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A Brief History of Six Mile The Phillips Investment Company issued deeds to Josef Marek and John Drgac. Some of the early settlers of the community including the two above were Ed See, John Lishka, John Coufal, Anton Machacek, Carl Hoppe, A. Webb, and W. D. Dedmaon families. The community derived it name from the belief that the next watering hole from Port Lavaca was 6 miles away. The main road from town went by the Kabela farm at which there is a natural spring. The community was named Marekville, after Josef Marek by Rev. Adolf Chlumsky. The first school was erected in 1895. A post office opened in 1905 and closed in 1910. In 1907, the Six Mile Farmers Union was organized. Officers were Carl Hoppe -Pres., Ed See - VP, and J.W. Satcher - SEC. Most of the farming was cotton with a lot of grain farming being done also. An SPJST hall (Slavonic Lodge) was erected. Easter egg hunts for the community were held there. Also they had Christmas trees there, too. The first church was erected in 1923. It was a Czech Presbyterian Church. The cemetery ground was purchased from Ed See. The Rev. Zimmermann, a newly ordained minister, became the pastor of the church. Hurricane Carla (1961) destroyed the second building that had been erected. The first was also destroyed be a hurricane. Some firsts for the community were: Alois Spiegel owning the first chain drive automobile. Ed See owned the first gas run vehicle - 1912 Ford Touriour. The roads received their first shell in 1919. Ed See was the first to receive any kind of electrical lighting. A few years later, Josef Marek got electrical lighting when the Carbide light system was brought in. Many of the original families descendants still live in the community, with names such as Rokyta, Pecena, Holy, Kabela, Marek, Meyer, Machac and Cervenka. Other names in the community are Anderson, Teague, Pustejovsky, Mikula, Elder, Faltesek, and many more. There will sure to be many more with the community constantly growing. The community now boasts a public boat ramp located at the Six Mile Park on Park Road. There is also playground equipment and covered picnic tables for all to enjoy. This info comes from the Historical marker at Six Mile (1998) and the book Shifting Sands of Calhoun County (1981). Editorial contributor: Darlene Baker |
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