Hartley County, Texas
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Hartley County, Texas History/Timeline
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| Hartley county courthouse and jail. |
Hartley County was created 1876 from the Bexar, Young districts; organized in 1891. It was named for Texas pioneers O.C. and R.K. Hartley.[1]
When reading of Charles Goodnight, the Chisolm Trail or Richard King's ranch, one thinks of cattle and land of the 1800's. The Texas legislature thought of what they could do with all of its land. Here were the descendants of theTexas settlers who fought for the independence wondering just how they could pay all of its bills. The Republic of Texas had no money, but had previously rewarded the fallen heroes with land bounties. Still no money coming in. By 1875 Texas needed a new capitol building, but it was short on cash as it had been for 40 years.. Why not do a GREAT BARTER? Wikipedia:XIT Ranch , XIT Museum History Texas online, XIT Ranch
These new legislators set aside a large amount of its lands to use for the capitol. By 1891 a fire destroyed the existing capital. Time for action. There was an investment syndicate, two brothers from Parmer county. An agreement was reached between the Chicago-based investment syndicate to back the brothers for and survey prior to fencing the XIT Ranch. Wikipedia:XIT Ranch XIT Museum History Texas online, XIT Ranch
Of this Elijah Wood began building a new capitol building in Austin. The COLLABORATION became one of the grand legends of the state’s cattle heritage.
In 1875, it was proposed that the great state of Texas needed a new capitol building. Short on cash, the state legislature instead set aside 3,050,000 acres in the Panhandle as payment. An investment syndicate from Chicago, with the backing of wealthy and titled British investors, accepted the proposal in 1882 and began surveying the lands of present-day Dallam, Hartley, Oldham, Deaf Smith, Parmer, Castro, Bailey, Lamb, Cochran, and Hockley counties. The land was good for raising cattle, and by 1885, barbed wire fenced the acres known as the XIT Ranch and the first 2,500 head of longhorn cattle arrived in Dallam County. Wikipedia:XIT Ranch , XIT Museum History , Texas online, XIT Ranch
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| cowboys. |
The total cost of building the state capitol, which was completed in April 1888 was $3,744,630.60. The State of Texas assumed $500,000 of the debt.
THE BRAND The most accepted version of how the XIT Ranch got its name is that cowboy Abner P. Blocker, who drove those first longhorn herds to the ranch, created “XIT” as a brand that cattle rustlers couldn’t alter easily. Other theories are that the name stood for the “ten in Texas” (counties) that made up the ranch.
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At its peak, the XIT ranch had 1,000 horses, 6,000 miles of barbed wire fence, over 100,000 head of cattle, and 150 cowboys. Some were African American, hispanic vaqueros, and white cowboys who repaired the fences, installed new ones, branded cattle, and moved herds to new sources of water. At night they patrolled the fence lines watching for wolves and two legged (cattle rustlers).
Hartley county is a farming county in the Texas Panhandle.
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| wheat field. |
- 1832, John Charles Beales and Jose Manuel Royella were granted the section where Hartley is now located under colonization laws of Mexico and Texas. They represented the Arkansas and Texas Land Company; however, they failed to colonize this territory and they forfeited their rights.
- 1875, the Texas Legislature passed an act which allowed contractors to clear one mile of the river Sabine, Angeline, and Neches, and the Pine Island Bayou in exchange for land grants. Rules were listed---
- 1) The contractors were required to survey the land, return field notes to the Land Commissioner and request him to number the sections.
- 2) The contractors then received a deed to the uneven numbered sections.. (the state of Texas retained the even-numbered sections... to be used as school districts
- 3) other deeds registered in the county prior to 1884 were those of the Fort Worth and Denver Railroad, Brooks and Burleson, Gunter and Burleson and W.M. Lee . The field notes of Beaty, Seale, and Forwood were filed Nov 17, 1875.
4) other deeds registered in the county prior to 1884 were those of the Fort Worth and Denver Railroad, Brooks and Burleson, Gunter and Burleson and W.M. Lee
LS and LE Ranches..
https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/apl02
According to Texas State History, one of the large ranches was formed Dec, 1880 by Locien Scott on 35,000 acres in Oldham and Hartley Counties. LS originally stood for Scott but the meaning altered in 1882 when William McDole Lee joined. Lee also had half interest in a neighboring ranch known as LE..
