IRION COUNTY HISTORICAL MARKERS Contributed by: Joan Renfrow ******************************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES(tm) NOTICE All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net ******************************************************************************** IRION COUNTY HISTORICAL MARKERS The Texas Historical Commission http://www.thc.state.tx.us/index.html ARDEN COMMUNITY Marker # 59 Location: On FM 853, about 14 mi. NE of Mertzon City: Mertzon vicinity Marker Erected: 1979 Marker Text: This ranching community was named for John Arden, a sheep raiser who arrived in 1876. After 1900, small homesteaders moved into the area. Joe Funk gave land for a school and cemetery in 1903. Baptist Church of Christ and Methodist congregations shared the schoolhouse for worship. Camp meetings were held at "the Grove" on Rocky Creek. In 1916 the school moved to a brick building at this site. Following a series of droughts, Arden began to decline. The post office closed in 1942 and the school in 1947. A frame polling station replaced the brick schoolhouse here. (1979) BARNHART Marker # 262 Location: Off US 67 City: Barnhart Marker Erected: 1981 Marker Text: Named for William F. Barnhart, an agent of the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railroad, this community was founded in 1910. During the 1920s and 1930s it was a major freighting center and considered by many the largest inland livestock shipping point. The Ozona-Barnhart Trap Co. set up cattle holding pens (traps) along the trails into town to protect area ranches. Barnhart declined with decreased rail traffic. It was once the site of a school, post office, newspaper, drugstore, theatre, bank, four cafes, two hotels, three groceries, and a variety of other businesses. (1981) BARNHART COWBOY CHURCH Marker # 258 Location: Corner of 5th Street and Draper City: Barnhart Marker Erected: 1981 Marker Text: Local residents, representing several faiths, gathered for an outdoor community meeting in 1914 to organize this Union church. The sanctuary was constructed by cowboys from area ranches, working under the supervision of W. H. Parker and his brother-in-law Henry Barker. Completed in 1917, the building was known as the Cowboy Church. Since the early days of Barnhart, members of various Christian denominations have worshiped here together. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1981 SITE OF COUGHLIN'S STAGE STAND Marker # 4413 Location: From Mertzon take FM 2469 W about 22 mi. to FM 163, go N about 10.5 mi. to private ranch road - Marker is on ranch on private property City: Mertzon vicinity Marker Erected: 1936 Marker Text: On the southern overland route, St. Louis to San Francisco, 1858-1861. Later known as Camp Charlotte. DOVE CREEK BATTLE Marker # 1151 Location: Courthouse lawn, corner of Sherwood and Parkview City: Mertzon Marker Erected: 1963 Marker Text: On January 8, 1865 eight miles east of here Confederate troops and Texas militiamen engaged a large party of Kickapoo Indians. The Indians, formerly hostile to the South, had entered Texas without authority and were making their way to Mexico. Troops attacked them and following five hours of desperate fighting, withdrew, having suffered the loss of 22 killed and 19 wounded. Indian losses from the encounter were probably less. Later raids by the Kickapoos were traced to the Dove Creek fight. Erected by the State of Texas 1963 DAVE CREEK BATTLEFIELD Marker # 1152 Location: Private property on the Dove Creek Ranch, 8 mi. SE of Mertzon via FM 915 and CR 113 City: Mertzon vicinity Marker Erected: 1936 Marker Text: Around this mountain a battle was fought on January 8, 1865 between 2000 Indians and Texas Rangers and State Troops commanded by Captains John Fossett and S. S. Totten. Four officers and 22 of their men lie in unmarked graves nearby. IRION COUNTY Marker # 2612 Location: On US 67, 2 miles north of Mertzon City: Mertzon Marker Erected: 1936 Marker Text: Created March 7,1889 Organized April 16,1889 Named in honor of Robert Anderson Irion, 1806-1860. Came to Texas in 1833 and located at Nacogdoches. Member of the first Texas Congress. Secretary of State in the cabinet of President Houston, 1837-1838. Sherwood, the county seat. Irion County Courthouse Ref. # 77001455 Location: Public Square City: Mertzon Narrative: Located among mesquite-covered hills on a town square once fronted by commercial buildings, the courthouse now presents a lonely appearance. The wooden commercial buildings are gone and an ornamental wooden fence that once surrounded the square, along with a windmill and tank, have also been removed. An attractive two-story stone-walled jail located near the south entrance to the courthouse has also been razed. The courthouse location and plan were typical of Texas tradition dating back to the first half of the nineteenth century. The structure is situated in the center of the old town square. The ground-floor plan, is square with four entrances and corridors crossing at right angles, and had been employed for many other courthouses. In the four quadrants were three offices and a vault. However, the second-floor plan with the courtroom at the east end and jury rooms and stairway at the west is not so common. The manner in which projecting masses express the judges bench on the north and the stairway on the south are noteworthy features. The quarry-faced ashlar limestone is outstanding. Also noteworthy at each entrance, are the Roman arch extrados terminating at sculptural features with simple foliated designs and features encircling likenesses of owls. The "cornerstone" flanking the north entrance and