Asherton: Railroad and Agricultural History

Asherton was shaped by its town planning, the railroad, and the historic shipment of agricultural products. If you choose the town as a destination for a hotel stay, these themes offer a concrete impression of its development: Asher Richardson planned Asherton beginning in 1902, the railroad later played an important role in local freight shipments, and irrigated farms shaped the historic onion trade. Architecture and parish history add further traces of the past to this perspective.

Town Planning and the Railroad

Asher Richardson began planning Asherton as early as 1902, after acquiring the site from the State of Texas in a special sale. The town’s planning preceded the railroad’s later creation. This sequence distinguishes two steps in Asherton’s development: first Richardson’s plan, then a railroad intended to serve the new town.

In 1909, Richardson established the Asherton and Gulf Railway Company as a 32-mile branch line. Its purpose was to serve the new town of Asherton in Dimmit County, Texas. The first train arrived in Asherton on August 2, 1909; the railroad began operating in 1910. The chronology thus distinguishes the first train’s arrival from the start of railroad operations.

When operations began in 1910, Asherton became a shipping point for local farmers. By 1927, thanks to the surrounding irrigated farms and its railroad connection, the town had become one of the largest shipping points for Bermuda onions in the United States. These two dates show the shift from a railroad intended to serve the new town to a connection that also shaped agricultural shipping. Railroad and agriculture are therefore intertwined in Asherton’s history.

Architecture and Historic Points of Interest

Bel-Asher is listed in the National Register in Asherton as the “Richardson, Asher and Mary Isabelle, House.” The building combines Prairie School influences with local sandstone and large overhanging eaves. The stylistic reference and architectural features complement one another: Prairie School identifies the architectural direction, while the sandstone and eaves are specific design elements. The house thus offers a clear architectural point of reference within Asherton’s history.

Asherton is on U.S. Highway 83, eight miles south of Carrizo Springs. Together, these details provide two concrete geographic reference points for locating the town: a named road and its position relative to another city.

Another historical thread is the history of Immaculate Conception Parish in Asherton, which dates back to 1880. This date precedes Richardson’s town planning in 1902 and adds an earlier perspective to the town’s history than the development of the railroad and agricultural shipping.

Discover more destinations: Carrizo Springs

For the broader travel overview: Dimmit.