208 SW Texas Street
Rockdale, TX 76567
$799,000
3,402 sqft
Description
International & Great Northern (I&GN) Railroad • Completed its line from San Antonio to Laredo, added Galveston access, and built a main line from Houston to Fort Worth. • Dominated Texas railroads for years and was acquired by Jay Gould in 1880, briefly lost, and reacquired in 1891; his son George led it for 25 years. • Emerged from receivership in 1922 as the International–Great Northern (I-GN) Railroad. • Acquired by Missouri Pacific (MP) in 1925 and later by Union Pacific (UP) in 1982; merged into UP in 1997. • Most lines remain active under UP, except the abandoned Fort Worth route. San Antonio & Aransas Pass (SA&AP) Line • Became part of Southern Pacific (SP) in 1925. • SP abandoned the line from Giddings through Rockdale to Cameron in 1959, Decommission Tower 54. Rockdale, Sandow & Southern (RS&S) Railroad • Originated as a six-mile mine spur built by Federal Fuel Co. in 1919. • Became a common carrier in 1924 to support lignite shipments; sought ICC approval for interstate rate authority but was denied due to regulatory precedent from Tap Line Cases. • Continued local service until lignite use declined, ending in 1950. Rebirth for Aluminum Transport • In 1952, Alcoa built a smelter near the mine and upgraded RS&S for shipping aluminum and ores. • ICC approved interstate rate authority due to expanded operations. • The Rockdale smelter became the world’s largest but was shut down in 2008 due to pollution issues. Present Status • Alcoa sold the land in 2021 to developers; plans for a massive industrial complex were announced in 2023. • RS&S tracks remain intact but out of service.
Location
Schools
| School Name | Grades | Admission |
|---|---|---|
| Rockdale High School | 9 - 12 | Regular |
| Rockdale Elementary School | PK - 2 | Regular |
| Rockdale Intermediate School | 3 - 5 | Regular |
| Rockdale Jr High School | 6 - 8 | Regular |
| 4 Schools | ||
*All school information should be verified by local Independent School District.
* Note: All room dimensions, including square footage data, are approximate and must be verified by the buyer.
The information contained herein is furnished by the owner to the best of his/her knowledge, but is subject to verification by the purchaser, and agent assumes no responsibility for the correctness thereof. The sale offering is made subject to errors, omissions, change of price, prior sale, or withdrawal without notice. In accordance with the Law, this property is offered without respect to race, color, creed, national origin, sex, familial status or disability. This is not intended to solicit property currently listed.