The Westpark Tollway lies just north of the former Clodine General Store
The former Clodine General Store sits abandoned on the southeast corner of the Westpark Tollway and FM 1464, south of Barker Dam in Fort Bend County. The store is one of the few structures left of the now-unrecognizable town of Clodine.
The town was likely named after a railroad official, Clodine King. It was established in 1888, approximately 21 miles southwest of Houston along the San Antonio & Aransas Pass Railroad.
By 1896, Clodine had a post office, general store, a Baptist church, and 50 residents. In the 1930s the San Antonio & Aransas Pass Railroad was sold and the train depot closed. The population had dwindled to 25 by 1914. At that time, residents had telegraph and telephone service. It was the shipping point and market for nearby farms and the Clodine oilfield in 1947.
The former Clodine General Store
Occasionally I would stop by the general store to mail packages instead of enduring the traffic and long lines at a Houston post office. Stepping through the doors of the store was like stepping back in time. There was an old-fashioned refrigerated meat case, a long wood-topped check-out counter with an old cash register. The floors were wooden and worn and the shelves were stocked with various food items and sundries. The staff was helpful and always made friendly conversation.
As I took the pictures for this blog post, I was filled with sadness. The doors of the Clodine General Store are locked, glass in the windows is broken, weeds surround the building, and a “No Trespassing” sign is posted beside the door. Some post office boxes are still on the right side of the front door. On the right side of the building is a boarded, abandoned house and on the left, the Westpark Tollway. Across the tollway is a Kroger shopping center. George Bush High School is further down FM 1464.
The abandoned house to the right of the former Clodine General Store
It’s a shame that this building has been left to ruin. It sits at a busy intersection and would probably still be a good location for a post office and a small mom-and-pop store. It would be nice to take children in to view a little bit of history—what stores used to be like, or for adults to escape the hustle and bustle of big city life, for just a bit.
In the area today, there are two streets with the Clodine name: Addicks Clodine and Alief Clodine.
In conducting my research, I found no historical markers for the Town of Clodine or the Clodine General Store.
Thanks to Diana Helms for suggesting this story.
