O.W. Parker (1876-1962) moved to Crockett County in 1902 and worked for local ranchers until he eventually established his own ranch. Parker had this house built for his family after the 1926 Yates oil field discovery brought prosperity to the region. Completed in 1930, it is a fine example of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture. The property was also known for its orchards and gardens, tended by O.W.'s wife, Mildred (d.1970).

In February 1885, six members of the Goshen Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in the eastern part of Parker County, left to form a Methodist church in the farming community of Poolville. The Reverend J. Davis Crockett was called to serve as their first minister. Worship services were held in the Poolville schoolhouse until 1896 when this sanctuary was completed. Throughout its history, Poolville Methodist Church has provided service and leadership to the community and surrounding area.

A lasting reminder of the importance of educational institutions in the heart of rural East Texas, Post Oak School held its first classes in September 1892 on this site, on property then owned by Stephen Box. It served African-American students in the community and the surrounding area for more than 60 years.

Built adjacent to the Mt. Olive Baptist Church, the first Post Oak School building contained the principal's office, a book room, seven classrooms and a kitchen. In 1939, a well-equipped vocational building was completed to house the homemaking and agricultural departments. Students came from as far away as eight miles to attend the ten grades of school offered here. Along with the church, Post Oak School served as a focal point for the community, providing both educational and cultural activities for its neighbors. Opportunities to participate in athletics, drama, music, dance and other social events made the school a vital part of community life. The students often won district championships in various interscholastic league competitions.

After World War II, a declining population in the rural area resulted in partial consolidation of Post Oak School with neighboring schools in Lovelady and Crockett. Post Oak closed completely in 1955, but its history remains an important part of the educational record in Houston County.

A native of Illinois, E.M. Powell was a surveyor and railroad engineer in Kentucky before moving to Texas in 1874. He worked as a surveyor during the railroad construction boom in Texas in the 1870s, taking parcels of land in payment for his services.

By 1878 Powell and a partner, E.L. Gage, opened a real estate and land surveying company in Dallas. Powell soon began promoting his land holdings in West Texas and placed newspaper advertisements to encourage settlement in this area. To the first families who purchased homesteads out of his 185,000-acre tract of land in present Crockett County, he offered forty acres of free land as well as reduced prices for additional acreage.

The city of Ozona was founded on Powell's property. He provided a public well and windmill, as well as lots for public buildings, churches, and a school. As a result of his settlement efforts, the county of Crockett was organized in 1891 with Ozona as the county seat.

Married to the former Mary Almyra Durrell, Powell was the father of one son, Durrell, who died at age seven. Powell was a major contributor to the Dallas Congregational Church and to other charities.

Settled 1838, by Cyrus Halbert Randolph (1817-1889) on the San Felipe de Austin-Nacogdoches mail route. Randolph was a member of Snively expedition; county Justice of the Peace, Coroner, Chief Justice, and Sheriff; State legislator and Treasurer. School was opened about 1850 and post office established June 30, 1858. Had 2 stores, blacksmith shop, saloon and barber shop in 1860, when it tried to wrest the county seat from Crockett, after which Randolph slowly began to decline in population. Demise of the settlement was marked by the closing of the post office September 29, 1881.

J.H. Ratcliff's 1880s sawmill and village here gave way to major timber industry operations that by the early 1930s had decimated Houston County's densest virgin forest. As part of Federal efforts to restore the nation's natural resources, Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Camp F-4-T was built at this site in 1933-34, and the Davy Crockett National Forest was established in this area in 1935. CCC workers constructed fire towers, built roads, developed an old sawmill pond into a public lake with recreational facilities, and planted about 3,000,000 trees. Ratcliff CCC Camp closed in 1941.

The wide open expanse of land in this area was known to travelers in the 19th Century as an accessible route to and from the Trinity River. A landmark of the early landscape in Houston County, the prairie became known as Read's Opening after Robert Newton and Susan Asbury Moore Read moved here from Arkansas by 1850. The family established their farm at the opening and began to purchase other land in the area. R.N. Read also took ownership of several commercial operations in Crockett, including a mercantile business that his son later moved to Lovelady, and donated land for an African American Presbyterian Church east of Crockett. The Reads moved to Mineola in 1876, but their legacy continues to be a part of Houston County history.

The wide open expanse of land in this area was known to travelers in the 19th century as an accessible route to and from the Trinity River. A landmark of the early landscape in Houston County, the prairie became known as Read's Opening after Robert Newton and Susan Asbury Moore Read moved here from Arkansas by 1850. The family established their farm at the opening and began to purchase other land in the area. R.N. read also took ownership of several commercial operations in Crockett, including a mercantile business that his son later moved to Lovelady, and donated land for an African American Presbyterian church east of Crockett. The Reads moved to Mineola in 1876, but their legacy continues to be a part of Houston County history.

Native Texan Rudd Crawford Spinks came to Houston County in 1878. The owner of a jewelry and music store in Crockett, he became a farmer, freighter, cotton gin and sawmill operator and a prominent land owner. In addition, he built several area homes and bred registered livestock. The father of six sons, he was an outspoken observer of the events of his day and was widely known for his comments on government and political figures.

One of Collin County's oldest black congregations, this church was organized in 1872 by the Rev. Jeff Shirley of Kentucky. Members worshiped beneath a brush arbor before constructing their first church building in 1885 on land purchased from T.E. Shirley. Three years later, Shirley sold them acreage adjacent to Melissa Cemetery for a church burial ground. After the original sanctuary was destroyed by a tornado on April 13, 1921, a new frame building was erected. For over 100 years, this fellowship has held an annual homecoming celebration in May.

Incise on back: Faithful Families: Sanders, Clayton, Thomas, Hawkins, Perry, Thornton, Johnson, Crockett, Frazier, Carter, Jackson.