New System for Looking up County Pages

As we get farther along in creating county pages and adding to menus, it is becoming very clear that using menus to find pages is cumbersome. We also thought that if a person knew what part of the state they were interested in seeing, it would be nice to have pop up or clickable information. So, we are working on creating a map system.

Below, you will find our map, at least the beginnings of it. For this preview it is just a static map that isn’t up to date. Click on “Read More” to see the real thing.

In the menu, at the top of all pages on our site is “County by County” menu item. On that page is our interactive map. Click on a county and away you will go …..

Hartley County, Texas – Towns, Sites and a little history

Hartley County, Texas

Organized in 1891 and named for Oliver C. Hartley and his brother, Rufus K. Hartley, two early Texas legislators and lawyers.

Towns located in Hartley County, Texas

Channing (County Seat)
Hartley (Original County Seat from 1891 to about 1896)
Dalhart (Straddles the counties of Hartley and Dallam)

State and National Parks within Hartley County, Texas

None

Rita Blanca Lake and Park Managed Jointly by Hartley and Dallam County is just south of the town of Dalhart in the northern area of the county.

Hartley County Courthouse and Grounds

The county seat was originally the town of Hartley from 1891 to about 1896. The original county Jail Structure, built in 1892 and use discontinued by 1903, still stands in the town of Hartley. The original courthouse was loaded on wagons and moved to Channing. The Current Courthouse, in Channing, was constructed in 1906. Next door is the old county Jail, currently used as the Sherriff’s office, also constructed in 1906. According to our tour guide, the jail was built around a navy ship’s jail. The Currently used county Jail is in the town of Dalhart and is Joint Hartley and Dallam County Jail. We have been to Channing twice in 2012 and 2016. 2012 we were there after hours and 2015 we were there when the courtroom was in use. One day we must get back and photograph the courtroom. Since the courthouse was in use the day we were there in 2015, we took just a few pictures of the interior common areas.

XIT General Office

Also within the town of Channing is what was the XIT Ranch General Office. The location where general business transactions for the legendary ranch were performed. Restoration activities are underway and we were given a tour of the grounds as well as the building while we were in town. One simply must notice the “XIT General Office” sign on the east side of US Hwy 54 just south of town. This tour of the general office was eye opening …. we had always heard of the legendary XIT whenever we were in the panhandle, seeing things up close and personal drove home just how legendary this ranch really was.

Hartley County Courthouse - Channing, TX — Hartley County Courthouse – Channing, TX

Hartley County - 1906 Jail — Hartley County – 1906 Jail

Hartley County - 1906 Jail Interior — Hartley County – 1906 Jail Interior

Hartley County - XIT General Office — XIT General Office

XIT General Office - Channing, Hartley County, Texas — XIT General Office

XIT Ranch Map Texas Panhandle - Dallam County, Hartley County, Oldham County, Deaf Smith County, Parmer County, Castro County, Lamb County, Bailey County, Cochran County, Hockley County — XIT Ranch Map Texas Panhandle

Dallam County, Texas – Towns, Sites and a little History

Dallam County, Texas

Dallam County, Texas was Formed in 1876 and named for James Wilmer Dallam 1818 – 1847, a lawyer and newspaper publisher. Matter of fact, he is the lawyer that created the first digest of Texas laws, Digest of Decisions of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Texas, 1845.

Towns located in Dallam County, Texas

Dalhart (County Seat)
Texline

Unincorporated Settlements:

Chamberlin
Conlen
Perico
Kerrick

State and National Parks within Dallam County, Texas

Rita Blanca National Grassland

Dallam County Courthouse and Grounds

Dallam County has had a total of two county seats and 3 structural courthouses. The first county seat when the county was organized was the town of Texline, the only town in the county at the time located on a Fort Worth and Denver City Rail line. Texline was a railroad repair station and yard complete with a small roundhouse, a portion of which still stands in 2015. Rock Island Railroad brought a line through the county that crossed the existing Fort Worth and Denver Line southeast of Texline. The town that sprouted up at this crossing was named Dalhart. The town of Dalhart actually Straddles two counties … Dallam and Hartley. The first few letters of each of the 2 county names make up the name of the town. In 1903 the County seat of Dallam was moved to the much larger Dalhart. The first courthouse, a two story wood structure, was built in 1891 in Texline. I have never personally seen any photographs nor renderings of the 1891 structure. The second was built in Dalhart along with a small Jail Building in 1903 and replaced in 1923 in Dalhart. The only remaining structure is the 1923 Courthouse and there are photos around of the 1903 building. Last Time I was personally in Dalhart was in early 2012. We are going back, this year and we will be looking to see some of the things we know exist and for a few things we aren’t sure about. For now, please enjoy what we have, now.

Surprising Memorial to a Dallam County Texas Son – James R. Fox Jr.

To say surprising, at least to me, is beyond an understatement. To date through over 100 Texas counties, I have seen nothing else that compares. It seems the Chinese Government, in 2002, felt so Grateful to an American Pilot during WWII that they sent a Memorial to his home in far northeast Texas, which is displayed on the grounds of the county courthouse. Coincidentally, the memorial was produced to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of his arrival in China. If there is a significance to the 60 year mark, I am not sure what it might be. The front of the sculpture is memorialized in the Chinese Language above and English Translation below, signed by the President of The People’s Republic of China. On the back is the description of the reason the sculpture was made and by who it was made. I photographed both the front and the back and the photos are attached, below.

Return to Dallam County in 2015

This trip we spent the night. We specifically wanted to see the “Empty Saddle”, but, the locals told us it was removed and had no idea if it would ever be back. We saw and found a lot of other stuff around the county that we had never seen, before. Planned to see a few more things, however, we ran out of time. We spent the night in our travel trailer at a lovely RV park called “Corral RV Park”. Highly recommend this park. Staff was nice, it was easy to get situated and checked in/out. Nice and quiet.

This trip we toured the inside of the Dallam County Courthouse. We found the Veteran’s Memorial, we photographed the railroad bridge (awesome rail crossroad), We went out to the far reaches of the county and attempted to take a shortcut on a dirt road that abruptly ended at a huge pond in the middle of the Rita Blanca National Grassland. Subsequently we ran out of time to see Buffalo Springs (Part of the XIT Ranch). We made it to Kerrick, Bunker Hill, Texline, and a few other places. Dallam and Hartley counties share in a few things as Dalhart actually does cross the county line. They share at least a common county Jail and a Veteran’s memorial. Additional Photos are now added to this page …. enjoy!!