Young County, Texas - History - Historical Markers ************************************************************************************* This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Dorman Holub Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ************************************************************************************* Marker Title: A.B. Medlan Home Address: SH 67, 12 miles SW of Graham City: Graham Year Marker Erected:1964 Marker Location:Take SH 67 south five miles, turn right on Tonk Valley road then 5 miles to Medlan Family cemtery road [Private property, no access] Marker Text:Built of brick made on this farm in 1875, land settled 1855 by Archibald B. Medlan, Texas Ranger, Church leader and builder, treasurer and commissioner of Young County. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1964. Marker Title: Addie M. Graham Address: Firemen's Park, FM 61 City: Graham Year Marker Erected: Marker Text:Born in Indiana in 1843, Agnes Mary ("Addie") Kinter married Edwin Smith Graham in 1865. Upon hearing of the opportunities for land development in Texas, Graham traveled to Texas many times during the 1870s. In 1872, he and his brother, G. A., founded this town. They gave land for a county courthouse and set aside lots for churches, schools, and cemeteries. In 1879, E. S. and Addie Graham brought their children to live in the new town. Twelve years later, they moved to Spokane, Washington, where Col. Graham had other business ventures. He died there in 1899. Addie Graham returned to Graham and continued her husband's philanthropic efforts. She contributed to the building of a city auditorium, endowed a Bible teaching position in the Graham schools, and donated land on which was built a home for the aged poor of the county. In 1907, the city's first water pumping station was built to replace the individual wells and cisterns that had been used since the town's founding. The water remained untreated, however, until 1910, when Addie Graham gave the money for a filtering plant. The facility, built at this site, was in use for 75 years. Addie Graham died in 1929. Her contributions have had a lasting impact on the town's growth and development. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986 Marker Title:Brazos River Indian Reservation School Address: FM 2179, north of Graham City: Graham Year Marker Erected: 1972 Marker Location:from Graham, take FM 2179 about 2 miles east Marker Text:Operated for Indian children living on Brazos Reservation, a 37,000-acre refuge created by state in 1854. Here over 1,000 Anadarko, Caddo, Delaware, Ioni, Shawnee, Tawakoni, and Tonkawa people lived, farming and acting as U.S. Army Scouts. Despite racial strife outside reserve, teacher Z. E. Coombes (1833-95) reported unusual good will and harmony in classroom. Subjects taught were English, spelling, writing, and arithmetic. From 34 to 60 students were enrolled. School closed when Indians were moved north in 1859. Marker Title:Brazos River Indian Reservation Address: Shawnee Park, SH 16 City: Graham Year Marker Erected: 1970 Marker Text:In February 1854 the Texas Legislature designated 12 Spanish leagues (or 53,136 acres) of land to be maintained as Indian Reservations by the Federal government. In August 1854, Major Robert S. Neighbors, United States supervising Indian agent, and Captain Randolph B. Marcy, of the United States Army, made surveys in both Spanish and American measurements; American dimensions were platted, totaling 69,120 acres. In the 8-league tract here in Young County--on either side of the Brazos River --were placed tribes of Anadarko, Caddo, Tehuacana, Tonkawa, Waco and others, together with splinter groups of the Cherokees, Choctaws, Delawares, Shawnees and some other remnants. The southern Comanches had their 4-league reservation about 45 miles to the west. Under the guidance of United States agents, the Indians of the Brazos River Reservation made much progress in agriculture, stock raising and other arts of civilization. Drouth and other adversities, however, led to closing of the reservations. Emptied in 1859 when the Indians were removed to vicinity of present Anadarko, Oklahoma, lands of the reservation reverted to the state, and were opened to the pre-emption of Texas citizens in 1873. Marker Title:Britt Johnson Address: FM 1769, 6 miles northwest of Graham Year Marker Erected:1972 Marker Location:From Graham, take US 380, 5 miles NW to FM 1769, then about 1 mile north Marker Text:Britt Johnson (1823-1871) Cowboy, Indian scout, orderly at Fort Belknap in 1850s, who lost a son (Jim) as one of 12 persons killed in Elm Creek Indian raid, Oct. 12, 1864. His wife Mary and children, Jube a nd Cherry, were among 6 persons captured. Johnson traced his family and by stealth took them from Indian Territory. But the Indians took vengeance. On Jan. 24, 1871, Johnson's camp near here was attacked by Kiowas. Over 100 empty rifle shells at the site showed how valiantly he and companions Dennis Cureton and Paint Crawford fought before being killed and scalped. They were buried by U.S. cavalrymen. (1972) Marker Title:Butterfield Overland Stages Year Marker Erected:1936 Marker Location:Ft. Belknap, SH 251, about 3 miles south of Newcastle Marker Text: The Butterfield Overland Stages connecting St. Louis and San Francisco with semi-weekly service, 1858-1861, traversed this county, with a station at Fort Belknap. Marker Title:Camp Belknap, C.S.A. Year Marker Erected: 1963 Marker Location:Fort Belknap, SH 251, about 3 miles south of Newcastle Marker Text: Confederate frontier post Camp Belknap located this vicinity. Local soldiers, determined to guard edge of settlement against Indian raids, Union invasion from Indian Territory, joined frontier regiment of Texas Cavalry and Rangers. Chain of posts from Red River to Rio Grande patrolled. Regiment concentrated vicinity this camp, spring 1863. Fought Comanche attack near Elm Creek 1864. Constantly looking for marauders, short on food supplies and ammunition, these Confederates effectively protected setters and supply trains. (Erected by the State of Texas 1963.) Marker Title:Carlton-Johnson-Proffitt Grave Year Marker Erected:1936 Marker Location:US 380, 8 miles west of Newcastle, Roadside Marker Text: In memory of Patrick Euell Proffitt, Rice Carlton, and Rueben Johnson, three 19 year old boys killed in one of the Elm Creek Indian raids, July 17, 1867. Three youths slain by Indians in an Elm Creek raid, July 17, 1867: Rice Carlton, Age 19; Reuben Johnson, born 1847, son of J. Allen Johnson; Patrick Euell Proffitt, born March 7, 1848, son of Robert S. Proffitt. John Proffitt, a brother, was donor of cemetery tract. Marker Title:Cattle Raisers Association Oak Address: 408 4th Street, Graham, TX Year Marker Erected:1936 Marker Text:In commemoration of the organization under this oak by 40 men of the Cattle Raisers Association of Texas on February 15-16, 