Winnie-Stowell

Winnie and Stowell are two communities in northeastern Chambers County that were founded in the mid-1890s on the Gulf & Interstate Railway. The towns share a common economic history and cultural heritage and often are referred to simply as Winnie-Stowell. The town of Winnie was organized by the Winnie Loan and Improvement Co., a corporation based in Galveston that promoted settlement in the townsite. A school and bank were in operation by 1910, and Winnie became the retail center for the surrounding area. Early settlers in Stowell included the W. W. Gregory and Spencer families and F. W. Schwettman. In 1899 Schwettman helped build the Farmers Canal, which served the area's irrigation needs. The canal proved very successful until a 1915 storm ruined it and most of the surrounding rice fields. during the 20th century irrigation systems improved, which allowed for the successful commercial development of orange, fig, and rice production in the area. In 1931 the school systems of Winnie and Stowell were combined into one district. This system, along with the establishment of Winnie-Stowell Park in 1957, has provided the two towns with shared interests that have brought them together over the years.

Winnie-Stowell is a historical marker in Winnie, Chambers County, dedicated in 1984. It is one of 39 historical markers documented in Chambers County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 82 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 29.8131, -94.3815 near Winnie. The nearest cataloged historic site is Winnie (historical marker), about 0.5 miles away. Others within a short drive include Fairview-Winnie Stowall Cemetery, Anahuac Oil and Gas Field, and Broussard-White Cemetery.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5071009144. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.