City of Fate adds webpage about "Historical Fate" and 1880s Rockwall County sheriff

The City of Fate has been going through a process to better understand its history and gather more information about the important people from Fate's past. This led to the city adding a webpage to the official city site titled "Historical Fate" in early April, 2019.

Originally, Fate was settled about a mile and a half north of the current city of Fate, and William Lafayette Brown (shown in the photo above) reportedly wanted the city to be called Brown Springs, but some believed it might be confused with Brownsville, so Brown's wife suggested calling the town by her husband's nickname: Fate. And that is how the Fate, Texas post office came about on July 13, 1880.

Interestingly, William Lafayette Brown was named Sheriff of Rockwall County from late 1886 until late 1892, according to the new "Historical Fate" webpage.

The City of Fate has a rich history, and if you want to find out more, you can click here to go directly to the new webpage. Below is what the city looked like from the air in 1950. The city council should be commended for helping preserve the history of Fate.

This is an aerial photo of Fate, Texas in 1950. Source: City of Fate, Texas

1. L.H. Harris' Farmer's Gin
2. Home of Arnold Cannon
3. Luther Cannon's Store and Service Station
4. Posey's Home and "Posy's Place" Restaurant
5. Home of Bob Harper
6. The Fred Mercer House "No One Inn"
7. MK&T Railroad Dept
8. The Crawford Home
9. The Leonard Home and Barn
10. Cliff Peek's Home
11. Robert Burton's Home
12. C.D. Boren's Home
13. C.L. Cox's Blacksmith Shop
14. The Clodfelter Home 
15. Fate's Downtown Area
16. Willie Edward's Home
17. Eli "Mule" Portley's Home
18. C.W. Holt's Home
19. W.A. Grisham's Home (moved from their farm north of Fate)
20. Justice of the Peace Office
21. Carl Leonard, Jr. - Garage and home