1877. Its first officers were: C. L. Carter, President; J. D. Smith, vice president; J. C. Loving, secretary: S. J. Connor, assistant secretary. Its membership in 1936 is 2,500. Marker Title:Church of Christ Address: 701 Grove St., Graham, TX Year Marker Erected:1971 Marker Text: Erected in 1885 for use by the First Baptist Church (established 1880). Dedicated May 10 at service preached by Elder W. M. Farmer. Originally structure had a bell tower and its red brick was not painted. Land was donated by Col. E. S. Graham, founder of town. J. H. Wood served as contractor. In 1908, when Baptists erected a new building, this one was sold to Church of Christ, which has now worshipped at same site longer than any other church in town. (Recorded Texas Historic Landmark 1971) Marker Title: Colonel William C. Young Address: SH 251, three miles south of Newcastle at Fort Belknap Year Marker Erected: 1963 Marker Text:(1812-1862) Tennessee lawyer, U.S. Marshall, frontier Texas Ranger, Annexation Convention member 1845, colonel Mexican War. During Civil War, raised and commanded 11th Texas Cavalry. Secured safety of northern Texas through capture of Forts Cobb, Washita and Arbuckle and negotiations with Comanches, Kiowas and Chickasaws. Fought Battle Chustenalah. Murdered in Red River cane "brakes" by renegades for testimony in Gainesville hanging. (Erected by the State of Texas 1963.) Marker Title:Farmer Cemetery Address: Loving, 8 miles NE, 1/2 miles E of FM 2652 on Farmer road Year Marker Erected:2006 Marker Text:Pending Marker Title:First National Bank in Graham Address: 200 Elm St., Graham, TX Year Marker Erected: 1990 Marker Text:South Carolina native W. C. Beckham (1825-1895) came to Graham from Florida in the 1880s. He opened a mercantile store on the north side of the town square and soon began making short-term loans to his customers. That practice led to the creation of the Beckham National Bank in 1890. In 1921 it was renamed First National Bank in Graham. A significant part of the city's economic history, the bank continued in operation of the north side of the square until 1972, when it moved to this location. Marker Title: First National Bank of Graham Address: 500 Oak St., Graham, TX Year Marker Erected: 1976 Marker Text:Irish quarrymen mined stone for this Victorian structure on Bower's Hill (2 mi. N), near home of bank director, L. J. Bower. With its fine quality masonry and woodwork, the bank building added dignity to the Courthouse Square. An abstract firm and land office occupied the upper floor. After drought in its north Texas and Indian Territory trade areas, the bank failed in 1895. In 1906 W. I. Tidwell and son bought the property for a retail store. It was sold to W. A. Corbett in 1933 and to Mr. and Mrs. Rupert Roach in 1975. The lower front facade was last changed in the 1950s. Marker Title:Fort Belknap Address: 1 mile south of junction of TX 24 and 251 City: Belknap Marker Text: Fort Belknap, anchor of a chain of forts stretching from the Red River to the Rio Grande, was founded on June 24,1851. Brevet Brigadier General William Goldsmith Belknap, assisted by Captain Randolph Barnes Marcy, selected the original site on the Red or Salt Fork of the Brazos River in present Young County about ten miles below Marcy's California Road and about the same distance above the confluence of the Clear Fork with the Brazos River. The buildings erected in 1851 were of logs. The first of these was the commissary store, measuring 18 by 180 feet. In subsequent years the following buildings were completed of native sandstone: the commissary store, the magazine, the bakery, six infantry quarters, and the corn house. Other buildings of jacales were the officer's quarters, the hospital, the billiard room and the company kitchen. There was also constructed the stable built in picket style and the saw mill. The fort is now a county park administered in cooperation with the Fort Belknap Society. The only original structure on the site is the arsenal, built in 1852. It has been reroofed, but the original walls are still standing. The other structures, all of stone construction with shingled roofs, are restorations care fully built by the State on the original foundations as part of the Texas Centennial observance in 1936. There are six such replicas, these include: The Commissary (photo #1) is the central building of the Fort Belknap complex. A two-story structure with gabled roof, the building now houses the local museum. The floors of this building are original. To the east of the commissary sits an original well which still furnishes water. The general oversight and management of the two museums and the archives that have grown up at the fort are in the care of the Fort Belknap Society. In the commissary are various artifacts consisting of tools, weapons, including an extensive collection of arrowheads, and furniture used mainly on the Fort Belknap frontier. Of special interest are the pictures of the former officers stationed at the fort. The barracks (photos #2 and 3) are identical buildings constructed as are all the buildings of the fort of local fabric, sandstone. These buildings are one-story structures with gabled roofs. The Fort Belknap Archives of Western America was founded and endowed by Mrs. Ben G. Oneal in 1961, and is jointly sponsored by the Fort Belknap Society and Texas Wesleyan College. This collection of materials is housed in the barracks and includes some rare documents, copies of military records concerning the fort during its active existence. Arsenal. The original arsenal was constructed in 1852. It is a one-story stone structure with gabled roof. The arsenal is presently called the "Chapel of Peace. "The kitchen (photo #4) sits to the northwest of the barracks. It is a modest one-story building with gabled roof. It is also constructed of sandstone. The Corn House (photo #5) is the other museum of the Fort Belknap State Park. This museum is dedicated to the commemoration of women and contains primarily ladies gowns. Among the collection are dresses which belonged to the first ladies of Texas as well as Mrs. Dwight D. Eisenhower's gown, worn by her at the Waldorf- Astoria upon the general's return in World War II. The Fort Belknap Society has constructed a very attractive cottage (see accompanying photo #6) for the keeper of the grounds. This cottage does sit within the historic boundaries but does not contribute to the national significance of the landmark. Moreover there are a number of other sites located in the boundaries. The numerous sites include the Cox Grape Arbor, numerous cannons, various monuments and markers and other identified sites of buildings, though there are no present foundations. Established in 1851 following the Mexican War when the Texas frontier was being ravished by Comanche-Kiowa raids, Fort Belknap became the key post in a chain of outer border posts to protect the exposed frontier. The