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Rock Island

Ghost town · Washington County, Texas

Hempstead quadrangle, USGS topographic map (1956, 1:62,500)
Hempstead quadrangle, USGS topographic map (1956, 1:62,500) · U.S. Geological Survey, Historical Topographic Map Collection · Public domain

Rock Island is a ghost town in Washington County, Texas, recorded as human settlement in Washington County, Texas, United States of America. It is one of 3 former communities in Washington County on the federal names register. That ranks the county 45th among the 165 Texas counties with a vanished settlement on record.

The U.S. Geological Survey lists Rock Island as a historical populated place: the name is no longer in official use for a community, whether the settlement was abandoned, absorbed into a neighbouring town or renamed. The recorded location is 30.1807° N, 96.1669° W.

Key facts

Elevation163 ft
Nearest living townHempstead, TX
Distance to it7.7 miles
Coordinates30.18075, -96.16691

Open the location on a map

What's there now

Rock Island is no longer a community in its own right. The nearest living town is Hempstead, TX (population 5,899), about 7.7 miles away in a straight line, and the site sits at roughly 163 feet above sea level. Much of the land around former townsites is private; check access before you visit.

Nearby places

Questions

Where is Rock Island?

Rock Island is in Washington County, Texas, at 30.1807, -96.1669.

How many ghost towns are in Washington County?

Washington County, Texas has 3 ghost towns on record at Wayfarrow.

Sources and licences

Facts marked "approximately" carry an uncertain date in the source. Text on this page is generated from the sources above; no encyclopedia prose is copied. Last updated 2026-11-05.