Leona, TX

Leona is a small town located in Williamson County, Texas. The population was 1,898 at the 2010 census. Leona is known for its agricultural and oil production industries. The town was founded in 1892 by two brothers, J.C. and W.L. Leona, who homesteaded the land that now comprises the town site.

The first business to open in Leona was a general store operated by J.C. and W.L., followed shortly thereafter by a post office operated by A.B.. In 1895, J C Leona built the first hotel in Leona which he named the " Leona Hotel". In 1906, A B opened up a second hotel called "The Pioneer" which served as both a boarding house and hotel for travelers on their way to or from Dallas or Fort Worth .

In 1917, J C built another hotel called "The Starlight" which served as both a boarding house and hotel for travelers on their way to or from Wichita Falls . The Starlight Hotel burned down in 1923 but was rebuilt as the present day " Leona Inn".

In 1924, H & R Oil Company drilled its first well near Leona resulting in an oil boom that lasted until 1929 when the stock market crashed leading to the Great Depression . During this time period many businesses closed down including The Starlight Hotel which was sold to Ethelbert Smith who renamed it "The Smith House".

In 1941 , during World War II , Camp Hood (now Fort Hood) was established just outside of Leona . As a result of this military presence , many new businesses opened up including several motels (the most notable being Holiday Inn ) as well as restaurants such as Denny's and Bennigan's .

As of 2010 , there are still several businesses operating in Leona including two banks (First National Bank & Trust Company and Citizens State Bank ), two gas stations (Sunoco and Speedway), one grocery store (Piggly Wiggly), one barber shop ( Lee's Barber Shop), one beauty salon ( Lee's Beauty Salon), one funeral home (Moses Funeral Home), one insurance agency (Farm Bureau Insurance Agency)and one hardware store (Hobby Lobby).