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BORGER,
TEXASHutchinson
County, Texas Panhandle
Hwy 207& 152
50 miles
NE of Amarillo via Hwy 60 or Hwy
136
Population:
14,302 (2000)
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Boom
town Borger showing Theatre, late 1920s
Photos courtesy Ken Sharpe Collection
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History
in a Pecan Shell
Eight times larger than the County Seat of
Stinnett, Borger once
boasted of a three-mile long main street when things like that were rare. Borger
was a wild place in 1927. So wild, that Governor Dan Moody had to declare martial
law and send in the Texas Rangers. The Ranger-in-charge was Captain Frank Hamer,
who was to rain on Bonnie
and Clyde's parade in '35. Gov. Moody didn't want to do it, but when a town
shoots and kills its District Attorney, it's time to do something.
A
One-sided Shootout
Named after Asa "Ace" Borger, land speculator
and town builder, Borger lost its namesake in a one-sided shootout in the Borger
Post Office in 1934. It seems that the County Treasurer, Arthur Huey (never trust
a man with two first names) was miffed at Ace for not bailing him out of jail
on an embezzlement charge. Huey confronted Ace while he was licking a stamp and
called him a bunch of names. Mr. Borger could live with that; but then Huey shot
him five times with a .45, which Mr. Borger could not live with. To add insult
to fatal injury, Huey took Borger's .44 and shot him again (along with a few other
postal patrons). It is not known if Mr. Borger's letter was ever delivered.
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BORGER
ATTRACTIONSAce
Borger's House, the first brick structure in Boomtown Borger is a town attraction.
Hutchinson
County Historical Museum: History of Hutchinson County to its boomtown days.
618 N. Main St., 806-273-6121 Lake
Meredith National Recreation Area, 16,000 acres managed by the National Park
Service. Alibates
Flint Quarries National Monument (the only National Monument in Texas), next
to Lake Meredith National Recreation Area.Borger
Hotels - Book Your Hotel Here & Save
A
Panhandle scenic drive near Borger
The 25-mile loop (Texas 136
west, FM 1319 and FM 687) to the county seat of Stinnett
is a Panhandle scenic drive. It crosses
the Canadian River, eh? |
BORGER
VINTAGE PHOTOS Courtesy
of Ken Sharpe Collection: |
| | "Sand
Storm, Borger, Texas, April 1935"
Postcard courtesy Bob Walker |
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| | | L
- Night drilling in Borger
R - "Poison Gas and Poison Snakes"
Photos
Courtesy Ken Sharpe Collection | | |
BORGER
CHRONICLESMr.
Acton's Story C. F. Eckhardt
"...We headed for that light.
It was slow going, but we made progress-but when we got to it, there was no house.
There was just a glowing ball of light, maybe a foot or a foot and a half across,
in the branches of a little tree..." |
Water
and Ice
| Borger
Area Ghost Towns
Isom,
Texas -
A Panhandle ghost town (absorbed by Borger), now inside the
Borger city limits.
Electric
City -
A Panhandle ghost town, 3 miles north of Borger on the southern
bank of the Canadian River. |
Borger
Texas ForumPhillips
and Borger
Dear
TE, Our family was from Borger, Texas, and my dad's brother, Sydney Wilson Bennett,
worked in nearby Phillips
at the refinery. I was born in Borger in 1948 and left for Wyoming in 1953. My
aunt "Frankie" and uncle Wilson would babysit me and my sister at their company
home in Phillips. We
spent many, many a happy time there in the early years of our lives.
About
30 years ago, I took my wife to see Borger and Phillips.
We had our first child with us, and we parked our travel trailer across from my
aunt and uncle's house in a friendly neighbor's driveway. I took my wife on a
"tour" of Phillips
and Borger, and we left a few days later, following a tornado. I just did not
want to sit through another Panhandle tornado!
I only learned of the demise
of Phillips today!
My aunt and uncle moved away when he retired from Phillips, to relocate in Bowie.
Both are now deceased. I can't imagine Phillips
having been leveled. - Jim Pixley, Corona, California, May 24, 2007
Subject: BORGER, TEXAS
My
daughter-in-law in Houston found your website (she is a teacher in creating websites
& computer at Dobie High School in Pasadena, Texas) and she forwarded your site
to me. I grew up in Borger, started to school there, graduated in 1940 and worked
at the old Panhandle State Bank, starting while a junior in high school. At the
time I knew everyone in town. I did an article on Dixon Creek for the Museum in
Borger, having moved there when I was about 3 years old. My first memory of time
is on Dixon Creek, and I have pictures of myself standing in front of our tent
at what was then called "Tent City", up and down the banks of the Dixon Creek.
Never met but one person who could go back to Tent City with me, and she is now
deceased. I am 83 years of age now, and that seems so long ago, but I found your
site nostalgic, and brought back many memories. - Elnora Engle Walker, January
12, 2007
Subject:
RIVERVIEW POWER PLANT TX
By chance found your site and was very interested in the pictures
of camp. I was born in Borger and lived in Riverview. My dad worked at the
Power Plant. I
have looked at the images of the area on google earth and am able to place where
we lived and even though the houses are long gone, the trees tell where they were.
Thie image of camp
you have on the site, does not seem to fit any of these configurations so was
very puzzled unless it was not taken facing West. I do have images (will have
to look for them) and when I find them, will email them to you. Do you have any
other images I could see?
It was quite a memory jogger and was delighted
to realize how much was still there! Thanks for posting it. - Margot Carter
Blair, April 02, 2006
Subject:
William Henderson - Borger, TX - Isom Township
My wife's step grandfather, William Henderson, was a land speculator from Alabama
who first established the Isom township which later became Borger. He was the
owner of the Black Hotel in Borger, and following the 1920s scandal (martial law)
he was elected mayor of Borger. I have many newspaper clippings describing the
events, and many early photographs of the people of the time (and an aerial photo
of the original townsite). In addition I have letters and a journal that gives
first hand accounts of the early history of Borger. I am beginning research so
that I might write a biography of "Pop" Henderson and the beginnings of Borger.
Can you give me any suggestions as to how I might proceed? Is there a way to access
newspaper articles from that early time, or is there anything that can be gained
from your museum? Perhaps I can come to Borger and speak to people who are familiar
with the early history and who might shed some light on my research. Thanks. Thomas
E. Casey, Colorado, usmasu1@cox.net , February 28, 2006 |
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