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Originally established 1870, one-half mile north on bands of the Leon River. Named for George Lamkin, donor of land for townsite. Business firms included general store, blacksmith shop, gin, post office and drugstore. Despite several floods and fires, pioneer merchants gamely rebuilt. Only after the flood of 1908 destroyed old Lamkin was town moved to present site. Two years later with the coming of the Cotton Belt Railroad, Lamkin developed into a shipping center for farmers and ranchers. By 1920, the town had 2 gins, a hotel, bank, produce house, lumberyard, blacksmith shop, 3 general stores, post office, 4 churches, telephone exchange and drugstore. Consolidated Public School had average attendance of over 200. Basketball team was county champion for 4 consecutive years. Annual attraction was horse and mule show. In 1922, fire destroyed a major portion of business firms. Lamkin rebuilt but failed after railroad discontinued, 1936. An often-related pioneer story was of 1869 Indian raid 2 miles east of here on Resley's Creek. The home of Mrs. Elizabeth Ewell was ransacked by 19 renegade Indians. The widow and her 2 sons were not at home but on their return were greeted by clouds of feathers from ripped mattresses. A posse drove the Indians away. (1967) |
