|
|
CHILDRESS,
TEXASChildress
County Seat, Texas
Panhandle
Highway 287 and 62/83
30 miles N of Paducah
30 miles NW of Quanah
116 miles SE
of Amarillo
Population 6,778 (2000) 5,055 (1990) |
 |
Childress
History in a Pecan Shell
1886: Childress City and Henry were two towns only four miles apart.
1887: Childress County was organized and the Fort Worth and Denver Railroad
arrived the same year. Childress City was declared county seat, but Henry contested
and won. Henry then changed its name to Childress.
1888: the
first newspaper (Childress County Index) is published
1890: town is
incorporated
1904: homicide in a saloon brings about prohibition
1910: Population goes over 5,000
1905-1906: Walter Chrysler
was foreman of the railroad roundhouse - he later founded Chrysler Motors.
1891: courthouse burns
1939: new permanent courthouse
is built
1942: Childress Army Air Field is opened to train bombardiers
and also serves as a prisoner of war camp.
1945: Base is deactivated
and eventually becomes the municipal airport |
Childress
Attractions Childress
County Courthouse Childress
County Heritage Museum -
In former post office 3rd and C street
Baylor Creek
Reservoir -
12 miles west of Childress on the Prairie Dog Fork of the Red RiverChildress
Hotels - Save on Hotels |
"Friends don't let friends drink bad coffee!"
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, 2009 |
| |
"The Palace Theater, opened in 1921, remained in business until 1993."
Photo courtesy Wes Reeves, 2005 |
Cowboy
Gene
by Mike Cox ("Texas Tales")
In the spring of 1938, a
cowboy on the dodge rode into the Panhandle railroad town of Childress.
A little short of cash, he approached Rufus Layton, manager of the Palace Theater,
about doing some work for him. Layton jumped at the opportunity, offering him
a healthy amount of money for Depression times - $100.
For that kind
of money, this cowboy wouldn't be taking tickets or sweeping up stale popcorn.
He'd be singing, playing a guitar and smiling big. Layton must have been smiling
big, too, because the cowboy's name was Gene Autry. THE Gene Autry. ... more
Childress
Hotels - Book Now |
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
us.
Book
Hotels: Childress Hotels Childress
Tourist Information
Childress Economic Development Corporation
888-235-2942,
940-937-8629
315 Commerce Street
PO Box 10, Childress, TX 79201 |
|
| Save on Hotels
- Expedia
Affiliate Network | |
