Eden (Texas)

Eden is a city in Concho County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,766 at the 2010 census. About half of the population consists of inmates housed at the Eden Detention Center.Eden is located 160mi northwest of Austin.The community developed as a trading center for agricultural products.HistoryThe earliest settlers were the family of Harvey and Louisa McCarty. Frederick Ede and his family moved to the area around 1881. In 1882, Ede donated 40acre of land to be used as a townsite and to build a town square. The following year, a post office was established and was named "Eden", an adaptation of Frederick Ede's name.A school was established in 1885.By 1890, Eden had a general store, a jeweler, a saloon, a Baptist church (organized in 1886), and a population exceeding 100. A newspaper, The Eden Echo, was founded in 1906. That same year, a bank was established. Telephone service arrived about 1907, and a public well and windmill were installed in 1908.Eden was incorporate on February 4, 1911. That same year, the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway completed a 98mi line between Eden and Lometa, located east of Eden.By 1914, Eden had a restaurant, two general stores, two hotels, two cotton gins, two lumber companies, two hardware stores, a Baptist church, and a Methodist church. The population was 600.The Eden Independent School District was established in 1920, and electricity arrived in Eden in 1925.Eden became a trading center for mohair and wool after 1925, as sheep ranching in the area increased. Local ranchers also began raising cattle and goats, as well as polo ponies for eastern markets.