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BARSTOW, TEXAS
Once the Ward
County Seat
Ward County, West
Texas
31°27'45"N 103°23'44"W (31.462523, -103.395426)
Hwy 80 and FM 516
7 Miles E of Pecos
41 Miles W of Monahans
the county seat
Population: 349 (2010) 406 (2000) 535 (1990)
Barstow, Texas Area Hotels › Pecos
Hotels |
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History
in a Pecan Shell
Barstow is one of the rare towns in Texas where the founder/ namesake
is buried in the local cemetery. George E. Barstow was an interesting
man who came to Texas from Rhode Island (via New York) and was one
of the leading world experts on irrigation.
The town was organized in 1892 and the courthouse
built the following year.
The population in 1900 was over a thousand people, due to recruiting
efforts of Mr. Barstow.
Irrigation was successful enough for Barstow to win a silver medal
for grapes at the 1904 World's Fair. 1904 was also the year
that fruit and vegetable farming received a nearly fatal blow when
the Pecos River dam broke. Droughts followed and by 1918, farming
was a memory.
The population in 1930 was 468 - less than half of the 1910's 1,219.
Barstow Landmarks > Barstow
Photo Gallery |
The First Ward
County Courthouse
The former courthouse
built in 1893 was razed in the 1950s. The red sandstone used for the
courthouse was quarried locally and was also used in the construction
of the first bank in Ward County.
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The
1893 courthouse in Barstow as it appeared in the mid-thirties
right before the move to Monahans.
Photo courtesy TXDoT
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Historical Marker:
Site of First Ward County Courthouse
A Three-story red sandstone courthouse with a domed cupola was constructed
here in 1893, one year after Barstow was elected first Ward County
seat. The first elected officials to serve in the courthouse were
R. D. Gage, co. judge; S. D. McWhorter, co. & dist. clerk; W. M. Ware,
sheriff & tax collector; John W. Phillips, co. attorney; S. H. Parker,
tax assessor; J. B. Carson, surveyor; J. J. Walker, treas.; Pat Wheat,
Comm. No. 1; W. C. Carson, Comm. No. 2; Pat Duracke, Comm. No. 3;
and A. D. Irvin, Comm. No. 4. The landmark was razed soon after the
county seat moved to Monahans
in 1938. All that remains is a cornerstone.
1985 |
First Ward County
Courthouse Historical Marker
On FM 518 & FM 873
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, 2009 |
Mackey Avenue
Looking South from the courthouse
Early 1900s Photo courtesy texasoldphotos.com |
Photographer's
Note:
"By strict definition Barstow is not a ghost town but it sure
blurs the distinction." - Barclay
Gibson, 2010 |
Downtown Barstow.
The white building is the former post office
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson,
2009 |
The 1901 Ward
County Bank
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson,
2009 |
Historical Marker
:
Old Ward County Bank
C. E. Pierce, an early advocate of irrigated agricultural lands for
the Pecos River valley, had this building constructed in 1901 to house
Ward County's first bank. Never incorporated, the bank lost money
due to area crop failures and closed in 1907. Constructed of red sandstone
from the nearby Barstow Quarry, the building exhibits influences of
the Romanesque revival style and features an interesting corner entrance.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1962. |
Old Ward County
Bank historical marker
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, 2009 |
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The
1894(?) school in Barstow
Photo courtesy Lane DeWitt, 2005 |
| Barstow Public
School as it appeared in 1908 |
Early Public
Library Historical Marker
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, 2009 |
Modeni's Food
Market ghost sign
Photo
courtesy J. D. Pack, July 2017
More Texas
Ghost Signs |
Barstow High
School stadium scoreboard
Photo courtesy J. D. Pack, July 2017 |
Scoreboard in
2002
Photo courtesy James Feagin, 3-2002 |
Barstow Volunteer
Fire Department
Photo courtesy Brad
Molgaard, August 2018 |
Old Truck
Photo courtesy J. D. Pack, July 2017 |
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Barstow
Tidbits
Soda Springs,
Quito Quarry and “Pecos” Sandstone
Photo Courtesy Smithville Public Library |
Barstow, Texas
Forum
Subject:
WWII -
PFC Cruz Gamboa FOD Jan 18, 1945
I adopted the grave of PFC Cruz Gamboa at the Ardennes American
Cemetery here in Belgium. I also build a tribute to Cruz see http://users.skynet.be/2ltmalrait_gilbert/gamboastoryE.htm
, now is my question:
Cruz was from Barstow, TX, and I hope to find maybe new information
on this man. Have you any tip where to search? Thanks in advance.
- Philippe Vanderdonckt, vanderdonckt.ph@skynet.be
April 14, 2012
Subject:
Barstow: Shocked and Saddened
My husband and I visited Barstow in September of 2007. We had read
about the history of this unique little place but words cannot match
the sorrow we felt when we were actually present [to see] the isolation.
We had purchased some "mystery acreage" and this visit was to discover
just what was what. This can't be America, to let a town die is
sad beyond belief. We spoke with "Jo" who had some connection with
the water co-op and she explained that the town did not even qualify
for any grants because they did not have a business that charged
sales tax. I guess I am to believe if you do not have some sort
of tax base you do not deserve any assistance to do anything. We
are surrendering our property, because of the limited water supply,
being told by more than one person that wells were 4,000 to 5,000
ft deep and didn't produce potable water. We would have to purchase
all water but that too was not available because the "town" could
not increase their request for more from Pecos.
[It was] mind altering. [We] did not think a place like this existed,
what could have gone wrong? There were not alot of wells working,
but I was told the drilling now was for natural gas. Will this product
have any influence on the outcome of this situation? Hope somebody
comes to the rescue of Barstow. - Norm & JoAnn Deckant, Tampa, Florida,
October 8, 2007
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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/historic photos, please contact
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