exceptional value of Fort Belknap rests upon its role in the protection of the Texas frontier during the years of its most active advance, 1850-1865. Of the forts that made up the "outer ring" in these years, Fort Belknap bore the brunt of the Kiowa Comanche assault, and originated the military offensives that, on occasion, carried retaliation to the Indian homeland. Young County, in cooperation with the Fort Belknap Society, administers part of the fort site as a county park. The remainder of the site has been lost in surrounding farm lands. The park was developed in 1836 by the State of Texas with Federal moneys made available for observance of the Texas Centennial. The only surviving structure of the original fort is the arsenal, built in 1852. The park is open throughout the year to visitors. HISTORY Following the annexation of Texas and the Mexican War, the demands of settlers on the north Texas frontier for protection against Kiowa and Comanche raids from the north and west became so insistent that the government at last took action and laid out a chain of forts. They were Forts Graham (1848), Worth (1849), Gates (1849), Croghan (1849), and Mason (1849). Before these forts had even been completed, however, the frontier of settlement had advanced farther north and west. General William G. Belknap, therefore, was sent to survey the frontier and select sites for another system of forts. These were Forts Belknap (1851), Phantom Hill (1851), Chadbourne (1852), McKavett (1852), and Clark (1852). There were thus an inner and an outer ring of fortifications enclosing the settlement during the 1850's. Throughout the 1850's the Texas frontier was the object of repeated destructive raids by Kiowas and Comanches. One fifth of the United States Army, often bolstered with Texas Rangers and state troopers, attempted to defend it against the Indians. On the outer ring, Fort Belknap was the key link in the chain, thrust, as it was, northward towards the Kiowa-Comanche country. Judging from the catalog of Indian attacks perpetrated in the vicinity of the post during the decade of the 1850's, the garrison was inadequate to protect that segment of the frontier. In 1858, however, a squadron of the Second Cavalry under Major Earl Van Dorn rode north from Fort Belknap, established a temporary camp, Radziminski, on Otter Creek in Indian Territory, and from there located and severely defeated a large village of Comanches at the battle of Rush Springs. In 1852, Fort Belknap served as base for the exploration of the upper Red River country conducted by Captain R. B. Marcy and Lt. George B. McClellan. Around the fort the settlement of Fort Belknap grew up. Between 1858 and 1861, it was an important station on the Butterfield Overland stage route. At this time, the fort was commanded by Major George H. Thomas. Nearby were two small reservations where lived the Wichita and affiliated tribes of friendly Indians. In 1859 the settlers, hostile towards all Indians, forced the government to move these Indians to Indian Territory, where they were located on the Wichita Reserve at Fort Cobb and, subsequently, at the Anadarko Agency. Before the move, local settlers took matters into their own hands and attacked the Wichitas. Several skirmishes were fought before orders came for the removal of the Indians. They were escorted north by a squadron of the Second Cavalry, under Major Thomas. On the outbreak of the Civil War, Fort Belknap, together with all other Texas forts, was evacuated by U.S. troops. It continued, however, to play a vital role in frontier defense. Troops of the Texas Frontier Regiment used it throughout the war as a base for operations against the Kiowas and Comanches, and for protection of surrounding settlements. After the Civil War, U.S. troops reoccupied the Texas forts. Fort Belknap, because of the unreliable water supply, was soon discontinued as a permanent post (1867), although small detachments were based there from time to time for protection of the mail road and during periods of particularly intense Indian raiding activity. Fort Richardson, to the east took over Belkap's role in frontier defense. A small body of soldiers garrisoned the fort in 1871 when General William T. Sherman visited it on his famous inspection of the Texas frontier. The next day, between Belknap and Fort Richardson, he narrowly escaped death at the hands of a Kiowa raiding party that massacred the Warren wagon train, which was following the Sherman group. This episode, the "Jacksboro Incident," led to the arrest of Satanta and Big Tree and their unprecedented trial in a Texas State court. After the subjugation of the Kiowas and Comanches in 1874-75, Fort Belknap fell into disuse, and ultimately, ruins. Fort Belknap sits in a well defined area. Though the original fortification was larger than the present area, the integrity of the original site has been lost. Commencing from the intersection of State Route 61 and the north boundary of the Fort Belknap State Park proceed in a westerly direction, following a stone wall a distance of approximately 1,000 feet, thence proceed due south, following this same wall a distance of 1,000 feet, thence proceed in an easterly direction to a point of intersection with the western edge of the right of way of state Route 61, thence north to the point of origin. BIBLIOGRAPHY ON FILE IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER Marker Title:Fort Belknap - Fort Worth Military Road Year Marker Erected:1936 Marker Location:Fort Belknap, 3 miles south of Newcastle on SH 251 Marker Text:Past this point extended in 1851 a military road connecting Fort Belknap and Fort Worth. Over it passed troops, travelers, and supplies for the frontier posts. Marker Title:Fort Belknap - San Antonio Military Road Year Marker Erected:1936 Marker Location:From Newcastle, take SH 251 three miles south of Newcastle Marker Text:Past this point extended a Military Road connecting Fort Belknap and San Antonio. Blazed in 1851 by Lieutenant Francis T. Bryan of the U.S. Army. Traveled by troops, supply trains and frontier settlers. Marker Title:Ft. Belkap - Ft. Phantom Hill Military Road Address: Fort Belknap Grounds, 3 miles south of Newcastle on SH 251 Year Marker Erected: 1936 Marker Text:Past this point extended a military road surveyed in 1849 by Colonel J. E. Johnson who was detailed by the U.S. War Department to locate the most feasible route from Red River to El Paso. From 1851 to 1854 it connected two frontier forts, Belknap and Phantom Hill, 73 miles apart. Traveled 1858 to 1861 by stages of the Butterfield line which connected St. Louis and San Francisco. Marker Title:Gooseneck Cemetery Year Marker Erected: 1988 Marker Location:From Graham, take FM 1287 S. about 4 miles, then take County Road Gooseneck cemetery about 2 miles Marker Text:Named for a bend in the Brazos River, this cemetery first served pioneers of the Gooseneck