Hunter's Retreat and Pinehurst

While the Goodson family continued moving forward, eventually settling in the Magnolia area, Hunter's Retreat was eventually renamed Pinehurst on June 13, 1904, according to Celeste Graves, author of "Magnolia Memories."

"Pinehurst was a thriving business center," Graves said. "During the first two decades of the 20th century, it was lumber."

Two of the earliest names to get into the lumber business still have descendents in the area. W. L. Schweinle and Fred Neidigk both started in the lumber business around the turn of the century.

"At one time during the height of the lumber business, [Pinehurst] boasted the fact that there could be heard at least five major sawmill whistles as they sounded off in unison at high noon," Graves wrote.

Graves described Neidigk as "the original hot rodder of our time." When automobiles were first introduced to society, Neidigk was known to have the most powerful one around. Schweinle, on the other hand, was quiet and unassuming but was well liked and gained influence in the community.

The establishment of the International-Great Northern Railroad from Bryan to Spring in 1902 had an effect on the town's development. Upon the railroad's completion, the frontier continued expanding westward. The Hunter's Retreat post office switched from being a part of the pony express and began using the railroad system to deliver mail.

In the early 1930s, oil was discovered throughout the entire area.

"Oil always makes for boom times, and this case was no exception," Graves said. "The depression after the stock market crash of 1929 was a lot less severe here because of that discovery."

Growth in Pinehurst was slow and the town remained small for many years. In 1933, Pinehurst had a population of 50 with two businesses. By 1950, the population grew to 80 with four businesses. It was not until 1980 when the population started to take off and hit 290 residents and 10 businesses. Over the next 10 years, as a road network started to develop, the population climbed to 3,284, while the number of businesses reached 62.

"Hunter's Retreat is almost as old as Texas itself," Graves said. "The name suggests something special to me. It's synonymous with a time and place that had hardly been touched by the hand of man. This part of Texas must have been hunter's paradise."