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"Breckenridge
- The Dynamo of West Texas" Mural
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, April 2009 |
If
not directly responsible for the reputation West Texas has for friendliness,
then Breckenridge is a major contributor. With neighbors like Albany,
Eastland and Palo
Pinto, what do you expect?
The town's "skyscraper" is the former Burch Hotel, built during
the oil boom when Breckenridge's population jumped from 1600 to 20,000
in one year. Now the First National Bank building.
The Breckenridge American is the town newspaper. In addition
to their primary duty of keeping everyone informed, they also sell
books and maps. Topics are Texan: regional history, flora, fauna and
an excellent book on Breckenridge "Jazz-Age Boomtown".
This book depicts Breckenridge's turbulent oil-boom period through
vintage photographs. 114 E. Elm. |
Breckinridge Main Street Oil Rig, Jan. 1920
Click on image to enlarge
The New York Times Photo Archive, Wikimedia Commons |
Historical Marker:
200 W. Walker
Breckenridge
Stephen Walker
Breckenridge “Breck”
Stephens Walker (1877-1929) was born to E. L. and Molena Jane Yancy
Walker in Stephens
County and named for the town and county of his birth. With his
brother B.B., Walker operated a livery and a stage that ran between
Breckenridge and Ranger.
He met his future wife, Cora Alice Davis, while riding past her home
on stagecoach trips. The two were married in 1897.
The Walker brothers purchased a hardware store, but Breck aspired
to be a banker, joining the First National
Bank of Breckenridge as a cashier in 1904. He eventually purchased
controlling interest in the bank and became its president. During
this period, he purchased large areas of local land for cattle ranching.
Oil was discovered in the Breckenridge area in the 1910s. Walker teamed
with Judge Clifton Mott Caldwell and formed the Walker-Caldwell Oil
Co. In 1917. In 1920, Breckenridge experienced an oil boom. The population
of the town rose from around 1,500 to 15,000 in one year. This boom
brought a time of prosperity and growth to the area.
In 1920, walker opened the town of Breckwalker nine miles to
the south of Breckenridge. Meant to be a supply center for the area’s
oil industry, the town never prospered, disappearing completely as
the boom subsided.
Walker’s company built Breckenridge’s first water system, established
a daily newspaper, and constructed several buildings and churches.
In 1925, Breckenridge’s leaders appointed Walker mayor. He accepted
and held office until failing health forced him to leave in 1928.
He died of pneumonia on January 16, 1929, and is buried in Fort
Worth.
2016 |
 |
Breckenridge,
Texas
Landmarks/Attractions
Photo Gallery by
Barclay
Gibson |
| Looking like
a Mayan ruin, the main entrance to the 1883 Courthouse is displayed
on the lawn of the 1926
(and current) Courthouse. Also of note is the homage to the Egyptian
"Father of Architecture" Hammurabi (above the door on the NW side
(rear) of the building. |
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The Swenson
Memorial Museum
The Old First National Bank Building
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
32° 45' 19.04" N, 98° 54' 11.66" W
116 W. Walker
254-559-8471
Home of the Basil Clemons Photograph Collection
of oil boomtown Breckenridge photographs
|
Historical Marker:
Old First National Bank Building
The First National Bank of Breckenridge was organized in 1904, when
Stephens County
was primarily a farming and ranching area. The financial institution
moved its headquarters to this building following its completion in
1920, during the height of the area oil boom. The Beaux Arts Classical
Revival structure, which features Ionic columns and bracketed architecture
over the doorway, served as the First National Bank building until
1972.
1984 |
Simpson's Grocery
& Market Mural
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, April 2009 |
"Spirit
of the Buckaroos" mural
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, April 2009 |
"Spirit
of the Buckaroos" mural detail
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, April 2009 |
"Spirit
of the Buckaroos" mural detail
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, April 2009 |
"Spirit
of the Buckaroos" mural detail
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, April 2009 |
Historical Marker:
1301 W Elliott
Breckenridge
Cemetery
THE FIRST BURIAL
HERE, FOR DR. ALEXANDER MILLER, DATES FROM DEC. 27, 1872. W. R. BROWN
OFFICIALLY PATENTED THE LAND FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS IN 1881 AND BEGAN
SELLING CEMETERY PLOTS. THE CEMETERY WAS DEDICATED AS OAKLAWN CEMETERY
IN 1926; SOME EARLY BURIALS ALSO REFER TO EAST SIDE CEMETERY.
