Gone to Texas

During the later 1800’s many Itawamba County families moved west to Texas. As more and more families moved, more relatives followed. During the 1880’s and early 1890’s the local newspaper here in Fulton featured advertisements on a weekly basis purchased by railroads luring people west. The advertisements pictured above and below were taken from three of those newspapers during the later part of the 19th century. These advertisements were purchased by the Texas Midland Railroad and The International and Great Northern Railroad.

So many people were leaving west for Texas that notations were entered into some of the voter roll books here reading “Gone to Texas” – or simply GTT. From 1880 to 1900 the population of Texas nearly doubled as folks from the east headed west in search of a better life.

Railroads during the late 19th century opened the way for the settlement of the West, provided new economic opportunities, and stimulated the development of town and communities throughout the country. The advertisements shown here are but a small example of the advertisements read by local citizens here in Itawamba County during the early 1890’s.