community. Land for the burial ground was donated by Kentucky native George Washington Fore (1823-1903) and his son, John Silas Fore (1851-1931), who became a cattleman and sheriff in Wichita County. The property was earlier part of the Brazos River Indian Preserve. The Fore's also conveyed land for a community school and church. The school remained in operation until 1947, when it merged with the Graham District. The church, originally known as Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, later became Bunger Baptist Church. Burials in Gooseneck Cemetery date from shortly after the Civil War. The earliest marked graves are those of F. M. McLaren and Anna Davidson who died in 1876. Others interred here include the site's donor, George Washington Fore, and James James (1764-1878). A native of Virginia and a veteran of the War of 1812, James was 114 years old at the time of his death. Today Gooseneck Cemetery is an important reminder of a pioneer community. Many descendants of its early settlers continue to maintain the site as a tribute to the area's rich heritage. Marker Title:Graham Salt Works Year Marker Erected: 1987 Marker Location:Between 5th and 6th streets, on east bank of Salt Creek, just off SH 67 Marker Text: Saline residue found along the banks of Salt Creek attracted settlers to this area in the 1850s. The first person to undertake commercial production of salt here was Judge Martin V. Bowers, who arrived in the area prior to the Civil War. A farmer and local politician, he later sold his business to A. B. Gant and moved to Parker County. Gant, a Confederate veteran, operated the salt works until 1871, when he was elected to the Texas Legislature. He sold the operation to Gustavus A. (1836-1906) and Edwin S. (1831-1899) Graham, brothers who had come to Texas with the Texas Emigration and Land Company. The Grahams improved the salt works by adding new equipment in 1872. With a capacity of producing 2,500 pounds of salt per day, the Graham salt works was in operation for only two years. The salt, sold to merchants in nearby towns, cost more to transport than to produce, and the operation was discontinued. Although short in duration, the Graham Salt Works played a vital role in local development. The Graham brothers donated land for a town, named for their family, as well as for Oak Grove Cemetery, where both brothers were later buried. (1987) Marker Title:Harmonson Rancho Year Marker Erected: 1982 Marker Location:From Newcastle, take US 380 about 5 miles east Marker Text:Kentucky native Peter Harmonson (1797-1865) came to Texas in 1845 as a settler in the Peters Colony. The following year he helped form Denton County, where he served as the first sheriff. In 1854 he brought his family here and established a ranch near this site known as Harmonson Rancho. An organizer of Young County, he served as its first chief justice. He died from a wound received in an Indian raid on the Elm Creek community. In 1869, after it was sold, his ranch site and his son Z. J. "Jack" Harmonson figured in a skirmish between Indians and local cattlemen. [the marker is not located near the Harmonson Rancho. The Texas Historical Commission designated the location of the marker disregarding the Young County Historical Commission's true location of the Harmonson Rancho: Dorman Holub, Chairman Young County Historical Commmission] Marker Title:Harrell Site Marker Location:Private land; no access National Register Marker Text:Prehistoric Indian village site, graves and burial locations. Marker Title: Hawkins Chapel Year Marker Erected: 1975 Marker Location:From Loving, take SH 16 about 4 miles north to Canty Road and follow west 1 mile Marker Text: J. Hawkins (1821-1908), whose parents came to Texas from Kentucky in 1846, brought his family to this frontier area in 1876. His brother, F. J. Hawkins, and others soon joined him. Their pioneer community was centered at this site, where a school was built in 1879. A nearby brush arbor sheltered the annual summer camp meeting beginning in 1882. Hawkins Chapel Methodist Church was erected in 1884, and the first burial in the adjacent cemetery was in 1889. The school closed in 1910 and the church in 1916, but the cemetery is still in use. Descendants of early settlers hold a reunion here each summer. Marker Title:Indian Raid on Elm Creek, C.S.A. Year Marker Erected: 1964 Marker Location:From Newcastle, take US 380 West about 8 miles Marker Text: Indian troubles continually plagued the Texas frontier in the Civil War, with great loss in lives and property. One of the most serious raids occurred near here on Oct. 13, 1864, at Fitzpatrick Ranch. Comanches killed seven ranch people and five Confederate soldiers. Six women and children were kidnapped. 10,000 cattle were stolen. Brit Johnson, Negro slave who that day lost his whole family, later "joined" the Comanches, got their confidence, and freed his people . Later Indians punished him with mutilation and death. Marker Title: Joseph Alfred Woolfolk Year Marker Erected: 1994 Marker Location: SH 380, 2.5 miles southwest of Newcastle Marker Text: A native of Kentucky, Joseph Alfred Woolfolk (1836-1918) earned a law degree from the University of Louisville in 1856. He moved to Belknap, texas, in 1858, and was hired by the Texas Emigration and Land Company to survey land grants in the Peters Colony. Licensed to practice law by the First District Court in Young County, he served as County Attorney and County Clerk. at the outbreak of the Civil War, Woolfolk joined a home guard Texas Rangers unit, and in late 1862 transferred into the regular Confederate army. Captured by Union troops in West Virginia in July 1863, he spent the remainder of the war in a prison camp in Ohio. Upon his release in 1865 he returned to his native Kentucky where he married Elizabeth J. Lewis (1846-1922). They became the parents of nine children. The Woolfolks returned to Texas in 1867 and settled in Weatherford. In 1871 Woolfolk gained notoriety when he was appointed by the court to defend Satanta and Big Tree, Kiowa Indians on trial for murder in the infamous Salt Creek massacre near Jacksboro. Woolfolk moved his family to a ranch in Young County in the late 1870s. He again served as County Attorney in 1881. He and Elizabeth are buried in a private family cemetery near this site. Marker Title: Lewis Pinkney Brooks Home Year Marker Erected: 1965 Marker Location: From Graham, take Hwy. 209 west about 8 mi (Loc. near old McCambridge) to Local road (Pinkey Brooks Rd), Follow one mi. to house. Marker Text: Home of Lewis Pinkney Brooks, Civil War veteran. He rode mule, Georgia, to Texas, 1866. Stone for 1875 home quarried on place. (Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1965.) Marker Title: Little Salt Creek Indian Fight Year Marker Erected: 1971 Marker Location: from Olney, take SH 199, about 6 miles SE or 2 miles west of Jean Marker Text: Duel between a cattle roundup