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Linden , Texas, the County Seat of
Cass County, is one of the oldest towns in Northeast Texas. It was
established June 29, 1848 and was located on 50 acres of land which
Edward W. Story deeded to the county for $50. Linden is located
at the junction of US Highway 59, Texas State Highways 8 & 155,
and Farm Roads 125, 1399 & 1841. Cass County was created April
25, 1846 by the first Texas Legislature, and Jefferson was designated
as the temporary County Seat. At that time, the legislature also
authorized the Governor of Texas to appoint temporary officials
who would establish boundary lines of the county, locate the center,
designate three places to be voted on for a county seat, and hold
elections of the first officials chosen by popular vote. On September
13, 1851, Linden received the majority of votes (Jefferson –
156; Linden – 256). The town site was laid out by a Major
Wood, who named it for his hometown in Tennessee. The Linden Post
Office was established May 25, 1852. A saw mill for hand-sawed lumber
was established by T. J. Foster on a contract to build a two-story
frame courthouse. Tan yards and mills were the other early industries.
A school was in operation by 1856. The weekly Cass County Sun began
publication in 1875, using a George Washington Press of 1853 that
had been used in Shreveport, Louisiana. The Press had been sunk
in the Red River to prevent its falling into the hands of federal
soldiers in 1864. By 1885 Linden had 300 residents, two churches,
a district school, several sawmills, and a number of general stores.
The pine and hardwood trees of the area were in great demand for
building new towns in the Red River Valley. The lumber boom reached
its peak around 1890. Linden continued to grow, and by the early
1930’s it was incorporated, with 1,000 residents and forty-five
rated businesses. The onset of the Great Depression forced many
businesses to close, and in 1936 Linden had decreased to thirty-five
rate businesses. After World War II the community rebounded. By
the mid-1960’s it had 1,950 residents. In the 1990’s
the economy centered on farming, lumber, and oil. Present day Linden
has a population of about 2500. The Municipal Government is Mayor-Alderman
with a full-time City Manager and Police Department.
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