Tahoka in Lynn County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Lynn County
Photographed By Bill Kirchner, November 11, 2017
1. Lynn County Marker
Inscription.
Lynn County. . Created 1876 from Bexar Territory. Name honors G. W. Lynn, "One of those who baptized the altar of Texas with life blood at the Alamo". Tahoka Lake and Double Lakes Springs were watering places on Indian, Spanish, U. S. Army and cattle-driving trails. This was home land of nomadic Indians; visited by Spaniards, 1500s-1800s; used by New Mexicans grazing large herds of sheep in 1860s; site of last great buffalo hunts and the U. S. Cavalry's drive against Comanches, 1874-1877. Last cowboy-Indian skirmish occurred 1879 at Double Lakes. Earliest open-range cattlemen settled here in 1880s. First schools, Lynn and T-Bar, opened in 1902. In April 1903, county was organized, with Tahoka as county seat. The first officials: M. L. Elliott, county judge; S. N. McDaniel, county and district clerk; C. H. Doak, sheriff and tax assessor; O.L. Miller, treasurer; A.S. Coughrem, tax assessor; W. E. Porterfield, surveyor; J. E. Ketner, H. E. Baldridge, B. Humphries, and W. T. Petty, commissioners. , The Santa Fe Railroad built to this point in 1910. This has since become a major agricultural area, ranking among top ten cotton counties in Texas-- and one of the top twenty in the United States.
Created 1876 from Bexar Territory. Name honors G. W. Lynn, "One of those who baptized the altar of Texas with life blood at the Alamo". Tahoka Lake and Double Lakes Springs were watering places on Indian, Spanish, U. S. Army and cattle-driving trails. This was home land of nomadic Indians; visited by Spaniards, 1500s-1800s; used by New Mexicans grazing large herds of sheep in 1860s; site of last great buffalo hunts and the U. S. Cavalry's drive against Comanches, 1874-1877. Last cowboy-Indian skirmish occurred 1879 at Double Lakes. Earliest open-range cattlemen settled here in 1880s. First schools, Lynn and T-Bar, opened in 1902. In April 1903, county was organized, with Tahoka as county seat. The first officials: M. L. Elliott, county judge; S. N. McDaniel, county and district clerk; C. H. Doak, sheriff and tax assessor; O.L. Miller, treasurer; A.S. Coughrem, tax assessor; W. E. Porterfield, surveyor; J. E. Ketner, H. E. Baldridge, B. Humphries, and W. T. Petty, commissioners.
The Santa Fe Railroad built to this point in 1910. This has since become a major agricultural area, ranking among top ten cotton counties in Texas-- and one of the top twenty in the United States.
Erected 1970 by State Historical Survey Committee. (Marker Number 3153.)
Topics. This historical marker is
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listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical month for this entry is April 1903.
Location. 33° 9.893′ N, 101° 47.764′ W. Marker is in Tahoka, Texas, in Lynn County. Marker is at the intersection of Main Street and South 1st Street, on the right when traveling north on Main Street. Marker is on the southeast corner. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Tahoka TX 79373, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 29, 2021. It was originally submitted on November 20, 2017, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. This page has been viewed 232 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on November 20, 2017, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. 4. submitted on May 29, 2021, by Allen Lowrey of Amarillo, Texas.
