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CHILDRESS,
TEXAS
Childress County
Seat, Texas
Panhandle
Highway 287 and 62/83
30 miles N of Paducah
30 miles NW of Quanah
116 miles SE of Amarillo
Population 6,778 (2000) 5,055 (1990)
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History
in a Pecan Shell
1886: Childress City and Henry were two towns only four miles
apart.
1887: Childress County was organized and the Fort Worth and
Denver Railroad arrived the same year. Childress City was declared
county seat, but Henry contested and won. Henry then changed its name
to Childress.
1888: the first newspaper (Childress County Index) is published
1890: town is incorporated
1904: homicide in a saloon brings about prohibition
1910: Population goes over 5,000
1905-1906: Walter Chrysler was foreman of the railroad roundhouse
- he later founded Chrysler Motors.
1891: courthouse burns
1939: new permanent courthouse is built
1942: Childress Army Air Field is opened to train bombardiers
and also serves as a prisoner of war camp.
1945: Base is deactivated and eventually becomes the municipal
airport
Childress County
Courthouse
Childress
Hotels
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"The Palace Theater, opened in 1921, remained in business until
1993."
Photo courtesy Wes Reeves, 2005 |
Cowboy
Gene
by Mike Cox ("Texas Tales")
In the spring of 1938, a cowboy on the dodge rode into the Panhandle
railroad town of Childress.
A little short of cash, he approached Rufus
Layton, manager of the Palace Theater, about doing some work
for him. Layton jumped at the opportunity, offering him a healthy
amount of money for Depression times - $100.
For that kind of money, this cowboy wouldn't be taking tickets or
sweeping up stale popcorn. He'd be singing, playing a guitar and smiling
big. Layton must have been smiling big, too, because the cowboy's
name was Gene Autry. THE Gene Autry. ... more
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Childress
Attractions
Childress
County Heritage Museum -
In former post office 3rd and C street
Baylor Creek
Reservoir -
12 miles west of Childress on the Prairie Dog Fork of the Red River
Childress Tourist Information
Childress
Economic Development Corporation
888-235-2942, 940-937-8629
315 Commerce Street
PO Box 10, Childress, TX 79201
Childress
Hotels
Book Your Hotel Here & Save
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