Mexia who deserve a great deal of credit for their efforts in getting up out entertainments of various kinds for Wednesday and especially those who spent so many hours working on the different floats and vehicles for the parade which our visitors pronounced a success from start to finish.

Mr. Jas. Karner deserves the special thanks from the people of Mexia for managing this grand event. He has labored faithfully many days and often far into the night to make this event the grand success that it was. We appreciate it personally. We are proud of what we had and voicing the sentiments of the people of New Mexia, we hereby certify that Mr. Karner is "it."

July 5, 1906

All the Thanks, All Around