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Bird's
eye view of Iraan
Photo courtesy texasoldphotos.com |
History in
a Pecan Shell
The name has nothing to do with the country of Iran. Oil was discovered
on the ranch of Ira Yates and a contest was held to name the town
that would soon materialize. Ira's wife was named Ann. The person
who combined the two names won a town lot as a prize.
Iraan today
has two newspapers. But as an Iraanian told us (in a confidential
tone) "It's the same news." We bought both papers. It was the same
news. Different photos though.
Because of its semi-remote location, the school district provides
its teachers with housing.
Iraan is also the birthplace of Alley
Oop, at onetime an extremely popular syndicated comic strip.
Creator V.T.
Hamlin was a newspaperman in Iraan when he came up with the
idea for a caveman who looked like he was wearing bellbottoms when
he wasn't even wearing pants. While virtually unknown now, Alley
Oop was nearly as popular as Dick Tracy and Tarzan.
Mr. Oop had a dinosaur named Dinny and there is a likeness
of both Alley Oop and Dinny at the 7 acre Fantasyland just
west of town amid mulberry trees.
Also in the park is the Iraan Archeological Museum.
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Left
- West Texas wildlife in Iraan's Park
Right - The Better-than-nothing Car Wash
TE photo |
Iraan
scene with wind turbine blade
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson |
Iraan
Chamber of Commerce: 915-639-2232
See Victor
T. Hamlin & Alley Oop by C. F. Eckhardt
Iraan Texas
Forum
Subject: Naming
of Iraan, TX
Regarding Iraan, Texas and the "History in a Pecan Shell": My father,
Jo Hardgrave, told my brother and sister, that his mother named the
town of Iraan by submitting the combining of the names Ira and Ann
Yates and that she won a downtown plot of land that she sold for $1,000.00.
According to the first paragrah, this is true. I'm just wondering
if you have record of the name of the person winning the contest.
My grandmother's name was Mary Louise (Lewis) Hardgrave. If you have
any information regarding this I would appreciate it. Thank you,
Carol Bennett, San Angelo, TX, October 12, 2006
To share history or photos of Iraan, Texas, please contact
us.
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