Iowa Park in Wichita County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Town of Iowa Park

Photographed by James Hulse, October 27, 2025

1. Town of Iowa Park Marker

Inscription. One of many small towns that sprang up ahead of the railroads as they crossed Texas in the 1800s. Located on the Fort Worth & Denver City Line, this town was first named Daggett's Switch in 1885 for a prominent rancher and railroad official. F.W. & D.C. contractor Gen. G.M. Dodge (already famous as builder of the Union Pacific) spearheaded the founding of Iowa Park by actively promoting a town on land he owned here. Many people from the midwest - especially Iowa - were recruited to settle the infant town. Land promoters D.C. and A.J. Kolp, from Iowa, drew up a city plat which featured many parks, in 1888.

After this first period of rapid growth, Iowa Park settled down to more than 20 years of prosperity based on a thriving farm economy. Lightning struck, however, in 1918 when oil was discovered on a farm south of here. Speculators flooded the city and land prices sky-rocketed. The Iowa Park Producing and Refining Company was chartered in 1921 and operated until 1932. The boom itself gradually exhausted the resources here and was over by 1925.

In 1924 the Wichita Valley Agriculture Experiment Station was built and is still functioning. A steady farm economy prevails again today.

Erected 1969 by State Historical Survey Committee. (Marker Number 5531.)

Topics. This historical

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marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1885.

Location. 33° 57.072′ N, 98° 40.066′ W. Marker is in Iowa Park, Texas, in Wichita County. It is at the intersection of N Wall Street and East Highway Street (Business U.S. 287), on the right when traveling north on N Wall Street. The marker is located in front of the Iowa Park City Hall building. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 103 N Wall St, Iowa Park TX 76367, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Big Country.

Globally, it is in North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the Comanchería,

the Republic of Texas,

and one of the Confederate States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 9 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Site of Wichita Valley Refinery and Texas-Oklahoma Fair (approx. ¼ mile away); Iowa Park Consolidated Independent School District (approx. ¼ mile away); Tom Loyd Burnett Home (approx. 0.4 miles away); Tom Lloyd Burnett (approx. 0.4 miles away); Iowa Park Lodge No. 713, A.F. & A.M. (approx. 0.6 miles away); Wichita Falls Lodge No. 635, A.F. & A.M. (approx. 7 miles away); Captain John Holliday (approx. 8.3 miles away); Call Field (approx. 8.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Iowa Park.

The Iowa Park City Hall building and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, October 27, 2025

2. The Iowa Park City Hall building and Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on October 31, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 30, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 72 times since then and 27 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 31, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.