Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
History of Keene
In 1892 a group of citizens living near Dallas chose a committee to purchase land for a school in Johnson County. This committee financed the purchase of 800 acres a few miles east of Cleburne for $8000. They brought all their belongings in covered wagons and began to clear the land and build houses, most living in tents during the first few winter months.
In January 1894 the first school building was completed, and the school, known as the Keene Industrial Academy, opened with 56 students. The principal was C.B. Hughes. The school building doubled as the first Seventh-day Adventist Church in Texas, organized with 67 members.
Local citizens began raising $3000 to get a passenger train on the 10-mile stretch from Cleburne to Egan. On December 20, 1902, the first train pulled into town with Keene as it's only stop, operated by a steam engine. The train included a coal car, wooden baggage car, and a passenger coach. This served as the primary means of transportation until 1923.
By 1926, the old railway started to disappear and plans for a new highway began. Old Betsy, the name given to the famous steam engine by the locals, is now the name of Keene's main street, which follows parallel to the route of the original railroad track. This period of time represents the birth of Keene, Texas.
About Keene Tx
City of Keene was Incorporated
In 1934, the first post office was opened and gave the town its name. In 1955 the city was incorporated.
Over the years, Keene has been home to many industries including over 20 broom factories, a printing press, a cabinet manufacturer, Villa Inn Motel, various gas stations and grocers, and more. While many local residents recognize that progress is unavoidable, there are still those that like to remember Keene the way it used to be...a small, bedroom community where residents knew their neighbors and their neighbors became their family.
Check out the gallery for pictures. If you have a picture you'd like to contribute, please email it to info@visitkeenetx.com.
history
Old Wooden Post Office & W O Belz Store
From Memories of Dan Roberts
In Keene on S College Drive...there was once a single visible gasoline pump at the North end of the porch awning in front of W O Belz Store. The front doors of this store are on display at the Dillon Depot in Cleburne for all to see and touch.
The old wooden Post Office would be replaced by a new brick Post Office at the corner of ELM Street and E Hillcrest Street. W.O. Belz was in charge of the dark bulletin board.
If you look close on the window frame of his store, you can see a small glass door box...that was used to announce deaths in the community, and he would attach a black flag to the side to let people know a recent death had occurred.
Other residents remember Ken Hill as the barber who occupied the spot to the right of W.O's and that Belz's store was the only place you could buy a Coke. Belz's pump was hand operated. Big lever on side pumped the glass cylinder at top and when at correct level, pump handle back in place and gravity emptied the cylinder into a car or metal gas can.
He also sold coal oil (kerosene) for lanterns when (or if) electricity failed.
first brick post office
From Memories of Dan Roberts
Pictured is Keene's first brick post office...located at Elm & East Hillcrest. Keene's SDA church fellowship hall entrance is there today. The post office was later relocated to its present location on FM 2280.
Until the early 1960's the street in front of the Post Office was dirt/gravel. On rainy days postal patrons had to park their cars and walk thru the mud to retrieve their mail. It was just a way of life!
BRIEF History of SWAU
Keene's early pioneers acted on their conviction that classroom learning, and work experience were both an essential part of classroom learning and opened the Keene Industrial Academy in 1893. From there the school evolved and experienced several name changes, including Southwestern Junor College in 1916, Southwestern Union College in 1977, Southwestern Adventist College in 1987, and finally to Southwestern Adventist University in 1996.
Today, SWAU is a thriving university located in the heart of town with over 1000 students who attend from around the world annually.
First Seventh-day Adventist Church
In January of 1894, sixty-seven people met on a hill between Alvarado and Cleburne (Johnson County, TX) and signed their names as charter members of the Keene Seventh-day Adventist Church.
From that moment, they became part of Keene's Forever Family.
Today, more than 120 years later, the Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventist has more than 63,000 members, representing 100+nationaliites, across over 350 congregations and 22 schools. They are always looking for new members and want every person to have a meaningful connection with God.
NOW AND FOREVER.
First Schools in Keene
In 1893 the Texas Adventist Conference requested that a school be established in Texas. That same year Keene Adventist Elementary School began under the name "The Texas School" with first teacher Ella E. Evans.
In 1898, residents voted on a free public school to assist students who could not afford private education. Seventy-six voted for and four voted against the idea. This led to establishing Keene ISD that now operates with over 1000 students.
Today, Keene offers both public and private education to students from Pre-K to high school and a private university for undergraduate or graduate studies.
First airplane built in texas
In 1911 Slats Rogers became the first man to build and fly a plane in Texas. Surprisingly, he was not a pilot, just a man who loved speed and became an engineer. His first job was with the Gulf, Colorado, and Santa Fe railroad.
As the story goes, construction on the plane began in Cleburne but ended in Keene, giving Keene the notoriety of becoming the town in which the first airplane in Texas was built. Since Rogers was not skilled in the art of aircraft, the right wing of his plane continually drooped, giving his plane the name "Old Soggy #1," and causing as many as 29 crashes. Eventually he perfected his performance of the craft and eventually retired the plane in a field in Johnson County.