crew and Indians, on May 16, 1869. Cowboys attacked at their work were Shapley Carter, Bill Crow, and Henry Harrison, all of Palo Pinto County; crew captain Ira E. Graves, J. W. Gray, W. C. Kutch, and Jason McClain, of Jack County; George and John Lemley and Rube Seachrist, Young County; Dick, the cook from Tarrant County. All day the crew held at bay 57 Comanches, who left that night. Nine cowboys were wounded--Carter, Crow, and John Lemley died. Texans never forgot the unprovoked attack. Marker Title: Major Robert Simpson Neighbors Year Marker Erected: 1967 Marker Location: From Newcastle, take SH 251 south three miles to Fort Belknap Marker Text: As Indian agent, forceful peacemaker and humanist, Maj. Neighbors had more influence over Texas' Indians than any other man of his era; came to Texas in 1836. He served as quartermaster in Texas army, 1839-41. While on Texas Ranger duty in San Antonio, 1842, he was taken as a prisoner of war to Mexico by Gen. Adrian Woll and spent 18 months in Perote Prison. Began his service to the Indians in 1845. As agent for Lipan-Apache and Tonkawa tribes, he used field system of control, visiting Indian homes, learning a red man's way of life, improving living condition, helping them to trade. He ably defended their rights, was counselor and friend, and sought new homes for them, never faltering in commitment to their safety. As a Texas commissioner in 1850 he organized El Paso County; he was also a state representative, 1851-1852, and a presidential elector in 1852. Major Neighbors later became the supervising agent for all of the Indians in Texas. Frontier civilians and soldiers failed to support his Indian policies. Many became hostile. On Sept. 14, 1859, he was murdered near here by a white man as he was returning after safely removing all reservation Indians from Texas. He was buried in Belknap Cemetery (1/2 mile E. of Town). Marker Title: Markley Cemetery Decoration Day Year Marker Erected: 1975 Marker Location: from Graham, follow SH 16 north about 20 miles to graveyard Marker Text: Cemetery was begun in 1881, with interment of M. C. Norfleet, adjacent to the old Plum Grove School. By 1890, the burial ground had fallen to neglect. A group of men from the surrounding rural community, including J. C. Calvin, J. W. Cox, R. E. Currie, S. G. Dean, Nelson Owen, M. A. Stewart, Andy and Ike Tinney, J. M. Wallace, and W. M. Watson, organized an annual "Graveyard Working Day", to be held on the first Saturday in May. In the early years, people came by wagon and horseback, some camping overnight. After the cleaning work had been completed bouquets of wildflowers were replaced on the graves. About 1900, the settlement was named "Markley", in honor of A. C. Markley, an area landowner who had served in the frontier army during the Indian wars. In 1925, the observation was changed to the first Sunday in May. Although a perpetual care program has been initiated, decoration ceremonies have persisted as an annual social event, preserving a heritage of community cohesiveness and participation. Among the grave decorated each year are those of thirteen Confederate veterans of the Civil War: John F. Bussey, J. C. Butler, Jessie Byrd, R. E. Currie, George J. Lucas, J. D. Mankins, J. L. McDaniel, J. L. Norfleet, Nelson Owen, J.C. Stanley, James Stinnett, Cates Thompson, and David White. Marker Title: Medlan Chapel Primitive Baptist church Year Marker Erected: 1965 Marker Location: From Graham, take SH 67 south three miles then turn right on Medlan Chapel Road about 5 miles, chapel is on the left Marker Text: Built 1882 of native sandstone quarried one mile from site with lime rock burned for mortar. Pews hauled by ox wagon from Sherman. One of earliest houses of worship in Young County. Church and land donated by A. B. (Uncle Archie) and Aunt Betty Medlan, 1888. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1965. [Original pews have been replaced] Marker Title: Morrison Funeral Home Year Marker Erected: 1988 Marker Location: 700 Oak St., Graham, TX Marker Text: Mississippi native John Edward Morrison (1848-1926) and his family moved to Texas in 1874, settling first in Tarrant County. They arrived in Young County in 1876, and Morrison purchased several tracts of land. By January 1877 he had opened a blacksmith shop on the Town Square, and in 1884 he formed a partnership with Spencer Boyd Street. Their new venture was called Morrison & Street Family Grocery. Over the years, J. E. Morrison expanded his business interests to include dry goods, hardware, and lumber. Eventually he opened branch stores in nearby towns. In 1888, with the addition of undertaking supplies to the company's inventory, the Morrison Funeral Home was begun. The partnership with Street was dissolved in 1895, and several of Morrison's children joined the family businesses. Following Morrison's death his son, Adger A., became head of the undertaking business. He expanded the company, and a new building was completed in 1938. The businesses of John E. Morrison have played an important part in Graham's history. Now in its second century, the Morrison Funeral Home continues to be operated by descendants of John Edward Morrison. Marker Title: Murray Methodist Church Year Marker Erected: 1986 Marker Location: From Graham, take FM 209 west 18 miles to Murray community Marker Text: When early pioneer Thomas Price purchased land in the old Fish Creek community in 1874, he found an abandoned log cabin which, along with his neighbors, he repaired and designated for use as a church. Early settlers, regardless of denomination preferences, worshiped together in the cabin. The Fish Creek Methodist Society was organized in 1886, and a circuit riding minister from the Throckmorton District served the little church. When the membership outgrew the cabin, services were held in a nearby school from 1893 until it burned in 1897. A new school was built, and the church met there until 1907. The Fish Creek community became known as Murray when a new post office was established with that name. In 1907, the W. L. Chandler family donated land to the church, two miles west of the original log cabin site. The church, formerly known as the Methodist Episcopal Church South of Fish Creek, was called Chandler Chapel for a short time, then renamed Murray Methodist Church. A church building was erected, featuring many interior fixtures donated by members of the congregation. The church continues to be a vital part of the community. Marker Title: National Theatre Marker Location: 522 Oak St., Graham, TX National Register Marker Text: The 1941 National Theater is a 1 1/2-story rectangular commercial building with a flat roof. The theater faces east at 522 Oak, Graham, Young County, Texas, on the west side of the town square within a 1- and 2-story commercial block. The principal facade is encased in a smooth stucco finish. While the National Theater retains the rhythm