Petersburg

Petersburg, at the junction of Farm roads 54 and 789, in southeastern Hale County, originated in 1891 as a post office in southwestern Floyd County. It was named for Zack Peters and his wife, Margaret, who was postmistress. In 1902 Ed M. White established a store at the site of the present community and moved the post office five miles southwest into Hale County. Although the townsite was platted in 1909, its population remained below 100 until the Fort Worth and Denver Railway was built through town in 1928. Wheat and milo were the main crops in the area until cotton was first planted in 1905. The town was incorporated with a population of 200 in 1927. As a farming and rail shipment center, Petersburg grew rapidly. In 1949 it had twenty-two businesses and 500 people. In 1960 its population was 1,400, and in 1970 the town had fifty-one businesses and 1,300 people. By 1980 the population had grown to 1,633; businesses included the Wylie Manufacturing Company, the Hughes Trucking Company, and a weekly newspaper, the Post. Amenities included a swimming pool and three tennis courts. In 1990 the population was 1,292. The population dropped to 1,262 in 2000.