Hobbs, Lea County, New Mexico

 Located at the junction of Highways 62 and 18, you will find Hobbs, first settled by James Isaac Hobbs in 1907 when he built a dugout for his family at the corner of what is now; First and Texas Streets.

The first store  in the area, was built by Berry Hobbs in 1909. Berry, bringing mail from the Roberts post office thus eliminating the 12 mile round trip that folks had to make to send or receive mail and after the mandatory three month service period, was awarded the Hobbs post office was established in the back of Berry's store on 26th of January 1910.

The "Tulsa Daily World" of Tulsa, Oklahoma, printed an article in June 1930, regarding the amazing growth of Hobbs and and the discovery of oil and how the cities matriarch, "Grandma Hobbs" who warned people to buy the land around Hobbs as the city would grow, the selling price was then  $5-$6 per acre.

1936 Hobbs Telephone Directory

During its early years, Hobbs was divided by developers with there being "All Hobbs, City of the Future"; Hobbs, township"; New Hobbs" and "Borger", when the dust finally settled the area maintained the original township name of Hobbs.

Hobbs, now the biggest city in Lea County, has a running battle with Lovington, its neighbor to the north.  Lovington, was named the county seat in 1917, a certain group of Hobbs businessmen, felt that Hobbs should also be the county seat, a battle that to this day rages on. Stories have it that there was a failed attempt to steal the county court house.

The books, The Grandma Hobbs Affair" by Joe Byers; "Lea, New Mexico's Last Frontier" by Gil Hinshaw; and "The History of Lea County Post Offices" by James W. White; are recommended for anyone researching Hobbs.

A must for researchers, with its historical pictures and information is: http://www.hobbshistory.com/index.html (Off site Link)