The headquarters for the LS Ranch laly on Alamocitas, until 1886. Then it moved to the Alamosa due to exchange of Lands with the XIT RANCH. (Satellite ranches were newar the Yellowstone River, Montana 1883-1888 plus several 100 acres near Canadian River in New Mexico. Scott had stock farms near Leavenworth, Kansas. Scott had thoughbred Herefords.
Lee’s farm had Aberdeen-Angus cattle. and was a member of American Angus Acssociation just as Scott. They maintained partnership until 1891, when Lee sold to Scott. Thereafter Scott and Charles Whitman managed both ranches.
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| cowboys drive cattle across Canadian river |
LS cowpunchers were active participants in the Cowboy Strike of 1883. The LS ranch hired Patrick F. Garrett to organize the LS Rangers, a vigilante posse, to patrol the Panhandle during the annual round-up. Four LS cowboys were killed during a gunfight in 1886 in Tascosa over issues that related to the earlier strike. Also during this decade the north Panhandle drift fencewas built (1881–82), and the cattle trail from the Panhandle to Montana was begun.[2]
- July 1, 1888, Beaty, Seale, and Forwood sold Section 23 to James A. Hudson of Logan County, Illinois and John A. Lutz of New York for $10,000.00.
- July 1 1888 They sold the right of way to the Fort Worth and Denver Railroad .
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- Many changes occurred in a very short time. Handbills were distributed throughout the eastern and southern states by the owners who were anxious to turn Hartley into a booming metropolis.
- Section 23 was plotted into lots and registered with the Land Commissioner of Texas. A tent city sprang up, as settlers arrived in the area to obtain a grant to settle in the NEW LAND THE tent city grew rapidly as people came with high expectations and determination to make for themselves a new life in a new land.
- 1888Channing was founded by George Channing Rivers, of the Ft Worth and Denver City Railway.. The
settlement was originally called Rivers. Since the name Rivers was similar to another community in Texas, the name was changed to Channing later that year.
- '1891'Channing developed directly from its association with the XIT Ranch, a property that once included land in as many as ten counties in the Texas Panhandle. Willis D. Twitchell platted Channing's business district. At that time, Channing was the headquarters of the XIT Ranch. Albert Boyce, the ranch's general manager and one of the most prominent early citizens, built the first house in the community.
- 1896 Election regarding the county and Channing
- 1900, Channing had 2 stores, a post office, lumber yard, and school.
- 1903 2nd election also were necessary for the county Seat of Hartley be replaced by Channing.
The frame courthouse was pulled to Channing on wheels by mounted XIT cowboys in 1903. A brick courthouse was completed in 1906 and the original courthouse was converted into the once famous Hotel Rivers.[6] One of the first public libraries in the Panhandle was established in 1908 by a local women's club. The estimated population at this time was about 600.
- 1911 - XIT Ranch , which conducted most of its business from Channing, was the town's chief customer until liquidation of the ranch in 1911. The local economy was severely impacted, although the real estate market temporarily thrived from the sale of XIT lands.
- 1912 -- XIT RANCH The ranch was dissolved in 1912, but its history is still celebrated with the city's XIT Museum and the XIT Rodeo and Reunion. Held annually on the first full Thursday through Sunday weekend of August, the event includes the world's largest free barbecue, junior rodeo as well as Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association events, three nights of live music, and a variety of other offering to celebrate the occasion. The Empty Saddle Monument, located at the crossroads of Dalhart, was constructed in 1940 at the request of Bobby Dycke, the wife of a ranch hand, to recognize the contribution of the XIT cowboys to the history of the region
SEE RESOURCES.. To this day the celebration is still held...
- 1931 a fire destroyed the -- downtown of Channing.(7 buildings including Hotel Rivers.
- 1940 Channing -- population of 475 with several businesses, a high school, and three churches. A restored XIT office building is located in Channing as a museum.
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- Dalhart, Texas is known as the XIT City" because of its relationship with the historic XIT Ranch. The ranch was a 3,000,000-acre ( XIT land) plot of land was traded in exchange for the construction of Texas' new capital building in Austin in 1885. There was a fire in 1891 in the capital which started the process. The XIT ranch .
