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History in
a Pecan Shell
The county's
first resident settled the area in 1876.
When the county
was organized in 1890, Wellington had a rival for county seat. Only
two miles from Wellington, Pearl City
was thought to be a shoe-in.
The management of the Rocking Chair Ranch urged their employees to
join the Wellington camp. The strange name was in honor of the Duke
of Wellington. (A distant relation of a Rocking Chair Ranch partner
was present at the Battle of Waterloo.) Voters in the county were
offered free town lots if they voted for Wellington. Hardly anyone
was surprised when Wellington defeated Pearl
City.
Wellington got a saloon (moved from Pearl
City) and a post office (mail via Memphis)
in the same year of 1891. The county voted dry in 1898, eliminating
the saloon.
Cotton replaced cattle
as the major economic influence and the town had 600 people when the
Wichita Falls and Northwestern Railway came through in 1910.
The arrival of the Fort Worth and Denver Northern Railway occurred
while the new courthouse
was being constructed in 1931 and further improvements in the city's
infrastructure resulted in an increased population. |
Wellington,
Texas
Landmarks/Attraction
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Wellington
Depots ›
The Fort Worth & Denver Northern Railway Depot
& The Katy RR Depot |
Wellington City
Limit Sign
Photo Courtesy Barclay
Gibson, December 2008 |
Wellington
Post Office Cornerstone
Photo Courtesy Barclay
Gibson, December 2008 |
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Tombstone with
angel in North Fairview Cemetery
Photo Courtesy Barclay
Gibson, December 2008
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Rocking Chair
"Ranche" Historical Marker
On US 83, 8 miles N of Wellington
in a park on north side of Red River
Photo
Courtesy Barclay
Gibson, December 2008 |
Historical Marker:
Rocking Chair
"Ranche"
(1883-1893)
Owned by Scottish
Earls of Aberdeen and Tweedmouth. The headquarters were at Aberdeen
(about 7 miles northeast). Starting with 14,745 cattle, the Rocking
Chair made profits for a few years, then failed. In north part of
county are hills bearing its name. Also, town of Wellington was given
that name at wish of rocking chair owners, who had a kinsman die at
Waterloo where he was aide to the Duke of Wellington.
W.E. Hughes in 1893 bought the land and added it to Mill Iron Ranch.
Later the 235 sections were sold to others, to convert to farms and
smaller ranches.
(1970)
More Texas Ranches
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Capt. Randolph
Marcy's Exploration Route Through Collingsworth County Historical
Marker
On US 83, 2 miles S of Wellington
Photo
Courtesy Barclay
Gibson, December 2008 |
Historical Marker:
Capt. Randolph
Marcy's Exploration Route through Collingsworth County
In 1852, Capt.
R.B. Marcy led a survey expedition along the Red River to document
the river's channel and related streams. The team, which included
Capt. G.B. McLellan of the Corps of Engineers, entered the Texas
panhandle June 10, 1852 and arrived in what is now Collingsworth
County on July 7. Traveling eastward through the southern part
of the county, the team identified the sources and route of the Red
River. The team left Texas north of Dodson
and returned to Fort Arbuckle in present Oklahoma. Their survey later
proved important in settling a boundary dispute between Texas and
Oklahoma.
(2006) |
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Bura
Handley ›
Chances are good that those citizens of Wellington whose age is less
than 60 years may sometimes wonder just what the man whose name adorns
the Bura Handley Community Center was really like. Perhaps this small
accounting of history will provide some answers to that question,
as well as a degree of insight into the character, integrity, and
sheer genius of the man whom I was privileged to call my “Dad”, while
others simply referred to him as “Mister Wellington.” |
| 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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