of the vernacular commercial blockface, the Moderne detailing of the front facade and interior, including the use of a projecting marquee, bold colors, geometric patterns, and structural glass give the building individual distinction. Located on the west side of the town square, the National Theater faces east on Oak Street. As a result of its location within a typical 1- and 2-story commercial block, the theater shares the majority of its north and south walls with adjacent buildings. It is the second building north of the southeast corner of the block and repeats the overall 3-bay storefront rhythm established by the surrounding buildings. The theater is a rectangular, 150 feet deep and ,9 feet wide, and the front facade rises 27 feet above grade (see Maps, p. 11). The 1941 building replaces the 1919-20 theater that burned (see photo 2). After the fire, the west, south and east masonry walls were left standing, along with the concrete lobby, auditorium, and stage floors. Of the interior detailing, only the terrazzo flooring and some of the metal seating standards survived. Although the original facade remained, it was updated to complement the redesigned interior. The rehabilitated theater was the first in Graham to incorporate new technology such as fluorescent lighting and air conditioning. The remnants of the pre-existing structural system were modified by adding 6" x 6" roof beams, positioned in pockets on the common walls; roof trusses were installed, and covered by a flat built-up composition roof. Steel columns and concrete footings where added to the pre-existing concrete foundation. The original sloping concrete auditorium floor was retained as a subfloor by installing a 3 inch sand bed topped by a new 4 inch thick concrete slab. The redesigned facade utilized the Moderne Style (see photo 3). The upper portion of the facade is clad in a smooth white painted stucco finish and is 3-bays, composed of five panels. The central panel is tallest and most prominent, whereas the adjacent panels step down and back from it. Each of the panels is topped by a simplified concrete cornice, and the three central panels each contain an eight-light metal casement window. This facade provides a simple accent to the projecting, curvilinear black and white metal marquee which separates the upper facade from the recessed lower facade. The neon accented marquee is a dominant component of the theater. The marquee is stepped and composed of three curvilinear horizontal divisions. Two title bands support the "national" name plate. The major components of the marquee, horizontal bands and rounded corners, are delineated in neon. In conducting the current renovation, the owners, Pam and David Scott, have retained as much original material as feasible, and have duplicated missing elements as closely as possible. Any changes to the building are noted above. The Scotts have created a building which creates the atmosphere of the 1940s while meeting the expectations of the l990s. In 1992, the renovation won an award from the Historic Theater Association. The National Theater in Graham, Texas stands as a symbol of small town Americana. Opened as a theater in 1920, burned in 1940 and reopened in 1941, the National has served the citizens of the city for over seven decades. The theater is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion C in the area of Architecture as a fine local example of the Moderne Style. In plan it is typical of small town theaters in Texas in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Though typical in plan, it is a fine example of movie house architecture and was important in community life during the middle decades of the 20th century. The theater is once again playing a role in the city's history as an important part of the revitalization of the downtown area. Graham, Texas, county seat of Young County, is approximately 90 miles northwest of Fort Worth. The city's economy is based on farming, stock raising, oil production and tourism centered on nearby Possum Kingdom Lake. The local economy appears to be thriving, and the downtown is still a viable section of the city. Young County was created by the Texas Legislature in 1856 and county government was organized the same year. For over two decades, the county lay on the fringe of the frontier, and as a result experienced hampered growth and limited investment capital. Thus, the county's 1860 population of 592 declined to only 135 by 1870, and county government ceased to function. The county was reorganized in 1874 with Graham as the county seat. For the remainder of the 19th century, Graham remained the tiny center of a relatively sparsely settled rural area with farming and stock raising as the basis of its slowly growing economy. By 1880, the county population had increased to 4,726, with Graham's population numbering only a few hundred. At the dawn of the 20th century Graham's population stood at 878. Agricultural prosperity based on cotton, grain and livestock production caused Graham's population to grow from 1,569 in 1910 to 2,544 in 1920 after oil was discovered near Graham in 1917. The higher rate of urban growth was at least partly due to the increasing service and supply needs of both a modern agricultural economy and the oil field. The growth of the oil industry offset declines in the agricultural economy during the 1920s. By the 1990s the city economy had diversified to include farming, cattle raising, oil production, tourism and recreation. As Graham grew, among the amenities demanded by the local citizenry was a new form of entertainment, the moving picture. Between 1919 and 1942, three movie houses were built along Oak Street. In 1919, construction began on the first of these, the National Theater, at 522 Oak. The Liberty Theater, later the Leon, was built in the mid-1920s near the north end of the block at 504 Oak Street. By 1942, a third movie house was located at 508 Oak Street (see Maps, p. 11). The National Theater was constructed for Dr. Box from San Antonio in 1919 and 1920. No information has been located about Dr. Box, who reportedly owned a number of theaters across the state, possibly including the Palace and Hippodrome in Fort Worth and the Old Mill in Dallas, and the National Theater in Breckenridge. The theater was jointly owned by Dr. Box and his brother's stepson, Martin W. "Pic" Larmour, who according to the Graham Leader had "served as a master mechanic during the war World War II and...is well experienced in the moving picture business." The two men leased the Pohlman's Jewelry Store building and land,, and remodeled the building for a theater, which opened in 1920. "Pic" Larmour managed the Theater from the time it opened, and bought Dr. Box's interest in the business in 1922. He purchased the building and land from Mr. Pohlman's estate in 1925. The theater was equipped with a pipe organ to "furnish music to suit the