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History in
a Pecan Shell
Named
for a former Confederate officer and Texas politician, the town began
1885 and a post office opened in September of the following year.
Three years later when the county was organized, Ochiltree was designated
the county seat. By 1915 the population was a substantial 500 and
the town had three churches, a school, bank and two newspapers.
In late 1909, the Enid, Ochiltree and Western Railroad attempted to
connect Ochiltree with Dalhart, but
the underfunded enterprise laid less than fourteen miles of track
before bankruptcy. Ten years later the Panhandle and Santa Fe Railway
succeeded where the EOW failed, but they bypassed Ochiltree. The same
year of 1919 saw the establishment of Perryton
- eight miles north. Perryton became
the new county seat and in a story familiar to Panhandle residents,
houses and businesses were moved to the new town, making Ochiltree
a virtual ghost. When the post office closed its doors in 1921, it
became official.
Ochiltree's rise and fall has an uncanny resemblance to the history
of Emma, Texas. Both towns had healthy
populations, both were county seats, both were bypassed by the railroad,
both lost out to newly formed communities and both became ghosts.
The old Ochiltree cemetery
remains - facing Highway 70.
Photographer's Note:
The Ochiltree Cemetery is a nice, very well tended cemetery. - Barclay
Gibson
See
Ochiltree Townsite Historical
Marker
Ochiltree Cemetery Historical
Marker
1907 Ochiltree County Postal Map |
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Ochiltree
Townsite Historical Marker on Hwy 70
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, July 2009 |
Historical Marker
Ochiltree Townsite
(Bordering this
Highway)
This county was created in 1876 and named for noted
Texas jurist William Beck Ochiltree (1811-1867). In 1876 it was attached
for judicial purposes to Clay and later to Wheeler County. In 1886
pioneers began to settle in dugouts here on the prairies near Wolf
Creek, saying they lived "in Ochiltree." For convenience in making
land and tax transactions, and establishing law and order, they organized
the county in 1889, making their village the county seat. First elected
officials were William J. Todd, county judge; Dave C. Kettell, sheriff
and tax collector; George M. Perry, county clerk; Myrtle L. Daily,
treasurer. In 1891 a 2-story courthouse was built (100 yards southeast)
of lumber freighted from Dodge City, Kansas. This also served as church,
schoolhouse, and social hall for the town. By 1903, Ochiltree had
600 people, churches, a high school, a newspaper, bank, flour mill,
and other facilities.
In 1919, the Santa Fe Railway founded a new town between Ochiltree
and Gray, Oklahoma, and induced people from both places to relocate
by offering free lots. In 1919 steam engines and heavy equipment hauled
the improvements from Ochiltree to the new site (8 miles north), called
Perrytown, in honor of veteran county
official George M. Perry.
(1976) |
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Historical Marker
Ochiltree Cemetery
In 1902, Jim McLarty
and J. V. Stump fenced off 90 acres for a cemetery in the town of
Ochiltree. Soon afterwards, Jim was thrown from his horse and killed,
and at age 21 became the first person buried in the cemetery. In 1927
the county acquired the deed from Mr. J. M. Blasingame; in 1930 a
cemetery association was formed. During the Depression of the 1930s
an entry gate was built with help from the Works Progress Administration.
Veterans of the Civil War and Spanish
American wars, as well as World
Wars I and II
and the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam, are among the citizens buried
here.
(1997) |
1907 Ochiltree
County postal map showing Ochiltree
From Texas state map #2090
Courtesy
Texas General Land Office |
| 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
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