TXGenWeb - Hartley County Historical Markers

Hartley County Historical Markers

Channing United Methodist Church

Marker Number: 803
Location: corner Denver & 8th Street, Channing
Text: Church, 1898. Oldest Panhandle church north of the Canadian. Builders included the Farwells, founders of XIT Ranch. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1964.

Channing United Methodist Church

Marker Number: 11980
Location: 719 Denver, Channing, TX
Text: The town of Channing was organized in 1890 as a general headquarters and supplier for the vast XIT Ranch. The Channing Methodist Church was organized in the fledgling town by the Rev. E. T. Harrison. Records indicate that it was the first Methodist church north of the Canadian River. The earliest members were A. G. Boyce, manager of the XIT Ranch, his wife Annie and their daughter Bessie; Bertie Cherveny, a plumber; Jacob P. McLain, the Rivers Hotel keeper and his wife Elizabeth; and Hereford cattle breeders James Powell and William and Marilla Powell. Trustees for the church purchased property on this site in 1901 and the building was completed by the following year. A fellowship hall and other additions were made in 1958. The Channing United Methodist Church continues in the traditions of its founders. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1964

Hartley County

Marker Number: 2399
Location: from Hartley, take U.S. 87 east about 1.5 miles
Text: Formed from Young and Bexar territories: Created, August 21, 1876. Organized, Feburary 5, 1891. Named in honor of two brothers, Oliver Cromwell and Rufus K. Hartley. Distinguished members of the Texas Bar. Hartley, the county seat. (1936)

Hartley County Courthouse

Marker Number: 2400
Location: corner 9th & Railroad, Channing
Text: 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 October 1896, largely due to XIT Ranch interests, a second election was held which resulted in the removal of the county seat to Channing. The frame courthouse was dismantled and moved to the new county seat, where it was reconstructed. In May 1905 the commissioners court approved the construction of a new courthouse. Contracts were awarded to Solan & Wickens, contractors, and O. G. Roquemore, architect. The 2-story, structure was completed in October 1906 at a cost of $10,525. The beaux arts style building features a triumphal arch on the front facade, native sandstone base, and Roman Ionic paired columns. When completed, the top story provided a courtroom and two offices, and there were five offices and a lobby on the first floor. At the time of construction, the building was served by its own water well and lighting system. A vault was added to the county clerk's office in 1927. A second vault and jury dormitories were built in 1935. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1987.

First Hartley County Jail

Location:10th Street, near public school -Hartley
Text: Built 1892, during land boom. Has not been used as jail since 1903. Recorded Texas Historical Landmark, 1966

Romero, Casimiro

Marker Number: 827
Marker Title: Chief of the Pastores Casimiro Romero
Location: from Romero take S.H. 54, 3.5 miles northeast
Text: Moved to Texas, 1876, from New Mexico-- wife and two children in a coach, goods in 14 wagons. Owned 6,000 sheep. A Castilian Spaniard by birth, Romero spoke for pastores (sheep herders), who built eleven haciendas and plazas in Canadian River area. Cattle rancher Chas. Goodnight in late 1876 made a pact with Romero to respect right of the pastores to valley of Canadian River. But, railroads and cattle ranches in 1880s cut into sheep lands. Romero returned to New Mexico, selling Texas lands, 1897. He is memorialized in this area by town of Romero (3.5 miles southwest of here). 1970

XIT General Office

Marker Number: 5916
Location: 517 Railroad Avenue, Channing
Text: Built in 1898-99 to house the general offices of the 3,000,000-arce XIT Ranch, this building also served as the residence of the ranch's general manager. Five railroad cars of bricks were brought in to construct the house, which features Victorian-era detailing in its decorative brackets and turned wood columns. Designed to impress visitors to the ranch, the building's Victorian elements distinguished it from the surrounding ranching environment. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1964.

This page was created on March 22, 2003 by David Pitt, for use in the TXGenWeb Project.

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