bearing the name of the builders in high relief is also noteworthy. The construction of the building is typical of the period. Load-bearing walls are masonry throughout; these support 2 x 12 floor joists on the second floor and heavy wooden trusses at the roof. Wooden lintels are used throughout over wall openings. The roof is covered with standing-seam metal and the tower is sheathed with galvanized iron in stamped patterns of Classical details. On the interior, walls are plastered. A wainscot of beaded boards appears in the offices. Located in the west corridor the stairway with its newel posts, and spindles is attractively detailed, and the courtroom has fine woodwork around the openings. Throughout, the woodwork is yellow pine. Overhead, stamped metal ceilings are still intact; the ceiling and cove in the courtroom are especially noteworthy. Since the building is square, the four facades are similar. The north and south elevations are identical as are the east and west elevations. On each side of the ground level are arched projections which create shallow porches. On the second story, these projections continue to the roof, creating an alcove on the east for the bench in the courtroom. On the north and south sides the projections creating the porches become nearly flush with the building wall, thus creating balconies. These balconies are decorated with slabs of limestone positioned vertically and horizontally to create the effect of a railing in recent years problems with water leakage have developed from these features. Window openings are spanned with both lintels and arches. All the office and jury room openings as well as the corner courtroom window openings have lintels of limestone and contain double hung sashes with two narrow lights in each sash. The stairway and center courtroom window openings are spanned with segmental arches and contain three-light transoms and paired double-hung sashes each of which is similar to those in the other openings. Following acquisition by the Baptist Church, to accommodate services, two interior load bearing walls were removed from the ground floor, and a truss was installed above the courtroom floor to support the second floor. Otherwise the building is in virtually original condition; few old Texas courthouses have more original fabric intact. The courthouse has never had plumbing installed; outside privies were used. The Old Irion County Courthouse possesses local historic and architectural significance. The building represents the early history of the county and it possesses fine architectural details. Located in West Texas, Irion County is primarily ranching country. The county was created from Tom Green County and organized in 1889, and named for Robert A. Irion, a doctor of medicine who practiced his profession in Nacogdoches, Texas, and who became a leader of the Republic of Texas. By 1890, the county population was 870 and in 1973 the population was only about 1,200. The Old Irion County Courthouse is distinguished architecturally by imposing form and attractive details, and historically by its role in the growth of West Texas. Designed and built by the firm of Martin and Moodie of Comanche, Texas, prominent West Texas contractors, the building has fine details of exterior masonry and of interior wood and metal work. The courthouse was completed in the spring of 1901 at a cost of $20,500. Two stories high, the building originally had four offices on the first floor and jury rooms and a courtroom on the second. The courthouse was used until 1936, when Irion County voted to move the county seat to Mertzon by a 453-222 margin. After it was abandoned by county officials, the courthouse was used by the Sherwood Homemakers Club until 1951, when it was bought and used by the Baptist Church. In 1966 a private owner bought the property and donated the use of it to the community of Sherwood. The annual Sherwood Homecoming has been held on the courthouse lawn in June since 1956. BIBLIOGRAPHY ON FILE IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER MERTZON CENTRAL SCHOOL Marker # 3169 Location: Corner of Juanita and Third; marker is inside the school library City: Mertzon Marker Erected: 1962 Marker Only SHERWOOD COURTHOUSE Marker # 4409 Location: Corner of Madison and Washington Streets City: Sherwood Marker Erected: 1971 Marker Text: (Built 1900-1901) First permanent courthouse for Irion County, locally organized 1889. Replaced temporary housing in several buildings. Site was gift of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Ripley. Contractors: Martin and Moody. Stone was quarried nearby. Courthouse was used for dances, teachers' institutes, community events; yard, for summer socials. Enclosed to keep out grazing stock, approach was by a stile over fence beside which were water troughs and hitching posts for teams and saddle horses. A 1936 election made Mertzon county seat. Once pride of area, this is now a community center. (1971) TEXAS CIVIL WAR INDIAN TROUBLE Marker # 5177 Location: Courthouse lawn, corner of Sherwood and Parkview City: Mertzon Marker Erected: 1963 Marker Text: War brought turmoil to Indians living in Kansas and the Indian Territory, with unfortunate results for Texans on the frontier. Most Cherokees, Choctaws, Creeks and Seminoles aided the South, while others adhered to the North. Few Comanches made a treaty with the South; but a great majority with their allies, the Kiowas, held aloof from either side and plundered the frontier at will. Apaches and Kickapoos did the same from Mexico. Texas and Confederate troops, despite poor arms and mounts, held defense lines until war's end. (1963)