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SLATON,
TEXASLubbock
County, Panhandle
/ West Texas
Highway 84
FM 400 & FM 41
30 Miles NW of Post
10 Miles SE of Lubbock
Population: 6078 (2000) 6,086(1990)
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History
in a Pecan ShellEli
Stilson and J. I. Case (manufacturer of farm machinery) were original owners.
The land was bought in 1901 by Herbert L. Kokernot who encouraged settlement,
but the town didn’t really come into being until the Santa Fe Railroad establish
a round house. A post office was established by 1910 and the railroad purchased
the townsite the following year. The town was named in honor of rancher O. L.
Slaton, who promised to establish a bank. Slaton was the center of the largest
division in the Santa Fe system and as company employees and their families moved
to Slaton, it boosted the population. The town also had a Harvey House restaurant
– one that is in the process of being restored.
By 1931 Slaton had a
population of 3,876 and by 1949 it was 3,587. In the late 1960s the Santa Fe began
shutting down operations at Slaton and moved offices to Lubbock,
Amarillo, and New
Mexico. Slaton lost both residents and retail trade, though a slow, steady
growth continued through the 1960s. In 1970 the population was 7,250 by 1988 it
had declined insignificantly to 6,950.
Slaton Landmarks & Attractions: |
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"Located
on the corner of 9th & Garza. This large mural was designed by Bill "Tex" Wilson
capturing a nostalgic moment in the heritage of Slaton." - Leslie Robinson,
Slaton Chamber of Commerce.
Photographer's
Note:
"The
mural on 9th and Garza was in need of restoration last April. Then, when we
were through there on the last trip it had been redone. It is very attractive.
Note the red pickup is still parked in exactly the same spot six months later."
- Barclay
Gibson |
More
Slaton, Texas Attractions: Slaton
Museum: 155 N. 8th
Street
Texas
Air Museum: 2 miles
N. of town on FM 400 at Slaton Municipal
Airport
Where to Stay: Slaton
Hotels
Slaton Chamber of Commerce:
161 E. Texas Avenue - 806-828-6238
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Candy
Shops and Crossbones; Slaton, Texas 1920s
by James Villanueva
In the early 1920’s, Slaton was a thriving city
with a population of more than 6,000 and various candy shops and confectioneries
fought and competed over satisfying Slaton’s sweet tooth... more |
The
Tar and Feathering of Father Joseph M. Keller, Slaton, Texas, 1920's
by James Villanueva
On a Saturday night, March 4, 1922, in Slaton,
what may have begun as a whisper, an aside, a comment, or just mindless chatter
amongst neighbors, transformed the community and introduced an air of instability
and perilous paranoia... more |
Post
War Slaton - A Migrant Family's Story by James Villanueva
In
Slaton, Ben showed Delfina the town surrounded by cotton. He showed her the town
square, the small shops, and the movie theaters that had welcomed thousands before.
Two years after World War II had ended, the town had returned to its small and
humble atmosphere. The troops that once passed through by train were now long
gone and were only memories in post-war Slaton. “I would like to stay here,” Ben
said to his wife as the two discovered the town... |
Slaton,
Texas Forum
Subject:
Slaton, Texas Mural
An addition to your mural list.
Slaton
Heritage Mural Located on the corner of 9th & Garza. This large mural was designed
by Bill "Tex" Wilson capturing a nostalgic moment in the heritage of Slaton. "Tex"
Wilson grew up here and is a nationally esteemed artist whose works feature railroaders
and cowboys of the Old West. Prints of the Mural are available at the Slaton Chamber
of Commerce at 200 W. Garza, 806-828-6238 or The Slatonite Newspaper, P. O. Box
667, Slaton, Texas 79364, 806-828-6201. They also have many other prints by "Tex"
Wilson available. I have attached photos of the mural and the print. - Leslie
Robinson, October 13, 2006
Where
to Stay:
Slaton
Hotels |
| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history and vintage/historic
photos of their town, please contact
us. | |
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