Mobeetie Texas - Mother City of the Texas Panhandle

Mobeetie, Texas - Page 3

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Just eight years after it was built, the stone courthouse was condemned in 1888 because of structural flaws. Evidently, the Irish stone masons were not aware that metal pins were required to hold the stone together. The courthouse was replaced by a wooden structure located across the square from the county jail.

In 1889 the Texas Panhandle newspaper became the Wheeler County Texan. A rock schoolhouse, which also served as a union church and community center, was built in the same year, replacing an earlier wooden structure. The community center held dances and horse races on holidays in the small town.

By 1890, Fort Elliott was no longer needed to defend the settlers from the Indians and the decision was made to abandon the post. At an inventory taken in August of 1890, the Fort had 13 sets of officers’ quarters, four barracks, two offices, a hospital, chapel, library, guard house, seven storehouses and several other outbuildings.

Old Mobeetie Barbershop

Barber Shop at the site of Old Mobeetie, May, 2004,

Kathy Weiser

The army moved out permanently in October, 1890. Before the Fort closed down, Mobeetie had a population of 400.

An immediate decline in population occurred when Fort Elliott was abandoned and the town made several attempts to secure a railroad through the area. However, all attempts ended in failure. In the early 1890’s the area saw a religious revival and in 1893 a revival meeting resulted in 300 conversions to the faith. Baptist and Methodist churches were constructed soon afterwards and all of the town saloons were closed.

The town's troubles increased on May 1, 1898, when a tornado took seven lives and destroyed many of the buildings that were never rebuilt. People began to move away.

By 1900, the ranching industry began to give way to farming, resulting in a substantial increase in cultivation, but Mobeetie had dwindled to only about 128 people and the Wheeler County Texan newspaper was discontinued.

1902 the Rock Island Railroad built westward across the Panhandle from Oklahoma to Amarillo and the towns of Crossroads, Lela, Shamrock, Norrick and Benonine grew while small Mobeetie continued to struggle.

Another blow occurred in 1907 when a controversial election made the town of Wheeler, 12 miles to the southeast of Mobeetie, the county seat. In 1908, the wooden courthouse was moved to Wheeler. But Mobeetie hung on, with a school, a bank, a lumberyard, and various other businesses. In 1910, Mobeetie's population had risen a little from the prior decade, having a population of 250.

In 1916 the county initiated construction of a highway across the southern part of Wheeler County, which would later become US Highway 66. There was also a road started from Shamrock to Wheeler to Mobeetie.

In 1923, the first gas well was drilled near Shamrock and just one year later the first producing oil well was drilled in the county. By the end of the 1920s the entire southwestern part of the county was dotted with oil and gas wells, tank batteries, and pipelines.

In 1929, the area finally got their long awaited railroad, but the Panhandle and Santa Fe Railway built its line from Pampa, Texas to Clinton, Oklahoma just north of Mobeetie, missing the town by two miles. The post office and most of the businesses moved closer to the railroad and soon "New Mobeetie" was born, incorporating "Old Mobeetie" as part of the new city. Most of the remaining residents moved closer to the railroad, but the stone jail and a few other abandoned homes remained in Old Mobeetie.

The railroad and the increased agriculture of the area increased the population of 500 by 1940. However, forty years later in 1980 the numbers had fallen again to less than 300 due to the improved highways and the proximity to Pampa and other Panhandle towns.

In 1984 Mobeetie had nine businesses, a bank, a post office, three churches, and modern school facilities for twelve grades. Although a few people still resided at the old town site, many of its houses were abandoned and falling down.

Today, only one bank, the post office, the elementary school -- which was formed from three other small towns close to Mobeetie, and a diner along Texas Highway 152 exist in this almost forgotten town.

Old Mobeetie, Texas

The only residents left in "Old Mobeetie" are of the

four-legged variety, May, 2004, Kathy Weiser.

Old Mobeetie Stone Jail Museum

Old Mobeetie Stone Jail Museum, May, 2004,

Kathy Weiser

The old county jail in "Old Mobeetie” has since become a museum, after having served as a private residence for several years and the local VFW Hall. The museum features artifacts from both Mobeetie and Fort Elliott. On the site is also a crude flagpole, and an outdoor jail cell, which are all that remain from Fort Elliott. The museum and several outbuildings are open year-around from 1:00-5:00 p.m. daily except Wednesdays. Manned by volunteers, donations are graciously accepted.

Considered the "Mother City” of the Panhandle, Mobeetie is located twenty miles east of Pampa, Texas on State Highway 152 in northwest Wheeler County.

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