Silver, Texas

{{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}} {{Infobox settlement |name = Silver, Texas |official_name = |settlement_type = Unincorporated community |motto = |image_skyline = |imagesize = |image_caption = |pushpin_map = Texas#USA |pushpin_label = Silver |pushpin_label_position =  |pushpin_map_caption = Location within the state of Texas |pushpin_mapsize = |image_map = |map_caption = Location within Coke county  |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = United States |subdivision_type1 = State |subdivision_name1 = Texas |subdivision_type2 = County |subdivision_name2 = Coke  |government_footnotes = |government_type = |leader_title = |leader_name = |established_title = |established_date =  |unit_pref = Imperial |area_footnotes = |area_total_km2 = |area_land_km2 = |area_water_km2 =  |population_as_of = 2000 |population_footnotes = |population_total = |population_density_km2 = auto  |timezone = Central (CST) |utc_offset = -6 |timezone_DST = CDT |utc_offset_DST = -5 |elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/> |elevation_ft = 2100 |coordinates = {{coord|32|04|15|N|100|40|57|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}  |postal_code_type = ZIP codes |postal_code = 76949 |area_code = |blank_name = FIPS code |blank_info = |blank1_name = GNIS feature ID |blank1_info = 1347126<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|1347126}}</ref> |website = |footnotes = }} '''Silver''' is an unincorporated community in northwestern Coke County, Texas, United States. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had a population of 60 in 2000.

==History== In the 1870s, Silver was a ranching community. In 1890, Thomas J. Wiley opened the first post office. Due to a drought, the post office closed in 1907 but reopened that next year. Between 1910 and 1940, only ten people lived there. Allen Jameson's land was found to contain oil in 1946, and by July 1949 the Sun Oil Company had installed 59 producing wells in the Jameson oilfield. State Highway 208 was paved from Robert Lee to Silver, and a rail spur was constructed from Maryneal. With around a thousand people living in camps the oil company built, Silver grew to be one of the biggest cities in the county. In addition, the town featured two cafes, three churches, a business recreation facility, and several retailers. The field's oil output began to diminish in the middle of the 1960s, and the Sun Oil Company ended most of its activities there. In 1980, the population was sixty, but in 1986, Silver had a trucking company, a blacksmith and welding shop, and a field office for Sun Oil Company. Even so, the post office remained operating. In 2000, there were six companies in the hamlet and the population remained at sixty.<ref name="Handbook">{{Handbook of Texas|id=hns48 |name=Silver, TX}}</ref> The population was reduced to 30 in 2010.<ref name="Texas Escapes"/>

S.M. Conner, W.G. Jameson, and W.R. Walker were among the first landowners in the area. Dr. J.E. Reed served as the community's physician for 50 years. R.B. Allen was another prominent settler. The post office and school were named for a nearby peak.<ref name="Texas Escapes"/>

Although Silver is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 76949.<ref>[http://www.zipinfo.com/cgi-local/zipsrch.exe?cnty=cnty&zip=76949 Zip Code Lookup]</ref>

On May 5, 2015, an EF0 tornado struck Silver, which was a brief, intermittent tornado.<ref>{{cite report|author=National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in San Angelo, Texas|title=Texas Event Report: EF0 Tornado|url=https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=573585|publisher=National Climatic Data Center|year=2015|accessdate=August 30, 2015}}</ref> On May 3, 2024, an EF2 tornado struck the community. The roof of a ranch house was ripped off, and a metal barn was completely destroyed, with building material tossed well downstream.<ref>{{cite report|author=National Weather Service in San Angelo, Texas|title=NWS Damage Survey for 05/03/24 Tornado Events in Coke County|url=https://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/wx/afos/p.php?pil=PNSSJT&e=202405132118|publisher=Iowa Environmental Mesonet|date=May 13, 2024|access-date=May 13, 2024}}</ref>

==Geography== Silver is located at the intersection of Texas State Highway 208 and Ranch to Market Road 2059, {{convert|17|mi|km|abbr=on}} northwest of Robert Lee, {{convert|27|mi|km|abbr=on}} southeast of Colorado City, and {{convert|65|mi|km|abbr=on}} east of Big Spring in central Coke County.<ref name="Texas Escapes">{{cite web | url= http://www.texasescapes.com/TexasTowns/Silver-Texas.htm | title= Silver, Texas | publisher = Texas Escapes Online Magazine | date= | accessdate = 2024-06-12}}</ref>

==Education== Silver's first one-room schoolhouse was established in 1890. It was soon replaced by a $1,000,000 complex, which then became a hog farm.<ref name="Handbook"/> Today, the community is served by the Robert Lee Independent School District.

==References== {{reflist}}

Category:Unincorporated communities in Coke County, Texas Category:Unincorporated communities in Texas