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A
brisk breeze in Tarzan
TE Photo Feb 2001 |
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History in
a Pecan Shell
Tarzan
wasn't formed until the 1920s. That's why you never heard of Fort
Tarzan, Texas. The town gets its unusual name from a submission to
the postal service that was accepted. There's no telling how many
names had been submitted and rejected, but the boys in the postal
service thought it was great fun to have a Tarzan, Texas. After all,
they didn't have to live there. The year was 1927 and Tarzan's popularity
in the comic strips was right up there with Krazy Kat. Of course,
when people thought of Tarzan in 1926, they though of Elmo Lincoln
instead of Johnny Weissmuller. Not that it makes much difference.
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The
Biggest Structure in Tarzan
TE Photo Feb 2001 |
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The "turning
point" for Tarzan (the town) came in 1938 when a highway was built
from Big Spring
to Andrews.
It's equidistance made it a natural stop for whoever might be traveling
between these two cities. The turning point for Tarzan (the Apeman)
was when he met Jane. Everybody knows that.
We were calling the Valentine
post office not that long ago and for some reason we got the postmaster
of Tarzan. He didn't seem too surprised that we got him by mistake.
He said that since Tarzan and Valentine
are close to one another in the directory, this sometimes happens.
While he knew the exact mileage to Valentine
and had actually been there, he was short on answers for other questions
we had. While we had him on the line, we asked the population of Tarzan.
We were told that we could "count them on one hand." We then told
him our map said 80 and he said that that "sounds about right"
So, if you see a man in the vincinity of Big
Spring / Odessa with
80 fingers on one hand, that would be the Tarzan Postmaster. |
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The
Tarzan Gin is equipped with the Moss Lint Cleaner
TE Photo Feb 2001 |
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About the only
other information we could glean from the Handbook of Texas
was that oil was discovered in the 1950s and the Tarzan Hot Oil Company
was formed. The next time you see an 18-wheeler with TARZAN HOT OIL
COMPANY written on the side, ask them why the oil has to be hot, or
if it really is.
We consulted the book Muleshoe
and More: The Remarkable Stories Behind the Naming of Texas Towns
by Bill and Clare Bradfield, and found that Tarzan was just one of
fourteen names submitted to the postal authorities by storekeeper
Tant Linsey. Perhaps the other names are still on file somewhere in
D.C. |
Former post office
in Tarzan
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, April 2006 |
| 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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