TOWN HISTORY
“PEOPLE WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR PAST HISTORY, ORIGIN, AND CULTURE ARE LIKE A TREE WITHOUT ROOTS.”
– MARCUS GARVEY
1811
When the Santé Fe Railroad built its line in 1881, the station was placed on the Texas side and named La Tuna, which is Spanish for “prickly pear cactus”. A Spanish-speaking woman named Sabrina, who had a chapel on the New Mexico side which was dedicated to Saint Anthony of Padua, insisted on the name Anthony rather than La Tuna for the new town.
Source: Tarpley, Fred (5 July 2010). 1001 Texas Place Names. University of Texas Press. p. 11. ISBN 978-0-292-78693-6.
1932
May 1st
La Tuna Correctional Facility is opened.
July 5th
Town of Anthony’s first post-office is opened (Closed in 1965).
1940
Estimated Population was 50 People.
Source: https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hga05
1952
The Town of Anthony was incorporated.
1976
Ernie Rascon, a local police officer was killed in the line of duty.
1988
Leap Year Capital of the World. Started by Mary Brown to honor leap year babies in Anthony, including her neighbor and friend Bettie Luis.