In 1892, Seventh-day Adventists living near Dallas chose a committee to locate property for a school in Johnson County . The committee members personally financed the purchase of 800 acres, five miles east of Cleburne , for $8,000.

At a time in our nation when railroads went broke, banks closed, and businesses failed, hearty Adventist families converged on the land in November and December 1893. They brought all their earthly possessions in covered wagons and began to clear the land and build houses. Most lived in tents during those first winter months.

OnJanuary, 6, 1894 , a school building was completed. It doubled as a church which was organized with 67 members.  The next day, school opened with 56 students in all grades. The enrollment soon increased to 90 as other families moved to the new town soon to be named Keene .

December 20, 1902 was an important day in Keene as the first train pulled into town. Local citizens had raised $3,000 to get a passenger train on the 10-mil stretch from Cleburne to Egan. The new railroad had one stop, Keene ’s little depot. The train, operated by a steam engine called Old Betsy had a coal car, wooden baggage car and passenger coach. It served as the primary means of transportation for 20 years. Old Betsy is now the name of Keene ’s main street, which follows the route of the original railroad track.