Lobo, Texas
Encyclopedia
Lobo is a ghost town
in Culberson County
, Texas
, United States
that was abandoned in 1991.
in southern Culberson County, approximately 12 miles south of Van Horn
and 24 miles west of Valentine
.
, followed by emigrants to the West. Later followed by the San Antonio-San Diego Mail Line
and Butterfield Overland Mail
and other mail routes from 1857 until the railroads arrived.
In 1882, the area became a watering stop and depot for the Southern Pacific Railroad
. A post office was established in 1907 under the name Lobo, after the wolves that formerly roamed the area. Two years later, a town site was laid out. With the creation of Culberson County in 1911, Lobo vied unsuccessfully with nearby Van Horn to become the new county's seat of government. By 1915, the community had a population of approximately twenty with a general store and several other businesses. A 1929 earthquake destroyed Lobo's hotel. Another powerful earthquake struck the community in 1931. By the mid-1930s, the number of inhabitants had fallen to ten. The post office closed in 1942, but the arrival of the Texas Mica Company and two railroad houses caused a slight increase in the population. Large scale irrigation commenced in the late 1940s and in the following years, cotton became an important crop in the local economy. The Anderson Clayton Company set up a gin in Lobo, but in 1962, the railroad stop shut down. The population approached ninety by the mid-1960s. Around that time, the water table dropped dramatically and the wells were unable to supply enough water for residents and businesses. The cost of keeping the irrigation pumps operational skyrocketed, and the cotton gin shut down. In 1969, Bill Christ bought the entire community and opened a new gas station as well as a general store. Although business was initially good, the sale of alcoholic beverages caused an increase in crime. The store was destroyed in a 1976 fire. In 1988, Christ placed the community on the market for $60,000. By 1991, with no purchaser and faced with personal problems, Christ abandoned his effort to save Lobo. It became a modern ghost town with limited water and an annual rainfall of around 13.2 inches per year. On November 5, 2001, three residents from Frankfurt, Germany
purchased Lobo. Their plans included fixing up dilapidated buildings and holding local arts and music festivals.
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
in Culberson County
Culberson County, Texas
Culberson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. It is one of the nine counties that comprise the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas. In 2000, its population was 2,975. Culberson was founded in 1911. It is named for David B. Culberson, a lawyer and Confederate soldier in the American...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
that was abandoned in 1991.
Geography
Lobo is located at 30°48′51"N 104°45′11"W (30.8140279, -104.7529867) between the Van Horn Mountains and Wylie Mountains. It is situated along U.S. Highway 90U.S. Route 90
U.S. Route 90 is an east–west United States highway. Despite the "0" in its route number, U.S. 90 never was a full coast-to-coast route; it has always ended at Van Horn, Texas. A short-lived northward extension to U.S...
in southern Culberson County, approximately 12 miles south of Van Horn
Van Horn, Texas
Van Horn is a town in and the county seat of Culberson County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,435 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Van Horn is located at ....
and 24 miles west of Valentine
Valentine, Texas
Valentine is a town in Jeff Davis County, Texas, United States. The population was 187 at the 2000 census. It is the only incorporated municipality in Jeff Davis County....
.
History
The community's history dates back to the mid-19th century when the Van Horn Wells were discovered in the area. These wells were the only known water sources in a 100-mile radius. The springs became a stop on the San Antonio-El Paso RoadSan Antonio-El Paso Road
The San Antonio-El Paso Road also known as the Lower Emigrant Road or Military Road was an economically important trade route between the Texas cities of San Antonio and El Paso between 1849 and 1882...
, followed by emigrants to the West. Later followed by the San Antonio-San Diego Mail Line
San Antonio-San Diego Mail Line
The San Antonio-San Diego Mail Line, also known as the Jackass Mail, was the earliest overland stagecoach and mail operation from the eastern United States to California. It was the creation of organized and financed by James E. Birch the head of the California Stage Company. Birch was awarded the...
and Butterfield Overland Mail
Butterfield Overland Mail
The Butterfield Overland Mail Trail was a stagecoach route in the United States, operating from 1857 to 1861. It was a conduit for the U.S. mail from two eastern termini, Memphis, Tennessee and St. Louis, Missouri, meeting Fort Smith, Arkansas, and continuing through Indian Territory, New Mexico,...
and other mail routes from 1857 until the railroads arrived.
In 1882, the area became a watering stop and depot for the Southern Pacific Railroad
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
. A post office was established in 1907 under the name Lobo, after the wolves that formerly roamed the area. Two years later, a town site was laid out. With the creation of Culberson County in 1911, Lobo vied unsuccessfully with nearby Van Horn to become the new county's seat of government. By 1915, the community had a population of approximately twenty with a general store and several other businesses. A 1929 earthquake destroyed Lobo's hotel. Another powerful earthquake struck the community in 1931. By the mid-1930s, the number of inhabitants had fallen to ten. The post office closed in 1942, but the arrival of the Texas Mica Company and two railroad houses caused a slight increase in the population. Large scale irrigation commenced in the late 1940s and in the following years, cotton became an important crop in the local economy. The Anderson Clayton Company set up a gin in Lobo, but in 1962, the railroad stop shut down. The population approached ninety by the mid-1960s. Around that time, the water table dropped dramatically and the wells were unable to supply enough water for residents and businesses. The cost of keeping the irrigation pumps operational skyrocketed, and the cotton gin shut down. In 1969, Bill Christ bought the entire community and opened a new gas station as well as a general store. Although business was initially good, the sale of alcoholic beverages caused an increase in crime. The store was destroyed in a 1976 fire. In 1988, Christ placed the community on the market for $60,000. By 1991, with no purchaser and faced with personal problems, Christ abandoned his effort to save Lobo. It became a modern ghost town with limited water and an annual rainfall of around 13.2 inches per year. On November 5, 2001, three residents from Frankfurt, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
purchased Lobo. Their plans included fixing up dilapidated buildings and holding local arts and music festivals.
External links
- Lobo, Texas - Official site.