THE CEMETERY EXPANDED IN THE 1940s, AND IN 1952 THE CEMETERY ASSOCIATION
DEEDED THE PROPERTY TO THE CITY OF BRECKENRIDGE.
GRAVE MARKERS ARE PRIMARILY SANDSTONE, MARBLE, LIMESTONE, GRANITE
AND BRONZE. VETERANS FROM THE TEXAS REVOLUTION TO THE PRESENT ARE
INTERRED HERE.
TODAY, THE ONLY CEMETERY IN THE CITY LIMITS NUMBERS MORE THAN 10,000
GRAVES, REFLECTING A CONTINUUM OF THE AREA’S HISTORY FROM PIONEER
TIMES TO THE MODERN DAY.
2012 |
Breckenridge,
Texas
Vintage Photos
|
Oil Rigs in Breckenridge
Looking South East from School House
ca. Jan. 1921
Click on image to enlarge
DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University, Wikimedia Commons |
Largest Oil
Well in the U.S.A.
ca. 1921
DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University, Wikimedia Commons |
Nearby
Destinations
38 miles east
to Palo
Pinto on Hwy 180
24 miles west
to Albany on Hwy 180
28 miles south
to Cisco on Hwy 183,
then 10 miles east to Eastland
on Hwy 6.
Lakes
Hubbard
Creek Lake, 15,000 acre feet of recreational water, 4 miles
west.
Lake Daniel
is 7 miles from the city. Fishing and boating but no swimming or
wading (it's the city's water supply).
Possum
Kingdom Lake - 20 miles East of Breckenridge - here's a
lake in three counties (Stephens,
Young & Palo
Pinto).
|
Breckenridge
murals by Billy Ines
TE Photo |
Murals from
"The Mural Capital of Texas"
Editor's Note:
" In November, 1999, we wrote: One of the ongoing projects
of the Main Street Cities Program is their award winning series
of murals depicting Breckenridge's past. Airbrush artist Billy
Ines provides the talent, while Main Street Manager Shelly
Hargrove coordinates. Just short of "photo-realism", the murals
are inspired by vintage oil boomtown photographs by Basil Clemons
currently housed at the Swenson Memorial Museum. At last count there
were six and they range from excellent to fantastic. Most are around
the town's major intersection (Hwys 180 and 183).
They now have a total of eight murals, and another two in the works.
And now: January 19, 2001 - We were notified by William Myers that
Breckenridge has been proclaimed "The Mural Capital of Texas".
This designation was passed by the Texas Legislature on January
17, 2001. Our congratulations to Breckenridge and our thanks to
Mr. Myers for notifying us of the good news."
- January
19, 2001
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Mural
by Billy Ines
TE photo, 1999 |
Breckenridge, Texas Forum
I really enjoy
your website and I appreciate the information you have on Breckenridge,
Stephens County, Texas. There is some information that I would like
to share with you about Breckenridge. Breckenridge, Texas is now
"The Mural Capital of Texas". This designation was passed
by the Texas Legislature on January 17, 2001. Please add this information
to your website. Thank you, William Myers
We are now
officially The Mural Capitol of Texas. There are a total of eight
murals now. We've got another two in the works...... - Kristi Williams
Community Development Director City of Breckenridge
I am soo proud
of Breckenridge now being the "Mural Capital of Texas".
too cool! - Shelly Hargrove, Taylor Main Street Project Manager.
I'm an ex-Texan
living in St. Louis, MO. I used to live in Breckenridge. I graduated
from high school in 1982 and went into the Army. My parents still
reside there. It's nice to see that Breckenridge is on the computer.
Just wanted to say hi to everyone in Breckenridge. Thanks. .. -
Donald Willis, April 09, 2001
*Texas Department of Transportation includes Stephens County in
the Panhandle Plains
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| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact
us. |
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