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Permian Historical Society Officers

Peggy Kelton—President

Betty Damron—VP Program/Membership

Sue Ann Damron—Secretary

Jim Collett—Treasurer

J. Tillapaugh—Investments

Jim Collett—Editor

Directors

Barbara Barton—Tom Green Co. (17)

Carolyn Hodge—Reagan Co. (16)

Megan Gooding—Midland Co. (17)

Donna Bell—Upton Co. (17)

Beth Hoover—Crockett Co. (15)

Genny Townsend—Crane Co. (15)

Roger Goertz—Howard Co. (15)

Ruben Vasquez— Ector Co.(17)

Ernest Woodward—Pecos Co. (17)

Permian Historical Society

Vol. 5 October 17, 2015 No. 14

President’s Message

Your president and Paisano Pete extent an invitation

to you to attend the Fall Meeting of the Permian His-

torical Society. We will be (tentatively) meeting in the

Sibley-Rollings home on N. Spring Drive which is

across from the swimming pool.

We will have a welcome from the Pecos County His-

torical Commission who have made the contacts in

Fort Stockton. Then there will be 4 speakers.

Sammy Hooper rancher from Crane & Ector County;

Harold Wayne Tanner will speak on the town of

GRUBE and the Brown family; Wilson White will tell

the history of Fort Lancaster; and Melba Montoya

will give an interesting story of Annie Riggs and the

Annie Riggs Hotel/Museum. You will want to visit it

after hearing the story.

As usual there will be “Happy Hour” beginning at

9:00 at which time folks will register, pay for their

lunch, get a donut, orange juice and coffee and visit

until the presentations begin at 10:00.

The lunch will have chicken & dumplings, stew, salad,

crackers or cornbread and cobbler for $12 per per-

son. You must register ahead of time so that the

proper amount of food can be prepared.

Be sure and dress military in any way you can, hat,

coat, medals, camouflage or whatever you can come

up with.

Lunch checks and registration can be mailed to:

Peggy Kelton President of PHS

PO Box 901

McCamey, TX 79752

We want everyone to register whether eating or not.

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Pecos County History

Pecos County, the second largest county in the state, is in southwest Texas, bordered on the east by Terrell

County, on the south by Brewster County, on the west by Jeff Davis and Reeves counties, and on the north

by Ward, Crane, and Crockett counties. Fort Stockton, the county seat, is seventy-five air miles southwest

of Odessa. Tourism was boosted in 1956, when construction of U.S. 290 linked Fort Stockton to the Big

Bend National Park. Pecos County, ZIP code 79735, is the 130th largest of the 254 counties in Texas, with

an estimated population of 16,809 in 2000. The county consists of 4,765 square miles with a 2000 popula-

tion density of 3.5 residents per square mile. The average density in Texas is 79.6 persons per square mile

which is the same as the National average. Rainfall in Pecos County averages 13.9 inches per year as com-

pared to the Texas average of 28.1 inches per year. (Chamber of Commerce online)

Places to Visit While in Town for the Permian Historical Society Meeting

The tentative meeting place will be the Sibley-Rollings House on N. Spring Drive across the street from the

beautiful swimming pool. Before leaving the area of our meeting take a drive through the beautiful Rooney

Park and from there one can drive south on Spring Drive to find the Annie Riggs Museum and the Gray

Mule Saloon, both a must visit. In that same area can be found the Court House, and the historic old jail

house.

The town will be celebrating Old Fort Days with many activities so that will be a special place to visit.

Much restoration has taken place and it looks much as it did in the time it was active. They have activities

taking place there during the day. I think our theme for this meeting should coordinate with Old Fort Days

and we should dress in some kind of military clothes, a hat, medals or whatever you have access to. FUN!

Visit the Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center in the original depot. Visit the Renewable Energy

Park located on the grounds where they have 3 2.4 KW wind turbines & one large fixed photovoltaic array

and 3 single axis tracking surrounding grounds. Fascinating!

Don’t fail to notice the larger than life silhouettes on the east and west of Ft. Stockton along I-10. Soldiers

marching in to protect the Fort and Indians on the west searching for the last of the buffalo.

Everyone must stop and have a photo-op with Paisano Pete, the large “road runner” who stands at the corner

of Dickenson and Main street and welcomes visitors to Historic Fort Stockton who claims to be The Real

West Texas and your first step into Big Bend country.

There are a lot of things to see and do after the Permian Historical Society meeting, from 9:00 to 2:00.

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Permian Historical Society Fall Meeting

Historic Sibley House

Fort Stockton, Texas

Happy Hour and Program of Papers

9:00 Registration and Happy Hour (Visitation) light refreshments, coffee, juice-display of books by the

Authors —- Book Sale of Annuals present & past

9:15 Short Board of Directors Meeting

10:00 Welcome: Pecos County Historical Commission:

Melba Montoya——————-——-Annie Riggs Memorial Museum and Historic Fort Stockton

Mrs. Montoya was hired as the Assistant Director in 2011. In 2014 Mrs. Montoya was

Named Sites Director and since then has managed two major renovations at both sites and

brought back Education Day to the Fort.

Sammy Hooper: Sammy was born in Odessa, Tx in 1938. He lived on the Eidson Ranch near

Penwell, TX. He moved to Crane, TX in 1949 while in the 5th grade. He graduated

From Crane High School and loved playing football while there. He graduated from Texas

Tech in 1961, taught math in Odessa until Jan. 1968 when he moved to the Glass & Everitt

In 1968. He has ranched there & day worked on ranches all over West Texas.

Harold Wayne Tanner Born in Crane, TX, attended all 12 grades there and was greatly

Influenced by his 7th grade history teacher, Mrs. Winnie Browning, making him an avid

History buff today. Influenced by ancestry research he will speak on boom town Grube

Wilson White——History of a Place. The Story of Fort Lancaster. Mr. White is an employee of

the Texas Historical Commission. He grew up in Ozona, Texas and remembers visiting Fort

Lancaster as a child. He attended Abilene Christian University majoring in history. After

college he began work with the THC at Fort Lancaster where he is currently employed.

Voting on Best Presentation today and presentation of certificate for Best Presentation at the Spring

Meeting in Midland at Polo Park Estates. (Donna Bell presiding)

Door Prizes: check your tickets

Theme: since we are in Fort Stockton and visiting the old Fort perhaps we should dress military.

See what you can come up with.

You must register with Peggy by Oct. 14 to insure a meal. The price will be $12

Checks can be mailed to Peggy Kelton Box 901 McCamey, TX 79752. You can call or email

For a reservation and pay at the door or you can register and choose not to eat at the site.

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17 October 2015