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About Lipscomb County


(Lipscomb County Courthouse)

Lipscomb, the county seat of Lipscomb County, is on State Highway 305 in the central part of the county. Originally its site in Wolf Creek Valley was deemed a cattleman's paradise. In 1886 J. W. Arthur, anticipating the arrival of the Panhandle and Santa Fe Railway, established a combination store and post office at the site. Arthur named his townsite Lipscomb, after pioneer judge Abner Smith Lipscomb. Frank Biggers, the county's leading developer, organized the town company, which sold land for three dollars an acre.

The next year, Lipscomb was elected county seat after a heated contest with the rival townsites of Dominion and Timms City. John Howlett operated a general store; John N. Theisen took over the Gilbert Hotel after its move from Dominion; H. G. Thayer managed a saddle and harness shop. A school district was established for the community. Liquor flowed freely at the Alamo Saloon until 1908, when the county voted to go dry.

As it turned out, the railroad routed its tracks south of the townsite. Subsequent attempts to get a railroad line to Lipscomb were unsuccessful, as was the attempt of local businessmen to develop a coal mine in 1888, after a five-inch vein was discovered in the area. The present courthouse was built in 1916. The community's position as the county seat, coupled with the success of W. E. Merydith's real estate ventures, has enabled the town to survive.

By 1910 several churches, a bank, a drugstore, and various other businesses had been established there. Lipscomb has had two newspapers, the Panhandle Interstate and the Lipscomb County Limelight. Only two businesses and the post office remained at the community by 1980.

Nevertheless, the importance of the town as a farming and ranching center, along with oil and gas explorations in the vicinity, kept Lipscomb's economy alive. For most of the twentieth century, its population level has remained fairly stable: population was reported as 200 in 1910, 175 in 1930, 200 in 1940, and 190 in 1980. By 1990 it was estimated as forty-five. Though in the early 1990s Lipscomb remained the smallest town in the county, was off the main highways, and lacked rail facilities, it was still the permanent county seat.

(Source: The Handbook of Texas Online)

A Poem About Lipscomb County
Written by
the Lipscomb Fourth & Sixth Grade - 1968

An Essay About Lipscomb County
Written by the Lipscomb Sixth Grade

Hello! As the County Coordinator for Lipscomb County, I welcome you to share your own research information and help others with their searches by contacting me at [email protected].

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-Eireann Brooks

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Lipscomb County Resources

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Postmasters & Post Offices 1886 - 1930

TXGenWeb Alphabetical Counties List
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World War I Civilian Draft Registration

Ancestry Message Board - Lipscomb County

Lipscomb County Obituaries - 2003

Source: Amarillo Globe-News

World War I and World War II
Texas Panhandle Casualties
and Missing in Action

World War I

World War II

Source: Amarillo Globe-News

NARA -- Access to Military Service and Pension Records

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is the official repository for records of military personnel who have been discharged from the U.S. Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Coast Guard.

Lipscomb County Vital Records

Births: 1926-1993

World War I Civilian Draft Registrations

Deaths: 1964-1998

Marriages: Alphabetical Index 1851-1900

Lipscomb County Family Genealogies

Descendants of James R. WILSON
submitted by
Cathy Powers

If you would like to submit your Lipscomb County Family Genealogy
for inclusion on this page, please send it as an e-mail attachment
to me at WebEire
@aol.com.

Plain text-only (.txt) formatting is preferred.

Your information can also be submitted in one or two e-mails.

Your genealogy does not have to be exclusive to Lipscomb County,
but your family should have been residents of the county
for a period of time.

Photos can be added to your family page.
Submit them in .jpg, .gif, or .bmp format only.

Wolf Creek Heritage Museum

Museum Photos
courtesy of Virginia Scott

The museum collection includes the following exhibit areas:

1. The Ranch Room display features exhibits of J.W. Beeson and the Great American Cattle Drive of 1995, exhibits from the King Ranch, Barton Bros. Ranch, Box T Ranch, 7K Ranch, Frass Ranch, Jones and Jones Ranch, and many others. There is a display of various saddles, and a barbed wire collection.

2. The prehistoric area features prehistoric bones of mammoths and other animals. Dee Phelps, a local retiree, has a display of Indian Artifacts found within 7 miles of Higgins. Another exhibit includes two buffalo skulls that washed up in Wolf Creek. This display includes other Indian artifacts found in this area featuring the collections of Deam Turner and Lance Bussard.

3. The Farm area features farm implements used by early settlers such as the early day plow, a scythe, a corn sheller, a grinder to sharpen knives, are shown. Photos accompany the exhibit showing the implements in use.

4. The Medical area exhibits the early day Lipscomb County doctors featuring the drug store cabinet from Dr. Smith. A photograph and story of housewife Lucy Owens, who with very little training, practiced dentistry at her home in Lipscomb during the week. Every Saturday she would travel to Darrouzett and administer to people who came to the Darrouzett barber shop for her dental services.

5. The Military display exhibits Uniforms from every war and conflict that the United States has been involved and includes an Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marine .A Memorial wall featuring Medal of Lipscomb County Veterans serve as centerpiece for the exhibit.

6. The school room displays the teacher's desk and pupil's desk for the Lipscomb School and features photo and equipment and instruments of early day sports and music activities.

7. The communication area features the type set used for the last issue of the Lipscomb County Limelight and Follett Times, dated 9-1-77. The exhibit also features the Lipscomb Telephone Exchange Switchboard and the mailboxes from the early Lipscomb Post Office.

8. The Pioneer Homes features articles from early clothes, furniture, kitchenware, radio. All items belonged to early Lipscomb County families.

9. The German Heritage area features photos of early German Weddings, german cookbooks, and German Religious items.

10. The Church Exhibit features Articles and /or photos of past and present churches throughout Lipscomb County.

Neighboring Counties

Texas County, OK
Beaver County, OK
Harper County, OK
Ochiltree County
Lipscomb County
Ellis County, OK
Roberts County
Hemphill County
Roger Mills County, OK

If you are interested in sponsoring a Texas County in the TXGenWeb Project, please visit the Orphan Counties page.

If you like what you've seen here, please cast your vote.
County of the Month
Thank you!

This page is maintained by
Eireann Brooks,
Lipscomb County Coordinator, TXGenWeb
&
LaRae Halsey-Brooks,
Lipscomb County Co-Coordinator



This page was last updated February 19, 2023.


Bluebonnets - Texas State Flower

� 1997-2023 by the Lipscomb County Coordinator
for the TXGenWeb Project