Ward County History, Towns & Historical Markers

Ward County History

This is long so I put it on a separate page. Just click on above.

Ward County Historical Markers

18 records
1 Courthouse
14 Historical Markers
3 Museums

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Butterfield Overland Stage Line - Grandfalls

Marker Title: Butterfield Overland Stage Line
Address: SH 18, S of Grandfalls
County: Ward
Year Marker Erected: 1936
Marker Location: On SH 18 about 2 miles S. of Grandfalls
Marker Text: One of the longest stage routes ever established, the Southern Overland Mail Line (Butterfield Route) which provided semi-weekly service St. Louis to San Francisco, 1858-1861. Followed substantially the route of this highway through Ward County.

Christ The King Catholic Church/Sands Art Center

Marker Title:Christ The King Catholic Church/Sands Art Center
Address: 1000 N. Main Street
City: Monahans
County: Ward
Year Marker Erected: 1992
Designations: Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
Marker Location: 1000 N. Main (also N. SH 18) at corner of Main & J Streets, Monahans
Marker Text: Area Catholics held religious services in their homes beginning in the mid-1920s until a donation of money and two lots here in 1938 enabled the congregation to construct this modestly detailed structure known as Christ the King Catholic Church. Although the building was expanded in 1954, the congregation relocated in 1961. In 1965 the building became the Sands Art Center for art workshops, exhibits, craft shows, and occasional community theatre. (Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1992)

Early Public Library, Vicinity of Barstow

Marker Title: Vicinity of Early Public Library
Address: FM 516 & 873
City: Barstow
County: Ward
Year Marker Erected: 1967
Marker Location: Jct. of Mackey (FM 515) and FM 873, Barstow
Marker Text: The Republic of Texas set a cultural example by legislation for a state library in 1839. In 1874 cities were authorized to establish public libraries, but most were privately financed. A library near here about 1890 was a gift of Miss Anna Gould, a daughter of railroad magnate Jay Gould, when she was visiting the stone quarry 4.5 miles east. She established the library, the first in Ward County, which was not organized until 1892, for families near the quarry. Most Texas counties now have free public libraries, since a 1919 law granted this privilege.

First Ward County Courthouse

Marker Title: Site of First Ward County Courthouse
Address: FM 518 & 873
City: Barstow
County: Ward
Year Marker Erected: 1985
Marker Location: Jct. of Mackey (FM 518) & FM 873 Barstow
Marker Text: A Three-story red sandstone courthouse with a domed cupola was constructed here in 1893, one year after Barstow was elected first Ward County seat. The first elected officials to serve in the courthouse were R. D. Gage, Co. Judge; S. D. McWhorter, Co. & Dist. Clerk; W. M. Ware, Sheriff & Tax Collector; John W. Phillips, Co. Attorney: S. H. Parker, Tax Assessor: J. B. Carson, Surveyor; J. J. Walker, Treas.; Pat Wheat, Comm. No. 1; W. C. Carson, Comm. No. 2; Pat Duarte, Comm. No. 3; and A. D. Irvin, Comm. No. 4. The landmark was razed soon after the county seat moved to Monahans in 1938. All that remains is a cornerstone.

Grandfalls Union Church

Marker Title: Grandfalls Union Church
Address: SH 18 & 329
City: Grandfalls
County: Ward
Year Marker Erected: 1966
Marker Location: At the intersection of SH 18 and SH 329 in Grandfalls
Marker Text: Built by three Protestant groups, 1910. First church building in town founded 1897.

Holman Hotel, Old

Marker Title: Old Holman Hotel
Address: 114 W. Sealy (US 80)
City: Monahans
County: Ward
Year Marker Erected: 1966
Designations: Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
Marker Location: 114 W. Sealy (US 80), Monahans
Marker Text: Built about 1910 by Mr. and Mrs. Jas. R. Holman, 1898 settlers in Monahans. "Dad" Holman had a lumber and coal business, dray, and livery stable; he met daily trains and took home seekers of salesmen to the family hotel. One of family's six children was Eugene Holman (1895-1962), petroleum industry leader who rose in 1944 to presidency of Standard Oil of New Jersey, the world's largest oil company. Outstanding in labor relations, he was an advisor to U. S. Dept. of Commerce; won (1960) American Petroleum Institute gold medal of distinguished achievement.

Holman House

Marker Title: Holman House
Address: US 80
City: Monahans
County: Ward
Year Marker Erected: ?
Designations: Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
Marker Location: At the Million Barrels Museum, on US 80 at Eastern Edge of Monahans
Marker Text: ----

Million Barrel Museum

Museum Name: Million Barrel Museum
Mailing Address: 400 E. 4th St.
City: Monahans
Zip Code: 79756
Area Code: 915
Phone: 943-6312
County: Ward

Million Barrel Tank

Marker Title: Million Barrel Tank
Address: US 80
City: Monahans
County: Ward
Year Marker Erected: ?
Marker Location: At the Million Barrel Museum, on US 80, at eastern edge of Monahans.
Marker Text: A project of the Shell Oil Company, the construction of this oil storage tank in 1928 was the result of an oil boom in the area. Built to accommodate crude oil until it could be shipped to refineries, the tank was constructed by crews working on a 24-hour schedule using hand operated and horse-drawn equipment. Covering eight acres of land, the tank was able to hold over one million barrels of oil. It was filled to capacity only once. Efforts to convert it into a water-filled recreation center in the 1950s were unsuccessful, and it became a museum in 1986.