pictures." On the evening of April 22, 1920, the theater showed its first motion picture, "Bill Epperson's Boy." Admission was ten cents for children and thirty-five cents for adults, including war tax. The National was built for both live performances and movies, and featured a wide variety of attractions through the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. Matinees, serials, evening features, vaudeville acts and operatic performances were held during these years. On Friday nights, the theater offered games such as Showball and Bingo in addition to the regular performance, and cash prizes and other premiums ensured a packed house. On at least one occasion during the week of the county fair, the National featured "It's the Talk of the Town," a "full length feature picture" of local people and scenes. The film was shot by a roving production company, and advertisements urged citizens to "see your town and yourself in the movies." The imnonance of movies as a social and entertainment experience in this pre-television era is emphasized by the fact that the National generally offered three different features each week. About midnight on September 20, 1940, well after the close of the evening's final feature, "River's End," the National Theater burned. The fire started in the stage curtains, and owner "Pic" Larmour was burned when he opened the back door for firemen and the burning curtains fell and entangled him. Even though the Fire, Department was located next door in the City Hall, response time was apparently long because many fireman were at the County Fair. The Graham Leader pronounced the building "completely destroyed" by the fire. When the ashes cooled, only a shell of the auditorium remained,, including some of the metal seat standards. Despite his injuries, Larmour was on the scene the next morning to assure Graham residents that he would build the theater back "bigger and better than ever." He wasted no time, announcing on September 26 that the theater would be rebuilt and that contracts would be let in "the next few days." By October 3, the Leader reported that Dallas architects were drawing plans for a new theater to be built on the site of the old one. Work commenced November 4, 1940. The theater renovation was designed by the Dallas firm of Corgan and Moore, which specialized in theater and movie house architecture and practiced in Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana and Arkansas. At the time of the National Theater remodeling, the Graham Leader credited Jack Corgan and W.J. "Bill" Moore with building or remodeling more than 100 theaters in Texas. Other Texas theater buildings designed by the firm during the late 1930s include the Lindsey Theater in Lubbock, the Citrus Theater in Edinburg, and the E1 Rancho Theater in Victoria. Company records indicate that ninety percent of the company's commissions from 1938 to 1948 were movie theaters. Photographs and job lists in the archives of the successor firm, Corgan and Associates, indicate that firm designed theaters in the styles popular at the time of construction, and often remodeled older theaters to adapt to changing trends in theater design. Corgan and Moore's plans for the National Theater called for modern seating, all new and modern projection equipment in an up-to-date projection booth. All newspaper stories emphasized the use of "fire-proof" materials throughout, including the draperies and curtains. This was no doubt a reaction to possible patron concerns that the fire had destroyed the old theater so quickly. Stylistically, Corgan and Moore attempted to produce a modern appearance for the new theater. Although the Moderne Style had been widely utilized for more than a decade in nearby Dallas and Fort Worth, the style was rare in Graham. Prior to 1941, only major public buildings such as the 1932 Courthouse, 1935 U.S. Post Office, and Land Office Building exhibited Art Deco influences (see Maps, p. 12). The theater is a mix of Art Deco elements such as vertical panels of black and white structural glass, terrazzo floors and geometric patterns below the relatively large marquee, and Moderne touches such as smooth white stucco surfaces of the stepped marquee. The metal marquee is itself a Moderne feature, with horizontal patterns, curved corners, and a stark Black and white finish set off by neon trim. Mr. Larmour insisted that local contractors and craftsmen be used when possible. As a result, Guy Wignall of Graham served as general contractor. Electrical wiring was done by Security Electric and plumbing work was by L.L. Fritzzell, both of Graham. The Lindsey Sheet Metal Company of nearby Olney was the only out-of-town contractor. The National Theater reopened on the evening of January 24, 1941. The first showing was "Blondie Has Servant Trouble," and the theater"; grand opening was greeted with congratulatory telegrams from Penny Singleton and Arthur Lake, the show's stars, as well as messages from other stars and movie executives. By the mid-1960s, the National was the only operating walk-in movie house in Graham. "Pic" Larmour owned and operated the National Theater until 1986, when his son Jim assumed ownership of the property. The theater became increasingly dilapidated, and finally closed in 1987. In 1990, local couple Jim and Pam Scott purchased the theater from Jim Larmour for $40,000. Using their own money and local redevelopment funds, the Scotts rehabilitated the National Theater inside and out, performing a Certified Rehabilitation to the Secretary of Interior's Standards under the direction of the Texas Historical Commission. The theater's grand reopening was Saturday, November 17, 1990. As a result of a successful rehabilitation, the National Theater recaptures the qualities of a 1940s movie house and is a fine local example of the Moderne style. Marker Title: Old Donnell Mill - Eliasville Year Marker Erected: 1965 Marker Location: Eliasville, Texas. Mill is on private property Marker Text: After heartbreaking failures, James D. Donnell; his wife, Julia; and sons, Will and Tom, finished the dam and mill here in 1876. The mill withstood floods and began turning out meal and flour for a vast region. It operated almost half a century. The Donnells had migrated from Missouri to Texas, and Young County. Their mill yard was the community gathering place. Crossing river here was San Antonio to Austin to Fort Belknap Military Road of 1850s, used by famed 2nd U.S. Cavalry, under Albert S. Johnston and Robert E. Lee. Also nearby was site of 1850s community of Clear Fork, settled by George, William, and Jonathan Lee Dobbs, Rev. Pleasant Tackitt, and others. Indian marauders drove away most settlers. But in 1876 J. L Dobbs returned to claim his land. Also in 1876 Elias De Long opened a store that became the post office. (To his name the Post Office Department added "ville", titling the place Eliasville.) In 1893 a bridge