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The Colorful
History of Magenta, Texas
In Memory of “Dud”
Parnell
Originally named Cheyenne after the creek of the same name,
the land had been owned by a man named Henry Kimball. Kimball was
the blacksmith for the town of Tascosa
- barely three miles east of Cheyenne.
Cheyenne was also served as the temporary headquarters of the LIT
Ranch (See George
Littlefield).
In 1880, during the celebration of Tascosa
being chosen as the Oldham
County seat, LIT ranch cowboy William Dudley (Dud) Pannell was
accidentally shot and killed. This won him the dubious distinction
of being the first person interred in the Cheyenne cemetery.
Things really started moving in 1887 when the railroad arrived. The
Fort Worth and Denver City Railway offered plots of land if only people
would come and claim them. A hotel was constructed and cattle pens
were built (perhaps for the overflow of hotel guests).
On December 15, 1887, a special excursion train arrived, bringing
potential settlers. It was not recorded if anyone was shot – accidentally
or intentionally.
LS Ranch manager William McDole Lee, who had donated land to the railroad,
wanted Cheyenne to eclipse Tascosa
so he could get a break on taxes. When a taxi service started operation
from the depot in Cheyenne to Tascosa,
the simmering rivalry between the towns peaked.
When the upstart town submitted the name for a post office, they chose
the colorful name of Magenta – for the color of the banks alongside
the creek. It was a word that few people had heard West of the Mississippi
and one that postal authorities in Washington may have had to look
up.
Perhaps the rivalry discouraged prospective residents who just wanted
free land and didn’t want to get involved in Mr. Lee’s tax squabbles.
Whatever the reason, the “land boom” (if there was one) had fizzled
within a year.
Residents moved away although the railroad still maintained a presence.
Soon only the shipping pens and depot were left and the magenta banks
of Cheyenne Creek were only admired by the lone agent.
Years later, enough people had gathered to justify the opening of
a store. After WWII
twenty people were reported living in the vicinity, but they too,
moved on, leaving only the small cemetery and the grave of the hapless
cowboy “Dud” Parnell. |
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Oldham
County map showing Magenta
Modification of Texas General Land Office 1907 postal map |
| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and vintage/historic photos, please contact
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