China was first known as "China Grove", for a water stop for the Texas and New Orleans Railroad that sat amidst a grove of chinaberry trees.
- CountyJefferson County
- Population1,260 (2020 U.S. Census)
China, Texas gifts and souvenirs: 15 designs made from China's own map, landmarks and history, from $16 to $95. Printed to order and shipped free in the USA.
| Popular | Price |
|---|---|
| China Hometown Ornament | $23 |
| China Varsity Crewneck | from $57 |
| China Est. Tee | from $33 |
| China Town Line Mug | from $26 |
| China Market Tote | $37 |
Ceramic keepsake, gold ribbon
Heavy-blend fleece, street map printed on the back
Soft Bella+Canvas jersey
Kids' Bella+Canvas jersey, youth sizes
Bella+Canvas toddler jersey
Bella+Canvas baby bodysuit
Glossy ceramic, dishwasher safe
Weatherproof, for the front walk
24″×16″, printed coir-look fibers, rubber back
12″×12″ printed wood, ready to hang
Soft-touch, zip cover
Sturdy all-over-print tote
Glossy top, cork back
Soft fleece, 50″×60″
20 oz, double-wall stainless
China was first known as "China Grove", for a water stop for the Texas and New Orleans Railroad that sat amidst a grove of chinaberry trees.
China was first known as "China Grove", for a water stop for the Texas and New Orleans Railroad that sat amidst a grove of chinaberry trees. In the 1860s a small community grew around the water stop, and another a few miles away named Nashland. A post office with the name "China" was established there in 1893. When fire destroyed the China Grove depot in 1906, the railroad rebuilt in the larger Nashland area, but retained the established name "China" as the name of the depot. The Nashland post office changed its name to China shortly afterward. It was only in 1971 that the (now-merged) community voted to incorporate as the city of China, Texas.
During World War II, a small branch camp was built for German prisoners of war who were detailed to China from the larger Camp Huntsville in Walker County (now a part of Sam Houston State University). These prisoners helped to maintain rice paddies while local farmers were serving in the military.
The chinaberry trees that gave the community its name are rare in the area today. In fact, two trees that were transplanted to the front lawn of the city's civic complex in the mid 1990s are some of the only remaining examples. However, several local China and Meeker natives have taken to cultivating and nurturing new and transplanted chinaberry trees.
In 1999, Walt Disney Home Video celebrated the video release of Mulan in China. They built a miniature version of the Great Wall of China on what used to be Henderson Middle School (now China Elementary School) football field.
For years, China Elementary hosted an annual Chinaberry Festival, to celebrate the city's people and history. The festival featured a parade, local country musicians, and many booths fielded by local vendors and church groups. However the elementary school has not hosted the festival since the destruction of Hurricane Rita in 2005. Instead the City of China has attempted somewhat unsuccessfully to reinstate the festival.
In 2004, former Mayor Hermann Edwards pleaded guilty to tampering with governmental records and was sentenced to a year of probation.
Adapted (trimmed) from the Wikipedia article China, Texas, revision 1378536291 by its contributors, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
We share a part of every China sale with local partners, and we'd love to print from your collection. Old photographs, maps and postcards make the best keepsakes.
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China's population was 1,260 in the 2020 U.S. Census, up from 1,160 in 2010.