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Early photo
of Grayback Post Office & Greyback Grocery
Courtesy Gene
McIlroy |
History in
a Pecan Shell
When the Waggoner
Ranch was formed in the 1880s, Grayback was having its own (more modest)
beginnings. The town with its handful of people survived and went
about its business until oil discoveries in the 1920s prompted the
town to apply for a post office. During the boom the town was often
referred to as Rock Crossing, an oil town actually several
miles east. Phillips Petroleum Company did build some housing units
for its employees in the 20s and a school was briefly in operation.
The boom may have been felt elsewhere, but for Grayback, it retained
a tiny population - peaking in 1950s at just 50.
Rock Crossing has long ago disappeared from maps and now everyone
calls Grayback by its proper name. The population remains at 25 -
and the town remains on the state map. |
Rock Crossing
&
Grayback Post Office / Grocery
"Rock
Crossing may have been a town east of Grayback but the name actually
referred to a natural hard sandstone crossing of Beaver Creek just
East of the Post Office. I never heard my parents refer to a town
by that name and they were raised in the area.
Cities Service Oil Co. had a camp east of Grayback. It always was
referred to by both names in my extended family who moved there in
1926 and some remained until the middle 2000's." - Gene McIlroy,
July 25, 2017 |
Wilbarger
County 1940s map showing Beaver Creek
From Texas state map #4335
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,
landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact
us. |
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