H. Pope Briley (1875–1970) was a pioneer real estate dealer in Texarkana. At various times, he served as president of the Chamber of Commerce, president of the Public Library, president of the Rotary Club, president of the Community Chest, and president of the Boy Scout Council. Around 1950, he made this interesting study of the towns, tracing some back through several changes in names which occurred over the years.

Most of the towns and villages in Bowie County were named for the pioneers who helped found them or for the families who owned the land originally, according to a study of the origin of names of towns in the county made by H.P. Briley.

Nash was first named Park after J.N. Parker. Later it became T.C. Junction because the main line of the T&P Railroad and the Transcontinental division met there. The name was finally changed to Nash after Mannie Nash, who was division superintendent of the railroad.

Midway was so named because it is half-way between Nash and Leary, and Leary County, where the present courthouse is located.

Leary was named for Dan T. Leary, an attorney in Texarkana who owned a farm where Leary is located.

Hooks was named for Warren Hooks, who owned a farm or plantation where the town is located, and Whaley was named for the Whaley family of Marshall, Texas, who owned a large farm there.

Boston was named for W.J. Boston, who was the first storekeeper in that area. What is now called Old Boston, was located four miles south of present New Boston. When the railroad came some time in the 1870s, many of the Boston population moved to New Boston.

In 1887, the courthouse burned, and an election was held which resulted in the county seat being moved to Texarkana. In a later election the county seat was moved to the present Boston, the geographical center of Bowie County, where the present courthouse is located.

Malta was named by Lynn Tucker because he came from Malta, Ill.

DeKalb was named for Baron DeKalb, a German, who became an American general in the Revolutionary War. His name has been given to many places in the United States.

Wake Village was patriotically named for Wake Island during World War II.

Redwater was first named Ingersoll. E.T. Page, a merchant, and others were opposed to their village having the same name as the noted “infidel,” Robert Ingersoll. It was changed to Redwater because of the color of water in springs nearby.

Maud was named after Maud Springer, whose family lived nearby, and Corley was named for Corley Turner, a relative of Maud Springer and of W.J. Springer, who was at one time fire chief of Texarkana.

Carbondale was named after coal or lignite, which were found there.

Simms was named for G.W. Simms, who seems to have established the first post office there. Harvey Simms and Lem Simms, brothers, owned several thousand acres adjoining the village.

Dalby Springs was named for Warren K. Dalby, who came from Tennessee in 1839 and settled there. He first owned the spring.

Bassett was named for J. Bassett, who owned the land on which Bassett is located.

There is no record on how Oak Grove and Springhill got their names, but my guess would be that Oak Grove was named for the trees there, and Springhill because there was a spring somewhere near.

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How Area Cities Got Their Names