Gustine’s first settlement, Old Evergreen, was about three-quarters of a mile northeast of the present site. This move gives the town’s history a clear starting point: Gustine’s development can be traced through early settlement, relocation, and transportation routes.

From Old Evergreen to the Present Site

Around 1873, Gustine was settled by H. H. Blankenship and M. B. Odell. The first settlement, Old Evergreen, included homes, a store, a blacksmith shop, a cotton gin, and a school. Its approximate distance and direction place Old Evergreen in relation to the present site; the relocation can therefore be distinguished as a separate stage from the founding.

A U.S. post office opened in Gustine in January 1888 and was named after postmaster Samuel Gustine. In the early 1890s, Gustine moved to its present site to benefit from a newly opened road between Comanche and Hamilton. Unlike the post office, whose name refers to Samuel Gustine, the road connection was the deciding factor in the relocation.

The Cotton Belt railroad reached Gustine in 1911; its official name was the St. Louis Southwestern Railway of Texas. State Highway 36 was built along the railroad right-of-way, maintaining Gustine’s main transportation link. Thus, the town’s transportation history includes both a specifically named railway and the later use of its right-of-way for State Highway 36.

Plan a Dairy Tour and Pavilion Visit

Volleman's Family Farm offers tours of its dairy, which can be scheduled through the Dairy Tours page. Before traveling, check whether tours are available and what scheduling details apply. This lets you plan the tour as a separate appointment rather than assume it will be available as an unscheduled activity.

The Gustine Pavilion is next to Gustine City Hall and is open for everyone to use. Rentals include a concession stand, restrooms, electricity, and tables and chairs. For planning purposes, it helps to distinguish between general use and renting the Pavilion: the listed facilities are included with a rental.

Reservations are required for Homecoming celebrations at the Pavilion; no rental fee is charged for these special events. If you plan to use the Pavilion for this occasion, make a reservation anyway and confirm the details before using it.

Agriculture in the 1980s

In the 1980s, Gustine was agricultural in character. The economy at the time was based on cattle, goats, pigs, grain, peanuts, pecans, and fruit. This look back adds an economic perspective to the history of settlement and transportation; the animals and products listed are part of the historical picture of that period.

Visit planning therefore involves several distinct questions: the local history places Gustine’s development in context; for a dairy tour, check availability and scheduling, and for the Pavilion, make a reservation. This helps keep historical interests separate from practical planning requirements.

Discover more destinations: Comanche, De Leon.

Go to the main travel overview: Comanche.