Monahans Sandhills State Park and Museum

Marker Title: Monahans Sandhills State Park and Museum
Address: US 80.IH 20
City: Monahans
County: Ward
Year Marker Erected: ?
Marker Location: About 6 miles E. on Monahans on US 80/I-20 at visitors center in Sandhills State Park.
Marker Text: In these shifting seas of sand, rich in stone evidences of primitive men, today's visitors find flint points, sandstone metates and menos of peoples who were here as early as 10,000 years ago and late as the 1870's. Bones of giant mammoths and gigantic bison prove that this desert was in post-glacial times a land of lakes and tall grasses. Cabeza de Vaca in 1535 and Antonio de Espejo in 1583 encountered Jumanos, historic tribe which hunted here. In 1590, Castano de Sosa found a tribe he called Vaqueros because they lived by hunting cows (buffalo)--the tribe later called apaches. For more than 100 years at this stop on great Comanche War Trail extending into Mexico. apache fought Comanche for pools of water and acorns of dwarf Shinnery oak. The California or Emigrant Trail through the Sand Hills started with the gold rush. Was first mapped in September 1849 by Capt. Randolph B. Marcy, U. S. topographical engineers, and in 1854 by Capt. John Pope, who explored a railroad route toward the Pacific Ocean. 3,000 acres of Sand Hills were designated in 1957 as a state park, after acquisition and construction of museum by Ward County. Has picnic facilities.

Monahans Sandhills State Park Interpretive Center

Museum Name: Monahans Sandhills State Park Interpretive Center
Mailing Address: Box 1738
City: Monahans
Zip code: 79756
Area Code:915
Phone:943-2092
County: Ward, Winkler

Railroad Section House, Old

Marker Title: Old Railroad Section House
Address: US 80/IH-20
City: Monahans
County: Ward
Year Marker Erected: 1965
Designations: Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
Marker Location: About 6 miles E. of Monahans on US 80/I-20 in Sandhills State Park.
Marker Text: Sand Hills section house. Built 1903 by Texas & Pacific Rwy., for one of its track foremen who were stationed every 20 miles along road. Section houses in Permian Basin had water and human aid for men sand-bogged or stranded in storms.

Rattlesnake Bomber Base

Marker Title: Rattlesnake Bomber Base
Address: IH-20 at Exit 66
City: Pyote
County: Ward
Year Marker Erected: 1984
Marker Location: On IH-20 West bound service Rd, Exit 66 (Pyote, Kermit exit) across IH-20 from West Texas children Jail. Pyote Marker Text: Nicknamed for the numerous rattlesnake dens that were uncovered during its construction, Pyote Army Air Base was established in 1942 to train replacement crews for bombers during World War II. Located on 2,700 acres of University of Texas land, the base consisted of two 8,400-foot runways, five large hangars, and hundreds of building used to house 3,000 to 4,000 soldiers and 2,000 civilians. On Jan. 1, 1943, the 19th Bombardment Group (later known as the 19th Combat Crew) trained B-17 bomber crews. Pyote came to be highly regarded after the transition to B-29s was made in July 1944. During the post-war years, the base served as a storage facility; at one time housing as many as 2,000 aircraft, including the "Enola Gay', the plane that dropped the first atomic bomb. Pyote also was used for a short time as a radar station, but by 1966 it was no longer economical to maintain such a large base for so small an operation, and the facility was closed.

Ward County

Marker Title: Ward County
Address: IH 20, East of Pyote
City: Pyote
County: Ward
Year Marker Erected:1936
Marker Location: In Roadside rest area on east bound IH-20 about 4 1/2 miles East of Pyote
Marker Text: Formed from Tom Green County; created February 26, 1887, organized March 29, 1892. Named in honor of Thomas William Ward, 1807-1872, at the storming of Bexar, December, 1835; Commissioner of the General Land Office, 1841-1848; United States consul at Panama, 1853-1856. Barstow, County Seat.

Ward County Bank, Old

Marker Title: Old Ward County Bank
Address: Mackey Ave.
City: Barstow
County: Ward
Year Marker Erected: 1962
Designations: Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
Marker Location: Mackey Ave.
Marker Text: C. E. Pierce, an early advocate of irrigated agricultural lands for the Pecos River valley, had this building constructed in 1901 to house Ward County's first bank. Never incorporated, the bank lost money due to crop failures and closed in 1907. Constructed of red sandstone from the nearby Barstow Quarry, the building exhibits influences of the Romanesque revival style and features an interesting corner entrance.

Ward County Courthouse  - Monahans

County: Ward
City: Monahans
Current Use: Active courthouse
Owner: County
Style: Moderne

Water Improvement District #2

Marker Title: Water Improvement District #2
Address: SH 18 & 2nd St.
City: Grandfalls
County: Ward
Year Marker Erected: 1966
Designations: Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
Marker Location: On SH 18, near intersection of SH 18 and 2nd St. at the Chamber of Commerce, Grandfalls.
Marker Text: Water Improvement District No. 2 office. Built 1896 by promoters of irrigated farming. Community Center.

Source: Texas Historic Sites Atlas

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July 2, 2015