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NOLAN COUNTY, TEXAS

32° 18' 36" N, 100° 24' 0" W (32.31, -100.4)

Nolan County Topics

  • History
  • Town List
  • Vintage Maps
  • Nolan County TX
    Contiguous Counties:
    Fisher County (N) Taylor County (E) Runnels County (SE) Coke County (S) Mitchell County (W)

    Nolan County History

    Historical Marker:
    (Courthouse Square, Broadway Street, Sweetwater)

    NOLAN COUNTY

    Nomadic Indians crossed this region before Anglo-American pioneers arrived here in the 1870's. The first settlers were buffalo hunters such as I.S. (Tuck) Focht, who later became a rancher and businessman, and cattlemen such as confederate veteran John R. Lewis.

    Created in 1876, Nolan County was one of 54 countries carved from Bexar Territory. It was named for Philip Nolan (1771-1801), an Irish-born adventurer who came to Texas to capture wild horses and was killed in a skirmish with Spanish soldiers. Sweetwater, a small settlement that had grown up around a general store, was awarded the county's first post office in March 1879. It was also named the county seat when Nolan County was organized in January 1881. Sweetwater moved 2 miles northwest to its present location on the Texas & Pacific Rail Line in April 1881. It became an important rail center when the Kansas City, Mexico & Orient and later the Santa Fe Railroad also routed their track through the town.

    The economy of Nolan County is based on cattle and sheep ranching; cotton and feed grain crops; and gypsum, line, and petroleum production. The population of the county increased from 640 in 1880 to 16,220 in the 1970 census.

    (1975)



    Texas Centennial Marker:
    (on US Hwy 80/84, 1.8 miles E of Sweetwater)

    NOLAN COUNTY

    Formed from Young and Bexar Territories.
    Created August 21, 1876,
    organized January 10, 1881.
    Named in honor of Philip Nolan, pioneer and scout who explored Texas in 1800. Murdered by the Spaniards in March 1801.
    Sweetwater, the county seat.
    Nolan County Courthouse
    TX - Nolan County Courthouse
    Nolan County Courthouse
    Photo courtesy Terry Jeanson

    Nolan County Town List

    Cities, Towns & Ghost Towns: History, attractions, landmarks, architecture, monuments, museums, cemeteries, bridges, parks, vintage & contemporary images, area destinations, hotels, and forum.

    County Seat - Sweetwater
    Book Hotel Here - Sweetwater Hotels
  • Blackwell
  • Champion ghost town
  • Decker ghost town
  • Dora ghost town
  • Hylton ghost town
  • Maryneal
  • Nolan
  • Olga ghost town
  • Roscoe
  • Sweetwater
  • Tesco ghost town
  • Wastella ghost town

  • Nolan County Vintage Maps
    Nolan County TX 1907 postal map
    From 1907 Texas state map #2090 showing Nolan County
    Courtesy Texas General Land Office
    Nolan  County TX 1920s map
    From 1920 Texas state map #10749 showing Nolan County
    Courtesy Texas General Land Office
    Nolan  County TX 1940s map
    From 1940 Texas state map #4335 showing Nolan County
    Courtesy Texas General Land Office

    TX - Nolan County historical marker
    Nolan County historical marker
    Photo courtesy Terry Jeanson, March 2017

    More Texas Counties

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    Texas Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories and recent/vintage/historic photos, please contact us.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     


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