Off The Beaten Path - Possum Trot, TX

[joe817]

{ I couldn't find much on this little known settlement, but it really did exist! The name always intrigued me.}

Fulbright is eight miles south of Detroit in southwestern Red River County. Although settlement in the area began much earlier, there was no community at the site until the 1870s, when a general store was established there by F. H. Elmore and Charles Gaines and a cotton gin by John L. Thompson. The settlement was originally called Possum Trot, but when the post office was established in 1882, the name was changed to Fulbright in honor of one-time county judge David Fullbright and his family. By 1884 the community had three churches, a school, and a population of twenty-five. The town grew steadily, and by 1890 its population was estimated at 200. By 1914 Fulbright had an estimated population of 500 and a small bank capitalized at $15,000. Fulbright's population dropped to 240 in 1931 before rising again to 300 in 1933; its population then remained fairly stable until the 1970s, when it dropped to 200. In 1990 and 2000 it was estimated at 150.

Here is another mention of Possum Trot in what is now Ellis County:

Red Oak is on Interstate Highway 35 twenty miles south of Dallas in northern Ellis County. In 1844 James E. Patton and his family settled on Red Oak Creek a few miles southeast of Billingsley Fort, at the site of present Ovilla. The first post office came to the area in 1847 from Mitchell's Branch, two miles from the site of future Red Oak. The settlement was originally called Possum Trot because of the abundance of possums in the area. It was renamed Red Oak after Ellis County was formed in 1849 for the creek.

From Dallas Gateway [https://dallasgateway.com/possum-trot-v ... sappeared/ ] , here is its account:

"A village that has disappeared from the map, as well as from memory, was Possum Trot, situated one mile southeast of the present town of Red Oak. Owen Dorsey was the first and largest merchant there, though, there were two or three other stores, a blacksmith shop, a shoe shop and some other establishments. Possum Trot, with a fertile and beautiful country around it, was on the Waxahachie stage route, and any one who had traversed the State, or, who knew anything about Texas, could tell you where Possum Trot was. When the Katy Railroad built south to Waco, it left Possum Trot a mile to the south and established Red Oak station. All the business concerns at Possum Trot, at once, moved to Red Oak, and that was the last of Possum Trot."