Today in Hopkins County History- April 4
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1916– Did you know Jewish people at one time called Hopkins County home? Albert Myserson was elected president of the Hopkins County Jewish Relief fund… a contrast from the majority Christian population that lives here today.
1916– Sheriff Sam Smith busted up a whiskey smuggling ring in Saltillo, where a party of men were secretly selling quarts of whiskey for $10 each, or $260 in today’s money. Smith caught the men by donning a cap and coat as a disguise and attempting to purchase the hooch. Although prohibition was not enacted until 1920, Hopkins County never looked kindly on liquor, especially without a license to sell.
1980– As citizens enjoyed an economic boom, City National Bank celebrated the most deposits it had ever received during a financial quarter: over $114 million, a growth of nearly 20% since the end of March 1979.
1986– Local officials tour the site of the future Cooper Lake (now Lake Jim Chapman). Walter Helm, Congressman Jim Chapman, and Barry Rought and Col. Albert Genetti of the Army Corps of Engineers were anxious to get progress on the reservoir underway later in April.
1997– The city was just beginning their Coleman Park and library projects. To do so, the city council proposed raising tax rates to 2 cents per $100 (in 2022, the tax rate was set at 42 cents per $100). “I think citizens deserve a state-of-the-art library,” said former council member Joe Crouch.
1997– Hopkins County’s dairy production was rapidly dropping– in 1996, Hopkins lead the state with 118 million pounds of milk. In 1997, Hopkins fell to second place in Texas with 63 million pounds of milk. This happened after the county lost 36 individual dairies in one year alone.