- 1912 -- XIT RANCH The ranch was dissolved in 1912, but its history is still celebrated with the city's XIT Museum and the XIT Rodeo and Reunion. Held annually on the first full Thursday through Sunday weekend of August, the event includes the world's largest free barbecue, junior rodeo as well as Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association events, three nights of live music, and a variety of other offering to celebrate the occasion. The Empty Saddle Monument, located at the crossroads of Dalhart, was constructed in 1940 at the request of Bobby Dycke, the wife of a ranch hand, to recognize the contribution of the XIT cowboys to the history of the region
- 1940 - Empty Saddle monument was constructed may be seen at the crossroads, (the construction was requested by the wife of a ranch hand in recognition of the XIT ranch cowboys of this region
Government Offices
- 1891 -Hartley County was created in January 1891, and an election held that year designated the town of Hartley as county seat. A frame courthouse was built on the town square. in Hartley, Hartley county, Texas. [3]
- 1896 election and 1903 election held for the county Seat of Hartley to be replaced by Channing.
Two elections, one in November 1896 and the other in 1903, were required for Channing to replace Hartley as county seat. Feelings and animosity were heightened.
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| old jail in Hartley, Hartley CountyTx. |
- 1st courthouse - in Hartley, then after elections in 1903 was The frame courthouse was pulled to Channing on wheels by mounted XIT cowboys in 1903.
- 2nd Courthouse 1906 - Channing A brick courthouse was completed in 1906. Original courthouse was converted into the once famous Hotel Rivers. One of the first public libraries in the Panhandle was established in 1908 by a local women's club. The estimated population at this time was about 600.
- Oct 1896 the XIT Ranchinterests requested a second election, which passed to change the county seat to Channing. So they dismantled the frame courthouse, moved and reconstructed it in Channing. [3]The XIT ranch cowboys and 2 deputiespulled it to Channing. The Deputies were needed as there was strong opposition to this change from Hartley to Channing.
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| Channing, Hartley county Courthouse. |
- 1905-1906 a new courthouse was built for $10,525. It was 2 story, with the Beaux arts style using a triumphal arch, native sandstone with some Roman iconic paired columns. The courtroom plus 2 officers are on the top story. There are more offices and lobby on the first floor. This building had its own water well and lighting system. A vault was added to the county clerk's office, 1927. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1987. Second vault with jury dormitories were built 1935. [3]
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| Hartley co jail. |
- 1903 Channing developed directly from its association with the XIT Ranch, the legendary ranch that once included most of ten Panhandle counties.[3] The XIT was dissolved in 1911, it devastated the local economy and in 1931, a fire destroyed much of downtown.
Geography
North Central Plains is bounded by the Caprock Escarpment in the Panhandle. The Caprock is higher in elevation than the rest of the North Central Plains. A noted fact of one who has lived there,- over the ages the creeks and rivers run-off of water wears the region down to the river. This is known as the Breaks.
The Texas Panhandle is a region of the U.S. state of Texas consisting of the northernmost 26 counties in the state. The panhandle is a rectangular area bordered by New Mexico to the west and Oklahoma to the north and east. The Handbook of Texas defines the southern border of Swisher County to be the southern boundary of the Texas Panhandle region.According to the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission, the following counties constitute the Texas Panhandle: The XIT ranch was 30 miles wide in places and extended from Parmer county to Dallam county.
- Armstrong County,
Briscoe County, Carson County, Castro County, Childress County, Collingsworth County, Dallam County, Deaf Smith County, Donley County, Gray County, Hall County, Hansford County, Hartley County, Hemphill County, Hutchinson County, Lipscomb County Moore County, Ochiltree County, Oldham County, Parmer County, Potter County, Randall County, Roberts County, Sherman County, Swisher County, Wheeler County
- County seat, Channing, is about 50 miles NW of Amarillo and about 30 miles S of Dalhart, which straddles the Hartley-Dallam county line.
- Center point of the county is at 35°50' north latitude and 102°35' west longitude.
- Named for : Rufus K. and Oliver C. Hartley.
- Size - 1,488 square miles of level to rolling grasslands.
- Terrain - jagged, dry arroyos and the intermittent Punta de Agua and Rita Blanca creeks, which join in Hartley County and drain into the Canadian River in Oldham County.
- Elevation ranges between 3,400 and 4,200 feet above sea level.
- Soils - deep sandy loam to loose sand.
- Vegetation - Many varieties of grasses, Mesquite, Cactus, and other plants provide plentiful grazing for the county's cattle.
