WARD COUNTY HISTORICAL MARKERS
Old Ward County Bank
Barstow, Ward County, Texas
Address: Mackey Ave. Year Dedicated: 1962
C. E. Pierce, an early advocate of irrigated
agricultural lands for the Pecos River valley, had this building constructed in
1901 to house Ward County's first bank. Never incorporated, the bank lost money
due to area crop failures and closed in 1907. Constructed of red sandstone from
the nearby Barstow Quarry, the building exhibits influences of the Romanesque
revival style and features an interesting corner entrance. (Recorded Texas
Historic Landmark, 1962.) Decimal degrees: N 31.458892 W -103.392785
Vicinity of Early Public Library
Barstow, Ward County, Texas
Address: FM 516 & 873
Year Dedicated: 1967
The Republic of Texas set a cultural example by legislation for a state library
in 1839. In 1874 cities were authorized to establish public libraries, but most
were privately financed. A library near here about 1890 was gift of Miss Anna
Gould, a daughter of railroad magnate Jay Gould, when she was visiting the stone
quarry 4.5 miles east. She established the library the first in Ward County,
which was not organized until 1892 for families near the quarry. Most Texas
counties now have free public libraries, since a 1919 law granted this
privilege. Decimal degrees: N 31.460917 W -103.394561
First Ward County Courthouse
Barstow, Ward County, Texas Address: FM 518 & 873 Year
Dedicated: 1985
Site of First Ward County Courthouse - A Three-story red sandstone
courthouse with a domed cupola was constructed here in 1893, one year after
Barstow was elected first Ward County seat. The first elected officials to serve
in the courthouse were R. D. Gage, co. judge; S. D. McWhorter, co. & dist.
clerk; W. M. Ware, sheriff & tax collector; John W. Phillips, co. attorney; S.
H. Parker, tax assessor; J. B. Carson, surveyor; J. J. Walker, treas.; Pat
Wheat, Comm. No. 1; W. C. Carson, Comm. No. 2; Pat Duracke, Comm. No. 3; and A.
D. Irvin, Comm. No. 4. The landmark was razed soon after the county seat moved
to Monahans in 1938. All that remains is a cornerstone. Decimal degrees: N
31.389389 W -109.570396
Butterfield Overland Stage Line
Grandfalls, Ward County, Texas Address: SH 18 about 2 miles S of
Grandfalls Year Dedicated: 1936
Butterfield Overland Stage Line - One of the longest stage routes ever
established, the Southern Overland Mail Line (Butterfield Route) which provided
semi-weekly service St. Louis to San Francisco, 1858-1861. Followed
substantially the route of this highway through Ward County. Decimal degrees: N
31.316497 W -102.862904
Grandfalls Union Church
Grandfalls, Ward County, Texas Address At the intersection of SH 18 and
SH 329 in Grandfalls Year Dedicated: 1966
Grandfalls Union Church - Built by three Protestant groups, 1910. First
church building in town founded 1897. (Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1966.)
Decimal degrees: N 31.339321 W -102.851291
Water Improvement District #2
Grandfalls, Ward County, Texas Address: On SH 18, intersection of
SH 18 and 2nd St., Chamber of commerce Year Dedicated: 1966 Water Improvement
District #2 - Water Improvement District No. 2 office. Built 1896 by promoters
of irrigated farming. Community Center. (Recorded Texas Historic Landmark,
1966.) Decimal degrees: N 31.340512 W -102.852945
Old Railroad Section House
Monahans, Ward County, Texas Address: About 6 miles E. of Monahans on
US 80/I-20 in Sandhills State Park Year Dedicated: 1965 Old Railroad
Section House - Sand Hills section house. Built 1903 by Texas & Pacific Rwy.,
for one of its track foremen who were stationed every 20 miles along road.
