VISTA
VISTA POST
OFFICE
1904--1909
VISTA
was derived from the name of Buena Vista Mason, wife of William
Turner Mason, prominent citizen, gin man, and early settler of that
area. The Masons moved to Mason Mountain in 1882 from Leon
County, TX. Nine Mason families lived in the community which
included a Methodist Church called Mason
Mountain Circuit (services were held once a month). Mr. Mason requested
that the name of his post office should be "Buena Vista,"
but since that name was already taken, "Vista" was
assigned to the post office. Buena Vista Mason was appointed
postmistress on 26 May, 1904. On 30 April, 1909, the Vista Post Office
closed and mail was delivered from Evant.
The Mason Gin was open from 1908 to 1942. The Vista
Community is on FM 2414 south of CR 526.
Geneva Sills was
teaching in the Vista Mountain School in 1918 when the flu epidemic
occurred. All members of the Harry Hughes family had the flu. Miss
Sills went to the Hughes home after school each day to cook for them and
to care for them during the night. The school at Vista is known as Mason’s
School. Vista is thirteen miles south of Hamilton.
George Haines Kincheloe
and his wife Mary "Polly" Register Kincheloe moved to
Hamilton County in 1874 and purchased land in the area which would later
be called Vista Mountain.
"VISTA,
TX." The Handbook of Texas Online