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Dido, Texas
Dido is a ghost town in Tarrant County, Texas. It is located 16 miles northwest of Fort Worth on the eastern shore of Eagle Mountain Lake. HistoryThe town of Dido was founded in 1848 and named after the mythological queen of Carthage.[2] In 1888, a post office was established in town.[3] In the 1890s, due to the construction of new railroads including the Texas and Pacific Railway and the Fort Worth and Denver City Railway, both of which bypassed Dido, it is reported that the town began to lose its prominence as residents moved closer to the railroad's route. This shift significantly contributed to Dido's transformation into what is now recognized as a ghost town.[4] In 1894 Dr. Isaac Van Zandt, a pioneer physician and Confederate veteran, donated a small portion of land to build a schoolhouse, a church, and the Dido Cemetery.[5] The resulting Dido Methodist Church, which is the oldest church in Tarrant County, still houses a community center, an announcement sign, and hosts meetings of the local women's organization.[6] Today, the surviving church and cemetery are bordered to the north, south, and west by a gated community under construction.[7][8] The church and the cemetery were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The church is still active, and the cemetery continues to be used by the community. Recent TimesIn recent times, Dido is considered a ghost town with many historical sites. Every year, the townsfolk host "Dido Days" on the last Sunday in April at the cemetery. The Dido cemetery contains graves that date back until 1879. The oldest grave is that of Amanda Thurmond (1878-1879).[9] References
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