Section houses in Permian Basin had water and human aid for men sand-bogged or
stranded in storms. (Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1965.) Decimal
degrees: N 31.635671 W -102.815734
Old Holman Hotel
Monahans, Ward County, Texas Address: 114 W. Sealy (US 80),
Year Dedicated: 1966
Old Holman Hotel - Built about 1910 by Mr. and Mrs. Jas. R. Holman, 1898
settlers in Monahans. "Dad" Holman had a lumber and coal business, dray, and
livery stable; he met daily trains and took homeseekers of salesmen to the
family hotel. One of family's six children was Eugene Holman (1895-1962),
petroleum industry leader who rose in 1944 to presidency of Standard Oil of New
Jersey, the world's largest oil company. Outstanding in labor relations, he was
an advisor to U.S. Dept. of Commerce; won (1960) American Petroleum Institute
gold medal for distinguished achievement. (Recorded Texas Historic Landmark,
1966.) Decimal degrees: N 31.594269 W -102.894510
Christ The King Catholic Church/Sands Art Center
Monahans, Ward County, Texas Address: 1000 N. Main Year
Dedicated: 1992
Christ The King Catholic Church/Sands Art Center - Area Catholic held
religious services in their homes beginning in the mid-1920s until a donation of
money and two lots here in 1938 enabled the congregation to construct this
modestly detailed structure known as Christ the King Catholic Church. Although
the building was expanded in 1954 the congregation relocated in 1961. In 1965
the building became the Sands Art Center for art workshops, exhibits, craft
shows, and occasional community theatre. (Recorded Texas Historic Landmark,
1992.) Decimal degrees: N 31.601005 W -102.895507
Million Barrel Tank
Monahans, Ward County, Texas
Million Barrel Museum, on US 80 at Eastern Edge of Monahans
Million Barrel Tank - A project of the Shell Oil Company, the construction
of this oil storage tank in 1928 was the result of an oil boom in the area.
Built to accommodate crude oil until it could be shipped to refineries, the tank
was constructed by crews working on a 24-hour schedule using hand operated and
horse-drawn equipment. Covering eight acres of land, the tank was able to hold
over one million barrels of oil. It was filled to capacity only once. Efforts to
convert it into a water-filled recreation center in the 1950s were unsuccessful,
and it became a museum in 1986. Decimal degrees: N 31.595582 W -102.878463
Monahans Sandhills State Park and Museum
Monohans, Ward County, Texas Address: 6 miles E. of Monahans on
US 80/I-20 at visitors center in Sandhills State Park
Monahans Sandhills State Park and Museum - In these shifting seas of sand,
rich in stone evidences of primitive men, today's visitors find flint points,
sandstone metates and manos of peoples who were here as early as 10,000 years
ago and late as the 1870s. Bones of great mammoths and gigantic bison prove that
this desert was in post-glacial times a land of lakes and tall grasses. Cabeza
de Vaca in 1535 and Antonio de Espejo in 1583 encountered Jumanos, historic
tribe which hunted here. In 1590 Castano de Sosa found a tribe he called
Vaqueros because they lived by hunting cows (buffalo)--the tribe later called
Apaches. For more than 100 years at this stop on great Comanche War Trail
extending into Mexico. Apache fought Comanche for pools of water and acorns of
dwarf Shinnery oak. The California or Emigrant Trail through the Sand Hills
started with the gold rush. Was first mapped in September 1849 by Capt. Randolph
B. Marcy, U. S. topographical engineers, and in 1854 by Capt. John Pope, who
explored a railroad route toward the Pacific Ocean. 3,000 acres of Sand Hills
were designated in 1957 as a state park, after acquisition and construction of a
museum by Ward County. Has picnic facilities. Decimal degrees: N 31.617425 W
-102.811523
Rattlesnake Bomber Base Link
Pyote, Ward County, Texas Address On IH-20 West bound service Rd,
Exit 66 , Pyote Year Dedicated: 1984
Rattlesnake Bomber Base - Nicknamed for the numerous rattlesnake dens that
were uncovered during its construction, Pyote Army Air Base was established in
1942 to train replacement crews for bombers during World War II. Located on
2,700 acres of University of Texas land, the base consisted of two 8,400-foot
runways, five large hangars, and hundreds of buildings used to house 3,000 to
4,000 soldiers an 2,000 civilians. On Jan. 1, 1943, the 19th Bombardment Group
(later known as the 19th Combat Crew training B-17 bomber crews. Pyote came to
be highly regarded as a top training field, and its crews set many new records
for flying hours. This reputation continued after the transition to B-29s was
made in July 1944. During the post-war years, the base served as a storage
facility, at one time housing as many as 2,000 aircraft, including the "Enola
Gay", the plane that dropped the first atomic bomb. Pyote also was used for a
short time as a radar station, but by 1966 it was no longer economical to
maintain such a large base for so small an operation, and the facility was
closed. Decimal degrees: N 31.528807 W -103.130876
LINK
Ward County
Pyote, Ward County, Texas Address:
In Roadside rest area on East bound IH-20 about 4 1/2 miles East of Pyote. Year
Dedicated: 1936
Ward County - Formed from Tom Green County; created February 26, 1887,
organized March 29, 1892. Named in honor of Thomas William Ward, 1807-1872, at
the storming of Bexar, December, 1835; Commissioner of the General Land Office,
1841-1848; United States consul at Panama, 1853-1856. Barstow, County Seat.
Decimal degrees: N 31.538701 W -103.065307
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