ROYALTY, TEXAS

Texas Ghost Town
Ward County, West Texas

31° 22' 21" N, 102° 52' 2" W (31.3725, -102.867222)

Hwy 18 and FM 1219
17 miles S of Monahans the county seat
2 miles N of Grandfalls
34 miles N of Fort Stockton
53 miles SW of Odessa
58 miles SE of Pecos
Population: 40 est. (2010) 29 (2000) 196 (1990)

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History in a Pecan Shell

After oil was discovered at Grandfalls in 1927, this town was named after the "royalties" paid to property owners. The town grew up as an oil field supply point. Formerly known as Allentown, Texas, the name was changed with the opening of the post office.

Royalty had a mere population of 20 in 1933 and businesses were consistent with the bare-bones necessities of an oil town: cafe, barber, pool hall, hotel, laundry and drugstore. Its high water mark was reached just prior to WWII with a population of 750 but by 1950 there were only 280. It has now reached the point where population is only an estimate.

1940s Ward County map showing Royalty
S of Monahans, near Grandfalls
From Texas state map #4335
Courtesy Texas General Land Office

Take a road trip

Royalty, Texas Area Towns:
Monahans the county seat
Mentone
Grandfalls
Fort Stockton
Odessa
Pecos
See Ward County | West Texas

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