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History
in a Pecan Shell
The county was named after Confederate General Wm. Scurry. William Henry
Snyder was an early merchant/ buffalo
hunter who operated a trading post.
1878: Wm. H. "Pete" Snyder, former
Pennsylvanian, opens trading post on Deep Creek.
1882: Mr. Snyder plans
the future town of Snyder and first school opens
1884: County becomes
organized and Snyder becomes county seat
1892: Snyder has two newspapers
as well as two banks, and two churches.
1908: The Altururian Woman's
Club is formed
1910: Population reaches 2,500 - a significant number
for West Texas
1911:
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad comes to Snyder.
1931: First
State Bank Closes due to The Great Depression
1948: Oil is discovered
and Snyder is overwhelmed when it's population triples in one year
1950:
The Snyder Daily News becomes the first daily newspaper published.
1964:
The Diamond M Museum Opens - regarded as one of Texas' best art collections
1968: Due to the efforts of community leaders Snyder is chosen as one of
only 11 "All American Cities"
1971: Western Texas College is opened
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Snyder,
Texas Landmarks / Attractions |
Historical
Marker Text
Old
Snyder Graveyard
Formerly
state land until common usage established it as a cemetery in 1880's. Legend says
first burial was an Indian. Early-day transients were often buried in unmarked
graves. Tract closed to further burials, 1902. Many bodies have been moved elsewhere.
Only 14 graves are now identified.
(1969) |
Historical
Marker (US
180 near 34th Street)
Former
Calaboose
Prior
to 1920s held rowdies arrested by town constable. After paved roads made the county
jail accessible, this structure was moved and sold. Later, to obtain storage space,
the D. R. Layman family swapped a cow for the former Hermleigh Calaboose.
Recorded
Texas Historic Landmark - 1972 |
1883
Confederate Veteran & Pioneer Doctor J.C. Cornelius House
Recorded Texas
Historic Landmark
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, 2009 |
J.C.
Cornelius House Historical Marker
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, 2009 |
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"Built like a small triangle. Can't be 15' on its longest side. I remember
seeing it in the 1950's on our way to Coleman" - Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, 3-03 |
Snyder Chronicles White
Buffalo by Mike Cox
While buffalo no longer roam the prairie, a
life-sized statute commemorating that white buffalo stands in the Scurry County
courthouse square. Beneath it is a historical marker about J. Wright Mooar, the
man who brought the white beast down.
Fire
on the Snyder Town Square, February 2003 Brewster
Hudspeth's Faintly Blurred Memory of Snyder
Mr. Hudspeth's comments do not reflect the actual history of Snyder and
students are advised to consult the "History in a Pecan Shell" above.
People Powers
Boothe by Maggie Van Ostrand
Powers Boothe was born in Snyder on
June 1st, 1948 to Merrill Vestal Boothe and Emily Kathryn Reeves. He attended
Texas State University, San Marcos (then Southwest Texas State) where he was a
member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity and received his Master of Fine Arts
from Southern Methodist University.
Powers Boothe has long been one of America's
finest actors in two major categories, character and leading man... more
T. J. Faught - April 22,
1847-August 2, 1912
Historical Marker in Snyder Cemetery:
"Settled
in 1879 as a rancher in northeast Scurry County. In 1884, six months after county
organization, the first sheriff resigned in disgust. Faught was appointed, serving
remainder of that term plus three more. As sheriff, he never wore a gun. Faught
was also a leading citizen of Snyder. He built a hall for the Masonic Lodge, of
which he was a charter member. Faught Street (now 27th Street) was named in his
honor." |
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| Snyder was used as
a backdrop for a movie starring George Strait in 2001. The recently restored Ritz
Theater gets some much-deserved attention. |
William
Manery and Store at 23 Street
Manery was the proprietor of several
businesses,
and a part of Snyder is named after him.
Photo c1906 courtesy
Charlene Beatty Beauchamp |
High School in Snyder, 1900s
Courtesy texasoldphotos.com |
Early
1900s Snyder street scene
Courtesy texasoldphotos.com |
West
Side Square, Snyder, Texas
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/
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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, and vintage/historic
photos, please contact
us. |
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