Albany in Shackelford County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

City of Albany

Photographed by Mansfieldphoto.com, March 29, 2026

1. City of Albany Marker

Inscription. Chosen county seat of Shackelford in 1874, Albany had a 43-acre townsite donated by Sheriff Henry C. Jacobs. County Clerk W.R. Cruger named city for his old home, Albany, Ga. A wooden picket courthouse was erected. The post office opened Aug. 1, 1876. By late 1877 there were 16 buildings—homes, hotels, saloons, a blacksmith shop. Merchants were T.E. Jackson and firm of Woody & Hatcher. Physicians W.T. Baird and W.M. Powell and Lawyer A.A. Clarke located here. D.H. Meyer and Edgar Rye began (1879) publishing “The Albany Tomahawk”. Already on the Western Cattle Trail, city expanded as a frontier shipping point when Houston & Texas Central Railroad built a terminus here in 1881.
By 1882 a church building had been erected. Music lovers organized a cornet band. In 1883 an opera hall opened, and a permanent courthouse of native stone was built. Succeeding D.R. Britt as the school principal, W.S. Dalrymple founded an adult study club, “The Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle”.
Albany had an academy, and then a college in 1898-1915. Local activities include ranching, petroleum production, small farming, and annual staging of the historical drama, “The Fort Griffin Fandangle”.

Erected 1975 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number

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879.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1874.

Location. 32° 43.516′ N, 99° 17.851′ W. Marker is in Albany, Texas, in Shackelford County. It is on Main Street (U.S. 180) north of S. 1st Street, on the right when traveling north. Marker is located along the Main Street sidewalk fronting Bank Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Albany TX 76430, 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 walking distance of this marker: Georgia Battalion Memorial (a few steps from this marker); Ledbetter Picket House (within shouting distance of this marker); The Albany News (within shouting distance of this marker); Ledbetter Salt Works CSA (within shouting distance of this marker); Texas Central Railway Company (within shouting distance of this marker); The H.C. Jacobs House (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Fort Griffin Fandangle (about 600 feet away); Albany's First Public School (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Albany.

Also see . . . Albany, TX. From the Texas State Historical Association’s “Handbook of Texas Online”. (Submitted on April 19, 2016.)

Photographed by Duane Hall, March 23, 2016

2. Bank Park

Marker is visible in right center background

View to South Towards Downtown Albany image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Duane Hall, March 23, 2016

3. View to South Towards Downtown Albany

Marker is next to sidewalk on west side of Main Street

Photographed by Duane Hall, March 23, 2016

4. City of Albany Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on May 13, 2026. It was originally submitted on April 19, 2016, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas. This page has been viewed 841 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on May 13, 2026, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. 2, 3, 4. submitted on April 19, 2016, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas.