This early photo is titled "Fruit and Truck Grower's Assocation - Cookville, Texas. J. P. Denny - Pres., H.H.J. Fling - Sect'y"
Agriculture had an important role in Titus County history since before it became an organized county. Before oil was discovered in Talco in 1936, revenues derived from farming and ranching accounted directly and indirectly for almost all of the county's economy.
The farmers' livelihoods depended directly on having a good crop to earn the money they needed to live. Merchants' livelihoods depended on the farmer having a good year so they could buy, and more importantly pay for, goods that the merchants sold. A large part of the railroad's revenue came from shipping agricultural products to distant markets.
When crops were good, the economy was good. When crops were bad (which was more often than not), the economy was bad. Even after oil was discovered and better-paying industrial jobs became available, farming and ranching continued to play an important part in the economy for many years.
Click a link below, or a blue number of the menu above, to read more about Titus County agriculture.
We plan to add considerably to this section as time permits.
