Tehuacana, the Capital of Texas! Why not? It is, after all, the highest point between Dallas and Houston. Can you imagine it? I45 would have gone down beside it instead of Fairfield. A huge domed building would be gracing a massive square there instead of in Austin.

John Boyd, its first postmaster, and a member of the First Congress Republic of Texas, nominated Tehuacana to be the Capital. Alas, it lost out to Austin in an election held in 1850.

The town thrived for a while. Tehuacana Academy, a Presbyterian school, was built and supported by the town for ten years before the Civil War closed it down.

Boyd then helped to found Trinity University, granting 1,520 acres of land. The University operated until 1902 and was, subsequently, moved to San Antonio.

The place was deeded to the Methodist Protestant Church which moved Westminster College there. In 1916, it was one of the first junior colleges in Texas.

It even boasted of a nice public school, built in 1923.

Locals pronounce the name exactly like Lake Tawakoni, about 60 miles east of Dallas. Interestingly enough, Tehuacana was once also named Tewockany Springs. Both Lake Tawakoni and Tehuacana are named for the same Native American tribe which are branches of the Caddo Nation. Here, they were peaceful farmers. However, Cherokees wiped them out in the 1830s.

The earliest notation of the area was by Philip Nolan’s trading expedition in 1797.

Like so many of the towns in Texas, Tehuacana is now in decline. The once majestic Trinity University, sans its bell tower that sits beside it, now has a large portion of the west roof gone. The high school is a mere shell, and no commerce appears to be sustained on Main Street.

However, it has several residences, many in homes made with limestone rock. There is still a beautiful Methodist Church, as well as, a lovely Baptist Church on the “loop.”

One can only imagine what it would be today had it been voted to be the Capital of Texas. Farmland would have given way to accommodate the Capital. Mexia would probably not exist or be pushed much more toward Teague. The traffic would be a nightmare with many visitors coming daily. Would there also be a large sporting arena? We will never know.

Mary McDonald
Freelance Reporter