U.S. 281 North - Hamilton to Hico

Confirming marker posted along U.S. 281 northbound at Gholson Gap.

09/01/08

Evant is located partially in Coryell County and partially in Hamilton County. The town, which has a population fluctuating around 400, was named for a settler from Alabama named Evant Brooks.

09/01/08

A grade separated intersection joins U.S. 281 with U.S. 84 on the north side of Evant. Control points for U.S. 84 include the adjacent county seats. Waco and IH 35 are about an hour's drive to the east.

09/01/08

U.S. 281 crosses into Hamilton County at the ramp for U.S. 84 in Evant. U.S. 84 continues northwest from here to IH 20 at Abilene and Lubbock. This exchange, with a low clearance bridge across U.S. 84, likely dates from the 1950s.

09/01/08

Approaching Hamilton, U.S. 281 intersects FM 3302, a 1.40 mile route west to Hamilton Municipal Airport (MNZ) and FM 2005.

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U.S. 281 parallels Pecan Creek north from FM 3302 into the city of Hamilton.

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Hamilton sits at the confluence of SH 22, SH 36, and U.S. 281. Home to over 3,000, the city is the county seat. Hamilton bills itself as the Dove Hunting capital of Texas, and has a festival each year with that as a theme.

09/01/08

SH 36 runs west to the city of Comanche, which sits along U.S. 67. Stephenville, home of Tarleton State University, is also along U.S. 67 but to the north along U.S. 281.

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U.S. 281 meets SH 36 and SH 22 in Downtown Hamilton. This marks the western end of SH 22, which travels east to IH 35 at Hillsboro and almost to IH 45 at Corsicana. Hamilton County's courthouse, museum, and many businesses also are here at the town square.

09/01/08

Advancing out of the Hamilton business district, U.S. 281 (Rice Street) meets FM 2905 at McCaleb Lane. FM 2905 branches eastward along a 6.21 mile course to CR 216 in the northeastern part of the county.

09/01/08

Confirming marker posted north of FM 2905 (McCaleb Lane) in Hamilton.

09/01/08

Hico, the third incorporated community in Hamilton County, lies 20 miles north of Hamilton along U.S. 281.

09/01/08

Midway between Hamilton and Hico, U.S. 281 intersects FM 219 at a flashing yellow light. The FM road is an important link between Dublin and SH 6 to the northwest and SH 22 at Cranfills Gap to the southeast.

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Progressing north from FM 219 and Olin along U.S. 281, Hico is nine miles away.

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U.S. 281 continues north past Hico to Stephenville and U.S. 67, and then on to Wichita Falls.

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U.S. 281 lowers from FM 1602 across the North Bosque River into the small city of Hico. Hico is not just any other small town, it is famous among Texans. Hico has a dubious claim of being the hometown of Billy the Kid, and Brushy Bill Roberts. The city has a very tourist oriented Downtown, complete with the Koffee Kup Restaurant and the Billy the Kid museum.

09/01/08

Entering Downtown Hico, U.S. 281 combines with SH 6 (2nd Street) northwest 4.38 miles into Erath County. Providing a 13.51 mile cut off to U.S. 67 north to DFW, SH 220 begins here.

09/01/08

Overhead guide signs precede the intersection with SH 6 (2nd Street) and SH 220 in Hico. SH 6 is possibly the most important state highway in Texas. It extends north from the Gulf Coast near Galveston all the way to the Oklahoma border.

09/01/08