Aledo, Texas

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History

Aledo, in East Parker County, was established in 1879 when the Texas and Pacific Railroad built from Fort Worth to Weatherford. At that time the community had a postoffice and was known as Parker’s Station. Being in Parker County, some confusion arose in the distribution of the mail. Since Weatherford was the county seat most of the mail intended for Parker’s Station came to Weatherford.

The Postal Department at Washington asked for a change in name. Names were asked for, and an engineer with the railroad crew suggested the name, Aledo, in honor of his home town, Aledo, Ill. The name was adopted and is still used at the present time.

History of Parker County and the Double Log Cabin: being a brief symposium of the early history of Parker County, together with short biographical sketches of early settlers and their trials, Weatherford, Tex, 1937, page 115

Aledo United Methodist church began in April 1878 when Methodists acquired an interest in a small frame structure named Alma Hall in Alma, an 1870s-era settlement considered the precursor to Aledo. With the advent of the Texas & Pacific Railway line across Parker County in 1879, Alma Hall was moved to a nearby settlement, later called Aledo, forming along the tracks. The structure was situated on land purchased for $40 in 1888, northeast of North Front Street, the present site of the church. The church became the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, of Aledo by 1890. A belfry was added in 1900, a Methodist women’s home mission society formed by 1903, and another wing was added to the building by 1916. In 1939, when the three major branches of American Methodism formed the Methodist Church, the church became Aledo Methodist Church. In the 1940s, the church used funds donated by E.D. Farmer to construct a stone parsonage called the rock house. In 1952, the old church structure was razed, and a new sanctuary, classrooms and an office were constructed of red brick. In 1968, the church became Aledo United Methodist Church when the Methodist Church united with the evangelical united brethren church to form the united Methodist Church. In 1980 and 2003, new sanctuaries were built to accommodate the growing congregation, and a decision to construct an education building was made in 1990. The Aledo Methodist congregation was the first in the town to own a church building. The church has an extensive volunteer network and welcomes the public through worship, presentations, and other gatherings including a fall festival. It has played a vital role in the establishment and growth of its community, offering a tradition of care, fellowship, support, and outreach. – Historical Marker Text Marker erected 2011. Marker located 316 Pecan Drive, Aledo.

First Baptist Church of Aledo. This congregation was organized on September 25, 1879. The first church building was located on land (2.5 miles southeast [of marker location]) donated by a Mr. Middleton, who asked that the structure be named Alma Hall in memory of his daughter. The hall was shared with Masonic Lodge and a Methodist congregation. Elder Isaac McMurray served as pastor of the Alma Hall Church until 1884, when it merged with the Ebenezer Church. Soon after the consolidation, the congregation moved to the railroad town of Aledo. Here the members worshiped in the community schoolhouse until a sanctuary was completed at this site in 1891. In 1913 it was replaced by a larger structure, built under the supervision of Joe Hopkins and with the assistance of church members. Later additions to the site were made to meet the demands of the congregation's continued growth. For over a century the First Baptist Church of Aledo has been instrumental in the development of the surrounding area. Pastors here have included many prominent Baptist preachers, and church members have actively served as leaders of the community. The church's programs continue to reflect the ideals of its pioneer founders. - Historical Marker Text. Marker erected 1983. Located at the corner of Oak and Elm, Aledo.