CRANE, TEXAS

Crane County Seat, West Texas

31° 23' 35" N, 102° 21' 3" W (31.393056, -102.350833)
Hwys 385 and 329
32 miles South of Odessa
21 miles North of McCamey
Population: 3,723 Est. (2016)
3,353 (2010) 3,191 (2000) 3,533 (1990)

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Crane street scene with water tower, 1940s
Photo courtesy texasoldphotos.com

Both county and city were named after Wm. Carey Crane who was a founder of the old Baylor University in Independence, Texas.

Crane County was formed in 1887 from land that had once been Tom Green County. The county was finally organized in 1927. In 1890 there were a reported 15 people who had coffee with the census enumerator.

History in a Pecan Shell

Even as Crane entered the 20th Century, the cattle and sheep outnumbered the people by a ratio of 420 to 1.

That meant 51 people and 21,400 animals in 1900.

They got a post office in 1908. By 1918 they started building roads and by 1920 there were only 37 people left in the county.

The oil boom changed that. The same regional boom that brought in the towns of Wink, McCamey, Iraan, and Notrees added an overnight population of thousands of land speculators, workers and camp followers. Mr. Ollin Columbus Kinnison* platted a townsite and named the streets after his children.

The need for a courthouse was addressed in 1927 - the year the county was organized. Other city amenities came as the oil sold. At one point - water was so scarce that women sent their laundry to El Paso by train.

The population reached 1,400 in 1940. It should be remembered that 1941 was the year that Texas' rural population was outnumbered by its urban population. In Crane's case, the urban population always outnumbered the rural.

Oil continues to be Crane's main revenue source. Farming has never been big in Crane County and Cattle is a distant second source of revenue.

Crane City Limit
Photo courtesy James Rowland

"Horsehead Crossing of the Pecos"

7 miles South of Crane on US 385 is a marker signifing the "Horsehead Crossing of the Pecos". Although the crossing could not be pin-pointed due to flooding and conditions, this is thought to be the vicinity.

The name stems from an abundance of horse and mule skulls found there. The animals died from drinking too much water too fast. The crossing wasn't used after the coming of the railroad, but before that it was the only logical low-water crossing for miles. It was a crossing for Indians, stagecoaches and cattleherds.

Photo courtesy Terry Jeanson, February 2013

Crane County Courthouse ›

Patriotic mural in Crane
Photo courtesy James Rowland, 2004

Crane High School
Photo courtesy James Rowland, 2004

Crane Police Station
Photo courtesy James Rowland, 2004

Crane street scene
Photo Courtesy Charlene Beatty Beauchamp

Fire trucks in Crane
Photo Courtesy Charlene Beatty Beauchamp

Crane Tourist Information
Crane Chamber of Commerce: 432-558-2311

Crane Texas Forum

Forwarding scan of a matchbook cover in my collection of Texas memorabilia. Does anyone remember Pat's Place, know when this business opened and closed, or have a photo? - Tom KC, April 14, 2006

Pat's Place Matchbook cover, Crane, Texas

Matchbook cover. Drink Harry Mitchell's Lager Beer

Subject: picture of "picture show"
Dear Editor, I lived in Crane in thirties until 1947, and how fondly I remember the "Picture Show" on Saturday afternoons for 10 cents! I am looking for a photo of the "picture show" on the main street during that time. Could you help me find one? Thanks ever so much, Carolyn Boren Adams, November 26, 2005

Dear Editor, In surfing the web, I came across your excellent web site about the city of Crane in West Texas. I was fascinated since you have a picture of the red fire truck I took in 1949, as a Volunteer Fireman, to the gas station to fill up with gas and … well, it is a long story, too long for this email, but you can find it already on the internet, on our website: www.booksonhistory.com. You will find it when you click on the excerpt for my book, “Angel Kisses and My Beating Heart, My Life and Near-Death Experiences.” When I wrote that book I realized how important Crane was in my life. I think I have at least 26 pages devoted to life in Crane, some with pictures similar to the ones you have.

(A new congregation in 1945 that had been granted the privilege of using the Crane County courthouse as their temporary quarters. In my book there are pictures and the story of how we built the building that is now the Catholic Church in Crane.)

Thanks for your Website. We have taken the liberty of adding a link to your site from our page of “Places”. Your site is fun and we thought others ought to have a chance to know about Crane.

P.S I hope this information might put me in contact with others who remember me and my wife, Karin, who married me during my days in Crane.- Jack CO. Ramsay, Former pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Crane, October 25, 2005

I was born in Crane Texas in 1949 I used to live and play on top of the Old Court House. I haven't been home in 43 years. Please keep up the good work. - Jean ( Dozier ) Cundall, July 15, 2002

In the 1950's, the first Courthouse was an apartment house. I loved growing up in Crane. If could I would move back. When I was young the town seemed to be one large family. That's what I want to get back to. - A child of a Great small town, July 16, 2002

I was born in Crane, Texas. My grandparents were James Robert (Bud) Boyd and Mary Elizabeth Boyd. He was Cty. Commissioner and listed several places in a Crane genealogy site. They were 2 of the original founders of the First Baptist Church of Crane and are buried in Crane.

Hope to see more photos of Crane. I remember the fire chutes of the high school and the light in the tower when we won football games. - Sandy, Crane, 06/Jul/2002

What a surprise to see downtown Crane on the Internet! Also, to see the Crane water tower that I used to try to climb as a girl!

My grandfather was JK Price longtime city manager of Crane in the 50s and 60s. Thanks for the memory Ms Beauchamp! - Jonette, Flower Mound, 22/Jun/2002

Correction
*I ran across the Texasescapes.com website recently & a reference to my great grandfather, Ollin Columbus Kinnison. You spelled his name as O. C. Kimmison. We've seen the same error on the etexas.edu website & requested it be corrected. Thanks. - William Gaston Kinnison, III Redmond, WA.

Take a road trip

Crane, Texas Nearby Towns:
Odessa | McCamey
See Crane County | West Texas

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