A replica of the plane is on display at the Hopps Museum & Welcome Center.
Keeauga Lake aka Duck Pond
From Memories of Dan Roberts
In Keene...before it was known as the "Duck Pond" it was known as Keeauga Lake. One can barely see the iron steps that allowed people to climb over the old barbed wire fence without tearing their clothing. At this time the college still had a dairy and the fence kept their dairy cows in place.
Oden's Phillips 66
From Memories of Dan Roberts
The year 1968...this is the corner of Old Betsy and Hillcrest Drive. Quinton Oden and his father operated here before they built their new station on the corner of 4th Street and Old Betsy!
Pat Harper and his corvette were being checked out and one of E K Birdwell's Yellow broom truck was there to be serviced. It was originally a Phillips 66 station.
About Us
Keene in Late 1950's
1924-1925
1924-1925
1924-1925
This is a view of Keene from the top of the Administration building around 1924-1925, taken just a year or so after the Old Betsy steam engine stopped its run through Keene. Notice the old white church, used until 1957, located between 2nd and 3rd Street on Fairview. The second story building to the east was the location of the Keene Food Store that many old timers may remember as Blair's Store. At the time of this picture, the old wooden Post Office and W O Belz Store had not been built nor the Mizpah gate.
1958-1959
1924-1925
1924-1925
Ella E. Hughes Elementary School - Mrs. Welker, 1st/2nd Grade - 1958-1959
Back Row - Mrs. Welker, Pat Harper, Laurie Birdwell, Esther Feather, Kenna Lee Austin, Bonnie Wilson, Bonnie Boelter, Jerita James, Pamela Crane Middle Row - Randy Hayes, Janie Bryce, Vicky Williamson, unknown, Steve Hoppman, Barbara Ann Blackburn, Kathy Evans, Harry Chambers, Beckie Nosworthy Front Row - Karl Crane, Donnie Scales, Frank Brazier, John Millsap. Mike Belz, William Layland, Henry Berkner, Linden Beardsley, Gary Majors
Site Content
Water Tower Taken Down in 1970 on SWAU Campus
The old community water tower, a community landmark since 1921 and the highest structure on campus came down on March 30, 1970. The tower was erected for the use of the college at a time when the community had no water supply. Although faculty homes were connected to the water line at one time it was used for the town only in case of emergency, when the town was in short supply. Keene residents had their own wells or was connected to a private water system.
According to old timers, there used to be a well and a pump house right beside the tower. In 1953 the school invested a large sum of money in their water system, putting in an eight-inch main across the campus, as well as four plugs.
In 1964 the City of Keene purchased the school water system and incorporated it with their own, with the agreement the city would take down the tank and tower. The tower was in continual use until January 1970, when the water mains were rerouted, and the tower taken down.
Welcome to Visit Keene Tx
DIXIe MART
How the corner of Spur 102 / South College Drive looked 50 plus years ago...
The Dixie Mart was located where the SWAU welcome sign on South College and Hwy 67 is today.
Locals remember that it was the bus stop for the Keene students going to CHS before Keene had a high school. Many kids spent hours there playing video games in the summer… eating snacks and veggie burgers 
just hanging out there with friends.
Dixie Mart has been the home of J.C. Miles' service station, Oden's 66, before making the move to Hillcrest and Old Betsy. It was purchased by Charles & Annette Bowyer, they put life back in the building and the corner. It was eventually purchased by TxDOT and demolished to make room for the bypass around Cleburne.
1949...This is the station on the southside of US 67 at South College Drive. J W & Laura Winn owned it then. It later became a Humble Station. My mom used her first Humble credit card there in the 60's. Whitten owned it then. Later life Bobby Hodges had an outlet store there and Twyla Hollis Bothe started her Wild Hare at this location. It no longer there...it is part of the highway.
August 16, 1936
Keene, TX, A Real "Spotless Town"
Keene as described from the San Francisco Examiner published on Sunday August 16, 1936.
About Visit Keene Tx
PUTNAM FIELD
This is a 1950 photo of Putnam Field...do you remember where it was? Just north of Turner Auditorium.
What memories come to mind when you see the old back stop?
Locals remember lots of great summer slow pitch games there AND recess while at Ella E Hughes Elementary. Other memories include commanding drills for the medical Cadet core. Impressive, group; in perfect step and wearing white uniforms. Oh, and no one should forget the large tent for "Juniors" at camp meeting time on Putnam Field. I remember softball but my best memories playing at Putnam Field are of flag ball. Many, many games both high school and college. My senior year of high school, we won the championship
Check out the 1972 Chaparral yearbook.
Keene Church
The old wooden Keene Church between 2nd and 3rd Streets facing Fairview.
Keene Police
Ford Torino Police car for the City of Keene. Don Beeson patrolling one snowy day on Hwy 67.
Built in 1972
Pioneer Memorial
Formerly located on SWAU campus; this 25-foot memorial was designed by artist, Phillip Payne, who was a senior theology major of the college. In 2004, it was relocated to the Keene Cemetary, so that a new contemporary sign could be installed along FM 2280 bearing the university's name.