Bishop...
Since 1910
Bishop did not grow up gradually; it sprang into existence almost fully developed in 1910 as the fulfillment of a young insurance agent's dreams.
F.Z. Bishop, the young insurance man-promoter, figured the blackland prairies of South Texas was "mighty good cotton and corn land," and envisioned a model town, surrounded by farm tracts. He made a deal with the Driscoll Ranch for 2,300 acres, bisected by the new rails of the St. Louis, Brownsville, and Mexico Railroad which had been extended to the Rio Grande Valley four years earlier.
The developer brought in 20 steam plows to turn under the waist high grass and laid out his farm land in mile square tracts, linking the sections with 120 miles of improved roads.
Some of the farm land was sold as soon as it was broken, but before Bishop put a single town lot on the market, he laid out a zoned business district, designated industrial and residential districts, drilled three artesian wells, put in a water system and built an electric light and power plant.
By the end of 1912, Bishop and his chief assistant, D.W. Taylor, had sold more than 40,000 acres of farm land, and the the town had grown to 1,200 inhabitants. When Bishop closed operations just as World War I started in Europe, he had opened for settlement more than 80,000 acres of land and had seen the city well established and looking towards a prosperous future.
Bishop today is a far-cry from the city that suddenly sprouted from the coastal prairie in 1910. Agriculture, the community's sole reason for existence in those days, is still a mainstay of the local economy. But the ensuing years have brought the discovery of oil and gas in the area, and the resulting development of the growing chemical industry.
Bishop's biggest boost came in 1945 when the Celanese Corporation of America entered the chemical field with the opening of its Bishop plant, which sprawls out along Highway 77 south of Bishop. The Celanese Bishop Facility, as it is now called, presently houses three companies: CELANESE (chemicals), TICONA (plastics), and BASF (pharmaceuticals). With its solid industrial and agricultural base and its strategic location on the Canada to Mexico corridor, U.S. 77 (future I-69), Bishop is poised to move ahead confidently into the 21st century, boasting excellent schools, beautiful churches, and a million dollar City Park.
A GOOD PLACE TO ENJOY THE GOOD LIFE!
BISHOP CENTENNIAL COMMITTEE LAUNCHES “BISHOP PRIDE” PROJECTS
A core group of Bishop leaders met at noon recently in the Celanese Adm. Bldg to begin planning for projects that will contribute to a successful Bishop Centennial Celebration, scheduled for May 14-16, 2010. Pictured, l to r, front row: City Secretary Cynthia Contreras , Chamber Executive Director Betty Paschal, and City Parks Committee Chairman “Cookie” LaCour; back row, Centennial Committee Member-at-large Andy Garcia, Celanese HR/Mgrs. Dept Assistant Cindy Roecker, Bishop Public Works Director Albert Guajardo, Celanese Site Director Ed McKinley, Bishop Pride Chairman Jan Senecal, Parks Committee member Kathy Lowman, Centennial Committee Chairman Dr. Tanya Lawhon, Celanese H/R Manager Julie Jessen, Centennial Committee Secretary Nancy Smith, and Bishop Pride Secretary Mary Pierce. This group, plus more interested parties, will meet periodically until all tasks are completed in April, 2010.
Goal: Establish a system to accomplish tasks/projects that will contribute to quality of life in Bishop and provide opportunities for BCISD students and civic organizations to be recognized for accomplishments. Building “Bishop Pride” will be a natural spin-off for those participating.
Concept: The Bishop Pride Committee will select and complete 100 projects to be completed by April, 2010. Most will be located in the areas where the majority of centennial activities will take place. Workers, planners and organizers will be needed for all projects.
Selected projects/tasks will be posted, with anticipated resource requirements, on the centennial website www.bishoptx100.org and the Bishop Pride board at City Hall. A list will also be provided to BCISD. The committee hopes that each school organization, civic group, church, and many businesses and individuals will come forward and select a project to complete.
Volunteers should call Jan Senecal at 361-522-0367, or better still, email him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Don’t forget to visit www.bishoptx100.org for updates on the Bishop Centennial celebration.
CENTENNAIL BENEFIT BBQ TICKETS SOLD AT CHAMBER OFFICE, 213 E. MAIN &
Dr. Lawhon’s Office, 312 S. Ave B, or Call 361-584-2214 or 361-584-2217 Sunday, October 11, 2009
11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. BISHOP SCHOOL CAFETERIA
$6.50 PRESALE -$7.00 AT DOOR
DINE IN OR TAKE OUT
“Christmas in the Park” will be held at 6:30 p.m. in Bishop City Park on Friday, Dec. 3, 2010. There will be the lighting of the Community Christmas Tree, Nativity Scene, candlelight walk, carols, and arrival of Santa via fire truck.
