|
|
Buildings
on US 67 west of Main Street.
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, October 2011 photo |
The county seat moved in 1925. The town was named after a lakebed that was already
dry. It occasionally has some water.
The land around Big Lake was owned
by the University of Texas in 1923 when Santa Rita No. 1 came in.
The oil propelled the University of Texas into being one of the richest Universities
in the country. |
Historical
Marker (on US 67 & Hwy 137) TextCity
of Big Lake The
land on which the original townsite of Big Lake was located was owned in 1903
by T. H. Taylor who sold 320 acres to the Orient Land Company, which agreed to
build a railroad station and lay out a town to be called Big Lake. The city took
its name from a lake created by rain which gathers in a natural land depression
about one and one half miles from here. Once filled by spring-fed water, it is
now the largest dry lake in Texas. In pioneer
days it was the only known fresh water between the Concho River and springs at
Fort Stockton
and was a campsite for Indians, Mexican traders and cattle drivers. Oldest house
in Reagan County, the John Gardner house, is located near its banks. The town
was established in 1911. Its first economic activity was a stockpen built by the
Kansas City, Mexico & Orient Railroad, a hotel, and a grocery store. It grew up
around the line of the railroad, and by 1915 had about fifty families. Big Lake
was incorporated on May 28, 1923, and in 1925 became the seat of Reagan County.
Land additions were made in 1914 and 1925. Today the city is a center for the
oil and gas industry.
1967 |
Big
Lake Landmarks/Attractions |
The Hickman Museum: - 609 Main St. The museum can be toured by appointment
- call 915-884-2980 or 884-2082.
Santa Rita No. 1 - about 13.5
miles west of town on Hwy 67 is the actual well site. Next to the well site is
the "ghost town" of Texon
(FM 1675 .3 mile south of 67). Texon was a former "company town" built for employees
of the Big Lake Oil Company.
Reagan
County Courthouse
The
1927 Reagan County Courthouse
was built of brick in the Texas Renaissance Style. The sidewalk leading to the
main entrance is lighted by a row of lamps providing an beautiful night view of
the building.
A 1911
Courthouse is still standing in the former town of Stiles,
although it was gutted by fire in a case of arson, Christmas Eve, 1999. The shell
remains. |
"The
1904 wooden jail from Stiles
has been relocated to the city park in Big Lake on E. 12th Street near Montana
Avenue."
- Terry
Jeanson, October 2011 photo |
Next
to the old Stiles
jail is this replica of Santa Rita No. 1.
Photo
courtesy Terry
Jeanson, October 2011 |
"This
tapestry of sites around Reagan County is hanging in the Chamber of Commerce building
on Main Street."
-
Terry
Jeanson, October 2011 photo |
Main
Street buildings in Big Lake
Photo
courtesy Terry
Jeanson, October 2011 |
Water
tower in Big Lake
Photo
courtesy Terry
Jeanson, October 2011 |
Big Lake Tourist
Information
Chamber of Commerce on Highway 67 going through town.
915-884-2980 Website: www.biglaketx.com
Special
thanks to Tammy Blakely, Manager of the Big Lake Chamber of Commerce, for providing
update information for this page.
Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
and vintage/historic photos, please contact
us. |
|
| Book Hotel Here
- Expedia
Affiliate Network | |
