Ding Dong, Texas

Ding Dong, Texas
Unincorporated community
Entrance to Ding Dong Dell in the community of Ding Dong
Entrance to Ding Dong Dell in the community of Ding Dong
Ding Dong is located in Texas
Ding Dong
Ding Dong
Ding Dong is located in the United States
Ding Dong
Ding Dong
Coordinates: 30°58′55″N 97°46′16″W / 30.98194°N 97.77111°W / 30.98194; -97.77111
Country United States
State Texas
CountyBell
Founded1930s
Elevation
[1]
833 ft (254 m)
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
GNIS feature ID2034698[1]

Ding Dong is an unincorporated community in Central Texas, United States. According to the Handbook of Texas, it had a population of 22 in 2000. It is located within the Killeen–Temple metropolitan area.

History

In the early 1930s, a man named Zulis Bell and his nephew Bert Bell operated a country store along the Lampasas River in central Texas in an area that was known as McBryde Crossing. They hired the artist C.C. Hoover to make a sign for it. The finished sign had two bells on it with the name Zulis in one and Bert in the other. The bells were reported to have been requested by Dallas newspaper columnist Frank X. Tolbert. The bells, weighing 200 lbs., were brought to the community via the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway in 1962. and were given to the "mayor" of the community, Charlie Hold, by two of the railroad's vice presidents. Hold took over the Bells' store in 1950. In addition to the bells, Hoover lettered the words, Ding Dong. As the community grew around the country store, it took on the name 'Ding Dong'.

It is said that the community first came to the country's attention from Ripley's Believe It or Not! when travel writer Bill Bryson mentioned it in his book, Made in America and Gary Gladstone mentioned it in Passing Gas: And Other Towns Along The American Highway with a photograph of carpet salesman and fire chief Harold Rowe posing in front of his fire truck. This community has frequently been noted on lists of unusual place names.[2][3]

The Killeen Lions Club International tried to secure Ding Dong as the site of the district convention in 1964.

The community had a church and several scattered homes in 1979 and 22 residents from 1990 through 2000. [4][5][6] According to google maps, the town also now contains a Dollar General.

Geography

Ding Dong is situated on Texas State Highway 195 along the Lampasas River, 8 mi (13 km) south of Killeen in southwestern Bell County.[4] It is also located 20 mi (32 km) west of Salado via Farm to Market Road 2484, as well as 58 mi (93 km) north of Austin, the state capital.[6]

Education

Ding Dong is served by the Killeen Independent School District.

Notable person

References

  1. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Ding Dong, Texas
  2. ^ Parker, Quentin (2010). Welcome to Horneytown, North Carolina, Population: 15: An insider's guide to 201 of the world's weirdest and wildest places. Adams Media. pp. ix. ISBN 9781440507397.[permanent dead link‍]
  3. ^ Smith, Janet Aaker (2011). The Happy Classroom: From Ha-Ha to A-Ha. Pieces of Learning. p. 60. ISBN 978-1-937113-13-1.
  4. ^ a b "Ding Dong, TX". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved April 20, 2014.
  5. ^ Smith, Allen (2011). Watching Grandma Circle the Drain. AuthorHouse. p. 96. ISBN 9781463437923.
  6. ^ a b c Coppedge, Clay. "Name of This Town Rings A Bell: Ding Dong, Texas". Texas Escapes. Retrieved April 20, 2014.