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CHILDRESS,
TEXAS
Childress County Seat, Texas
Panhandle
34° 25' 30" N, 100° 12' 50" W (34.425, -100.213889)
Highway 287 and 62/83
30 miles N of Paducah
30 miles NW of Quanah
116 miles SE of Amarillo
ZIP code 79201
Area code 940
Population: 6,048 est. (2019)
6,105 (2010) 6,778 (2000) 5,055 (1990)
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Childress,
Texas 1890 City Map
Click on image to enlarge
Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons |
History in
a Pecan Shell
1886: Childress
City and Henry were two towns only four miles apart.
1887: Childress County was organized and the Fort Worth and
Denver Railroad arrived the same year. Childress City was declared
county seat, but Henry contested and won. Henry then changed
its name to Childress.
1888: the first newspaper (Childress County Index) is published
1890: town is incorporated
1904: homicide in a saloon brings about prohibition
1910: Population goes over 5,000
1905-1906: Walter Chrysler was foreman of the railroad roundhouse
- he later founded Chrysler Motors.
1891: courthouse burns
1939: new permanent courthouse
is built
1942: Childress Army Air Field is opened to train bombardiers
and also serves as a prisoner of war camp.
1945: Base is deactivated and eventually becomes the municipal
airport |
Childress,
Texas
Landmarks / Attractions
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Childress
County Heritage Museum -
In former post office 3rd and C street
Baylor Creek
Reservoir -
12 miles west of Childress on the Prairie Dog Fork of the Red River
Childress
Hotels
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Historical Marker:
Childress
Post Office Building
The Childress Post
Office was established in 1887, and in 1935 this post office building
was constructed on the site formely occupied by the First Methodist
Church. Reflecting the Spanish Colonial style of architecture, it
features round-arched windows, a parapet above the main entrance,
a 7-bay facade, round transom, and decorative brickwork. In 1981,
when the post office relocated, the building was purchased for use
as a museum.
Recorded Texas Historical Landmark-1991 |
"Friends
don't let friends drink bad coffee!"
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, 2009 |
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"The Palace Theater, opened in 1921, remained in business until
1993."
Photo courtesy Wes Reeves, 2005 |
Cowboy
Gene
by Mike Cox ("Texas Tales")
In the spring of 1938, a cowboy on the dodge rode into the Panhandle
railroad town of Childress.
A little short of cash, he approached Rufus Layton, manager of the
Palace Theater, about doing some work for him. Layton jumped
at the opportunity, offering him a healthy amount of money for Depression
times - $100.
For that kind of money, this cowboy wouldn't be taking tickets or
sweeping up stale popcorn. He'd be singing, playing a guitar and smiling
big. Layton must have been smiling big, too, because the cowboy's
name was Gene Autry. THE Gene Autry. ... more
Childress
Hotels - Book Here |
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Childress
Tourist Information
Childress Economic Development Corporation
888-235-2942, 940-937-8629
315 Commerce Street
PO Box 10, Childress, TX 79201
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| 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
us. |
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