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COLORADO
CITY, TEXAS"Mother
City of West Texas"
Mitchell County Seat, Texas
Panhandle / West
Texas
I-20 and Hwys 208 and 163
63 miles West of Abilene
38 miles East of Big Spring
Population 4,281 (2000) 4,749 (1990)
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Second
Street in 1917
Courtesy rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/ |
History
in a Pecan Shell
Colorado City is the oldest established town between
Weatherford and El Paso.
The name comes from it's location on the Colorado River.
1880s: The Texas
& Pacific Railroad arrives, the town becomes the county seat and gets a post office
- all in 1881. "Pete" Snyder, namesake of the Scurry County seat does a brisk
business in Colorado City. Throughout the 1880s Colorado City was a prosperous
town - but it lost business to Abilene
and San Angelo when the railroad
reached those cities in 1887/88.
1890s: Salt mining was an economic factor
1900s: This decade brought a surge of settlers - increasing the population and
creating a boom.
1910s: Electricity and water come to Colorado City and a
setback from drought is experienced 1916 - 1918
1920s: The twenties were good
everywhere and Colorado City was no exception. City Hall was built and streets
paved
1930s: Oil discoveries in Mitchell and neighboring counties help ease
The Great Depression - but for the most part the growth was stagnant
1959:
Lake Colorado City and Champion Creek Reservoir were built
Mitchell
County Courthouse > |
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T
& P Depot in Colorado City
Courtesy
rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/ |
Colorado
City Attractions The
Heart of West Texas Museum: Third Street and Locust St. Closed Mondays
Lake
Colorado City State Park: 915/728-3931
7 miles southwest of town off Highway
163
4582 FM 2836 Colorado City TX 79512 Champion
Creek Reservoir
Texas 208, seven miles south of Colorado City on Champion
Creek
Colorado
City Hotels
Book Your Hotel Here & Save |
Colorado
City Methodist Church
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, February 2007 |
The
closed Baker Hotel in Colorado City
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, February 2007 |
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