| |
| "You definitely
don't go through Soash on your way anywhere. It is about four miles E SE of Ackerly
or 20 miles NW of Big Spring
just inside the Howard County line." - Barclay
Gibson |
Soash
under Construction
Photo
by Bascom Reagan, courtesy Doyle
Phillips |
History in a
Pecan Shell
Soash was established and modestly named after "town builder" William Soash
in 1909. Soash contracted to buy thousands of acres of the Slaughter Ranch for
his land company. Soash moved to the Panhandle
from Iowa where he praised the land as fertile and the rainfall as plentiful.
In his first year he built a hotel to house prospective buyers and a bank to house
their money. In late December of 1909, rancher Rufus Slaughter became the Soash
postmaster.
Soash (the man) had a reputation to live up to - so in short
order the town had water, electricity and telephone service. But although Soash
planned for a cement block factory, a cannery and public parks, his schemes were
a bit too ambitious. Much of the land was unsuitable for farming but the town
might have survived this problem had it not been for a severe three-year drought
(1909-1912). To drive the final nail in Soash's coffin, the Santa Fe Railroad
chose to run six miles west of town - dooming Mr. Soash's dream town. Most people
left but even the most hopeful of citizens were discouraged. Soash Land Company
went bankrupt in 1912 and three years later the population was down to a mere
50. Another drought in 1917 spelled the end of Soash. The post office closed in
mid-1916, reopened in April of 1917 but closed for good six months later. Remaining
Soashers moved to Lamesa.
Today all that is left is the concrete bank - with a huge piece of concrete hanging
by a length of rebar. Soash
Today >
Soash
Forum >
Howard
County 1920s map showing Soash > |
 |
Photographer's
Note:
"Soash is just about beyond renovation. The 1980 picture in
Baker's Ghost Towns of Texas shows the shell of the building fairly intact. Now
the front sill is gone with two huge slabs being held up with only one piece of
rusted rebar. Best advice is to stand clear." - Barclay
Gibson, October 11, 2006 |
|
Soash,
Texas ForumSubject:
Soash,Texas
There are still Soash people there my parents Howard and Pearl
Armstrong. My dad, went to Soash elementary school there and to this day my parents
still live in eastern Soash community. They are not the only ones that live there.
Mammie Merrick lives across the street from the old bank building. She and her
deceased husband Bob Merrick, I believe lived there almost their entire married
life together. Bob passed away earlier this year, but Mammie still lives there
with one of their 8 children. All the rest has died or have moved away like I
have done in years past. But the Armstrongs and the Merricks will live there until
they die. Believe me I have tried to get my parents to move closer to Big
Spring, but they are not leaving Soash, Texas. Thanks. - Diann Owens, June
10, 2008
Book Hotel > Big
Spring Hotels
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1920s
Howard County map showing Soash
(Above
"H" in "HOWARD"" near Mitchell County line)
Courtesy
Texas General Land Office |
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 of their town, please contact
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