Sunday morning. I headed west from Amarillo on IH 40. My first stop was Vega, Texas, seat of Oldham County, #247.
Approaching Vega, Texas on westbound IH 40. The race does not always go to the swiftest, correct?
Oldham County celebrated the centennial of its current courthouse in 2015. Unfortunately, the courthouse has undergone some less than sensitive alterations over the years.
The west facade of the Oldham County courthouse on the square in Vega. A restoration would be very appropriate at this time.
Vega is the second county seat of Oldham County. The original seat was the community of Tascosa, on the Canadian River. Tascosa is no more, but in its place is Cal Farley's Boys' Ranch. On the property is the 1884 Oldham County courthouse, now a museum. A ranch staff member was kind enough to open the building for me. The museum contains many historic objects, among them an impressive collection of barbed wire. There's also a Boot Hill Cemetery; a reminder of Tascosa's wild west days in the 19th century.
Boots adorning fence posts on US 385 in Oldham County.
The 1884 Oldham County courthouse in Tascosa, now home to Cal Farley's Boys' Ranch.
The Boot Hill Cemetery overlooking the Canadian River valley and the former site of Tascosa, Texas.
Leaving the Canadian River valley behind, it was only a few miles north to Channing, Texas, seat of Hartley County, #248. Channing is a very small community, but it's on the former Santa Fe Railroad and is home to the XIT Ranch general office. The courthouse "square" is just another block on Main Street.
The Hartley County courthouse (1906) faces east, towards the railroad tracks. Of course it's set in an oasis of trees and lush grass.
The XIT Ranch General Office (1898) on Main Street in Channing, Texas.
Towns like Channing existed because of the railroad. Though the trains no longer stop there, they still run through Hartley County.
From Channing I drove east on FM 354. The road passes through land that is just north of the Canadian River valley.
Northeast of Channing is Dumas, Texas, seat of Moore County, #249.
I'm sure the mascot of Dumas High School gives some residents and visitors pause.
The Moore County courthouse (1930) faces west onto US 87/287, a very busy highway.
There's an awful lot of sky in Moore County!
Traveling east from Dumas on Texas 152, I soon entered Hutchinson County, #250. Stinnett, Texas is the seat of Hutchinson County. There's a large, grand courthouse in Stinnett, but most of the county's population lives a few miles south, in Borger, Texas.
Set on a hill, the Hutchinson County courthouse (1927) dwarfs the town of Stinnett.
To date this is the only courthouse I've seen with a courthouse turkey on the grounds!
Hutchinson County has its fair share of big skies, but it is also home to many industrial facilities in and around Borger.
The Canadian River passes just north of Borger.
As I drove back to Amarillo Sunday afternoon I couldn't help but be excited about Monday's courthouse road trip. I had only three counties left to visit: Hansford, Sherman, and Dallam.
RSS Feed