RAYLAND, TEXAS

Foard County, Texas Panhandle

Highway 98
17 Miles NE of Crowell the county seat
17 Miles SW of Vernon
Population: 0030 (1980-2000)

Rayland, Texas Area Hotels
Vernon Hotels | Quanah Hotels

Foard County, Rayland TX wheat field on city limit

How Wheat It Is
Photo courtesy Rick Vanderpool, 2010

History on a Pinhead

P. S. and James S. Ray founded Rayland in 1885 and a post office was opened two years later. In 1908 the post office was relocated 3.5 miles east to Antelope Springs, even though the name Rayland was retained. The community also had a school (built in 1899) but that too, was moved before closing in the late 1940s. The post office was discontinued in 1920.

The current population of 30 is an estimate, down from 80 residents from the 1940 census.

A Visit to Rayland › I Drove My GMC to Foard

Structure of Interest
Photo courtesy Rick Vanderpool, 2010
See Texas Cotton

I Drove My GMC to Foard

by Rick Vanderpool

I saw the sign that read "MARGARET 13," and turned north off US70W. Good thing I didn't yawn or I would have missed the sign that read "RAYLAND", right after the one for Foard County.

This stretch of the county had wheat fields on both sides of the road and I believe I saw a thresher, working in the distance to the south. I barely can tell ripe wheat from Wheat Chex.

Within 50 yards, I saw a warning sign (yellow and black diamond-shaped) for a 20 MPH dog-leg turn. Two noisy dogs had greeted me when I had gotten out to photograph the wheat fields, but their legs bore no resemblance to the one on the sign

RAYLAND has a couple of vacant barn-like structures and a very interesting building that I photographed. Can anyone tell me what went on there? I counted no more than 6 or 8 inhabited residences in RAYLAND and 3 or 4 vacant ones; a total of 4 horses, one large, green tractor and a nice, sun-dappled lane to the south.

I saw a Roadrunner, but he was too quick for me to shoot – I mean, photograph. They usually don't hang around to get shot – I mean, photographed.

A snake slithered across the road safely. Traffic was not a problem, but that Roadrunner could ruin a snake's day for dang sure. Other than these critters, the horses, and a couple of well-kept lawns with flowers, I saw no signs of life in RAYLAND. Onward to MARGARET … next page ›

© Rick Vanderpool
Texas Plains Journal entry for April 27, 2010

1920s Foard County map showing Rayland
near Hardeman and Wilbarger County
From Texas state map #10749
Courtesy Texas General Land Office

Take a road trip

Rayland, Texas Nearby Towns:
Crowell the county seat
Quanah
Benjamin
Vernon

See Foard County

Texas Panhandle | Central Texas North

Book Hotel Here:
Quanah Hotels | Vernon Hotels | More Hotels

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