- 1938 a flood-control dam was begun 3 miles S of Dalhart on Rita Blanca Creek.
- 1941 the impoundment, named Rita Blanca Lake, had filled with water.
- Minerals - Large natural-gas formations discovered in the late 1930s underlie parts of the county and bolster the economy.
- Rainfall averages eighteen inches,
- Temperature ranges from an average high of 92° F in July to an average low of 20° in January. :Growing season averages 180 days per year.
https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hch09
Adjacent counties
- Dallam County (north)
- Moore County (east)
- Oldham County (south)
- Quay County, New Mexico (southwest)
- Union County, New Mexico (northwest)
Land Grants
- 1832, John Charles Beales and Jose Manuel Royella were granted the section where Hartley is now located under colonization laws of Mexico and Texas. They represented the Arkansas and Texas Land Company; however, they failed to colonize this territory and they forfeited their rights.
- 1875, the Texas Legislature passed an act which allowed contractors to clear one mile of the river Sabine, Angeline, and Neches, and the Pine Island Bayou in exchange for land grants. Rules were listed---
- XIT RANCH
Protected areas=
- Rita Blanca Canyon, site of Rita Blanca Lake State Park
Demographics
The census of 2000, shows 5,537 people in the county with population density of 4 people/sq mi. The racial breakdown is 81.07% White, 8.15% Black or African American and 13.69% of the population were Hispanic. The median income for a household in the county was $46,327, and the median income for a family was $53,004. 6.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.00% of those under age 18 and 5.30% of those age 65 or over.[4]
- U.S. Highway 54
- U.S. Highway 87
- U.S. Highway 385
- Texas State Highway 354
Town
- Channing (county seat)
- Dalhart (partly in Dallam County)- Dalhart is known as the "XIT City" because of its relationship with the historic XIT Ranch. The ranch was a 3,000,000-acre plot of land was traded in exchange for the construction of the Texas State Capitol in Austin.
Dalhart's economy is centered around agribusiness, including farming, ranching, feedlot operations, large scale pig farms, and, more recently a cheese processing plant. Dalhart is also home to a state prison.
Formed From
- Bexar Land District, but was not organized until 1891.
Census
- 1880 --- 100 —
- 1890 --- 252 152.0%
- 1900 --- 377 49.6%
- 1910 --- 1,298 244.3%
- 1920 --- 1,109 −14.6%
- 1930 --- 2,185 97.0%
- 1940 --- 1,873 −14.3%
- 1950 --- 1,913 2.1%
- 1960 --- 2,171 13.5%
- 1970 --- 2,782 28.1%
- 1980 --- 3,987 43.3%
- 1990 --- 3,637 −8.8%
- 2000 --- 5,537 52.2%
- 2010 --- 6,062 9.5%
- Est. 2015 --- 6,193
Resources
- Rita Blanca Canyon, site of Rita Blanca Lake State Park
- XIT RANCH The ranch was dissolved in 1912, but its history is still celebrated with the city's XIT Museum and the XIT Rodeo and Reunion. Held annually on the first full Thursday through Sunday weekend of August, the event includes the world's largest free barbecue, junior rodeo as well as Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association events, three nights of live music, and a variety of other offering to celebrate the occasion. The Empty Saddle Monument, located at the crossroads of Dalhart, was constructed in 1940 at the request of Bobby Dycke, the wife of a ranch hand, to recognize the contribution of the XIT cowboys to the history of the region
- annually on the first full Thursday through Sunday weekend of August, the event includes the world's largest free barbecue,
- junior rodeo as well as
- Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association events,
- three nights of live music, and a variety of other offering to celebrate the occasion.
- Empty Saddle Monument, located at the crossroads of Dalhart, was constructed in 1940 at the request of Bobby Dycke, the wife of a ranch hand, to recognize the contribution of the XIT cowboys to the history of the region
Cemeteries
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Sources
- ↑ https://texasalmanac.com/topics/government/hartley-county
- ↑ https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/apl02
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 http://www.texasescapes.com/TexasPanhandleTowns/Channing-Texas-Hartley-County-Courthouse.htm#gallery
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hartley_County,_Texas#Demographics
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hartley_County,_Texas#Demographics
- http://www.co.hartley.tx.us
- [http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_48.txt Hartley County
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hartley,_Texas
- http://www.texasescapes.com/TOWNS/Hartley/Hartley_Texas.htm
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