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RANKIN,
TEXASUpton County
Seat, West Texas
Highways 67 and 349
55 miles S of Midland
32 miles SE of Crane
28 miles W of Big
Lake
22 miles N of Iraan
Population: 800 (2,000) 1,011 (1990)
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History in
a Pecan Shell
Established in 1911, Rankin is the oldest town in Upton County.
Named after rancher F. E. Rankin, the town came into being when the
former county seat of Upland (11 miles North) was bypassed by the
Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway.
A post office was established in 1912 and most of the population moved
to town from Upland. Rankin however did not officially become county
seat until 1921.
With the discovery of oil in the twenties, the population rose to
an estimated 1,500 by 1928 and the town was incorporated that year.
The boom created funds to expand Rankin's infrastructure and explains
the presence of the over-sized Yates hotel (now the Rankin Historical
museum).
The boom also funded a brick school, the
courthouse and a two-story office building.
Oil close to Rankin was not found (at that time) and the population
moved on to new fields. The population declined to 935 by 1931 and
declined further during the Great Depression.
By 1940 the population was a mere 672 but an oil discovery north of
Rankin came in building the town anew and bringing the population
nearly up to what it was during the first boom.
Rankin has retained a population between 1,000 and 1,500 from the
1950s through the 2000 census with oil, sheep and cattle remaining
the economic base. |
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"At one time,
as many as 10 hotels of sorts did a flourishing business in Rankin,
but the Harlan and Yates amounted to the Waldorf Astoria and Ritz
of the town once claiming a population of 10,000." ... more |
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