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Texas Rangers camped at the foot of the mountain long before the area was settled, and cattle drives from South Texas to the northern markets passed through the gap in the mountain along a military road. This road helped supply the outpost forts along the Texas Forts Trail." The first permanent settlers soon built homes near a fresh water spring at the foot of the mountain. One enterprising settler stocked a supply of goods for trail drivers and settlers, starting the first business at "The Gap" in the early 1870s. In 1879 a petition to open a post office was filed, and the name of Santa Anna was chosen. During the construction of the Santa Fe Railroad, a group of residents bought land along the right-of-way. Stone buildings were build from limestone quarried from the cap rock of the west mountain. Several businesses moved from Trickham and Brownwood to be a part of the new community. In 1886 The Santa Anna News was established. The first telephone in the county was a private line from Brownwood to Coleman, connected in the Melton Hotel in Santa Anna. A small local exchange was opened in 1892. A drugstore and a bank were opened in the 1880s, and a one-room school was opened that soon expanded to four rooms. As the open range was preempted and sold, land was cultivated, with cotton the principal crop. Santa Anna eventually had four cotton gins in operation, and was also a major rail shipping point for livestock. The town became a trade center with a thriving business district that included drugstores, hotels, banks, livery stables, and produce houses. One of the early buildings, still a landmark downtown, housed an opera house, where traveling groups and local performers provided entertainment and culture. After World War I, Dr. T.R. Sealy established a hospital that soon became widely known. A nursing school was founded in the 1920s to provide trained nurses, continuing until the death of Dr. Sealy in the mid 1930s. Santa Anna of the twenty-first century looks like a typical town in west Texas. Appearances deceive. There are currently 38 businesses of which 13 are less than three years old. Custom hand-crafted furniture has become a hallmark of the city and Coleman County Telephone Coop offers state-of-the-art telecommunications. A steakhouse, antique stores, specialty shops, and a locally-owned bank provide almost any needed service or product. Many former residents make their way back to "the Mountain City" to retire to the simple life-style, low crime and cost, and friendly neighbors. Good schools are a focal point of community life, along with civic clubs, churches, and organizations. Mountain climbing and hiking are perennial favorites of visitors to the community, with historical markers noting several areas of interest. Santa Anna and the surrounding area offer the first class dove, quail, turkey, and deer hunting, as well as Central Texas' only pheasant hunting facility. Nearby bodies of water, including Lake Brownwood and Ivey Reservoir, offer prime fishing opportunities. Local guides are available, as well as are photo safaris. Plans are on-going for the continuation of the relationship between the Comanche Nation and the town nestled at the base of Santa Anna's Peaks. A current project is underway to house a Plains Indians Museum. A yearly Powwow and the World Championship Bison Cookoff are scheduled activities. History and nature are the sources for much of the future and prosperity of this area.
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The
twin mesas in central Coleman County have always been a landmark. One
of the earliest maps of Texas shows a mountain near the center of the
state with the notation, "Santa Anna's Peaks." The mountain
and later the town were named for the Comanche war chief Santanna, or
Santa Anna.