was built here; the present bridge in 1957. Among other settlers were Captain Joseph Benedict and wife Adele, granddaughter of the colonizer W. S. Peters. Their son, Harry Yandell Benedict, became 10th president of the University of Texas. A successor in that office, Homer Price Rainey, also grew up here. Marker Title: Old Fort Belknap Powder Magazine Year Marker Erected: 1962 Marker Location: From Newcastle, take SH 251 south about 3 miles to Fort Belknap Marker Text: Best preserved of the original structures at Fort Belknap. The Fort, named for its builder, Brig. Gen. W. G. Belknap (1794-1851), was one of the frontier posts placed by the Federal government along a line from the Red River to the Rio Grande to guard settlers from Indians, soon after Texas joined the Union. This was one of 9 stone and 7 picket houses on the site by 1853. Restored by the State of Texas in 1936. (Recorded Texas Historic Landmark-1962.) [When Fort Belknap was restored in 1936, the Powder House was nearly intact. The roofing timbers of the Powder House are original] Marker Title: Proffitt Cemetery Year Marker Erected: 1990 Marker Location: US 380 from Newcastle, eight miles west - cemetery is on the right Marker Text: Members of the Robert Smith Proffitt family came to this area about 1862 and established homes. A son, John Proffitt (1846-1925), amassed large land-holdings and built a gin and other businesses. The developing community was named Proffitt. At its height it boasted homes, a post office, school, retail businesses, a Methodist church, and Baptist church. On July 17, 1867, three young men were killed in an Indian raid near this site. They were buried in a common grave on John Proffitt's land about one mile south of town. Theirs was the first burial in the community graveyard which became know as the Proffitt Cemetery. The cemetery contains both marked and unmarked graves of area pioneers. The numerous interments of infants and children illustrate the often harsh conditions of frontier life. The largest number of burials occurred in the years between 1910 and 1920, and include many victims of the World War I-era influenza epidemic. Also buried here are veterans of the Civil War, World War I, and World War II. Maintained by a cemetery association, this historic graveyard stands as memorial to Young County pioneers. Marker Title: Ryus Store Building Year Marker Erected: 1974 Marker Location: 608 Oak St., Graham, TX Marker Text: Druggist Joseph E. Ryus (1848-1909) built this structure of locally made bricks in 1879 after his frame store on this lot burned. The large room above Ryus's Drugstore served as Judge Andrew P. McCormick's first courtroom in 1879 when Graham was named site of a Federal District Court, which later moved to Abilene. Since purchasing the building in 1892, Knights of Pythias Corinthian Lodge No. 143 has used the upper floor as a meeting hall. (Recorded Texas Historic Landmark-1974) Marker Title: Cottonwood Spring Year Marker Erected: 1974 Marker Location: From Olney, take SH 199, Southeast about 9 miles Marker Text: 19th century oasis around a lone cottonwood tree and a good spring. Wagon ruts from heavy traffic attracted here are still visible on hill to the southwest. In 1849, Capt. Randolph B. Marcy, U.S. Army camped with his soldiers at this spring as they mapped a gold-seekers' road to California. Capt. Marcy was to return as escort (1851) for Col. W. F. Belknap, en route to establish Fort Belknap (15 miles southwest), and with Maj. Robert S. Neighbors (1854), exploring for Indian reservation sites. Maj. Enoch Steen of the 2nd U.S. Dragoons was here in 1855, platting a route to Fort Riley, Kan. The Leach wagon train camped here in 1857 while opening the Butterfield Overland Mail route, along the Preston Road to Red River. Riding to the north of Red River to fight wild Comanche raiders, two expeditions camped here in 1858: Capt. John S. ("Rip") Ford with Rangers, in April; Maj. Earl Van Dorn with U.S. Cavalry in the fall. Maj. Neighbors in August 1859, escorting Texas Indians to reservations in present Oklahoma, found the spring dry. Water returned, however. Cattlemen used the spring for generations, until in mid-20th century, the water table dropped permanently and the cottonwood died. (1974) Marker Title: Site of Third County Courthouse Year Marker Erected: 1969 Marker Location: SH 16, Courthouse Square, Graham, under arch Marker Text: Young County was organized in 1856 with Belknap designated as county seat. After retreat of frontier troops during Civil War, county records were moved to Jacksboro 1865 during renewed Indian trouble. County was reorganized 1874 with Graham, county seat. Courthouse (of which only archway remains) was built 1884. Native sandstone for the two-story structure was quarried east of Graham by Irish workers. N. J. Rosenquist, a native of Sweden and builder of Texas courthouses, was chief stonemason. Building had two halls in form of Greek cross--a plan that followed points of the compass. (Archway belonged to east hall.) Officials at the time of construction were: County Judge, R. F.Arnold; Treasurer, J. W. Wadley; County Clerk, C. O. Joline; Tax Assessor, J. G. Hill; County Attorney, J. A. Woolfolk; Sheriff, W. T. Bunger; County Commissioners, W. C. Blakey, J. J. Hughes, J. . Mercer and H. D. Williams. Courthouse was razed in 1932 after completion of present structure. A. A. Morrison, fire marshal, led efforts to preserve historic archway during street improvements in 1936. During its existence, this Courthouse witnessed and preserved the records of many historic events of Young County. Marker Title: Spencer Boyd Street Houses National Register Marker Location: 800 and 804 3rd Streets, Graham - Private Property Marker Text: The Spencer Boyd Street Houses The Spencer Boyd Street houses, located at 800 and 804 Third Street in Graham, are a pair of frame residences situated adjacent to one another. The earlier and smaller structure, located at 804 Third, is a one-story cottage which has been enlarged over the years, mainly by the original builder. This modestly detailed home features a front porch framed by Doric columns. The larger house, located at 800 Third, is a two-and a-half-story structure embellished with Colonial Revival detailing and featuring a first floor plan oriented around a living hall. The first Spencer Boyd Street house, located at 804 Third Street in Graham, Texas, is a one-story frame structure set on a pier and beam foundation. The main elevation of the house faces north, with a projecting bedroom at the northeast corner forming an L-shaped front. The porch across the north elevation is framed by three fluted Doric columns. The main entrance is flanked by rectangular sidelights, and two one-over-one wooden-sash windows are set to the west of the doorway. The projecting bedroom bay features a large, fixed, single-pane window facing north, with a rectangular transom divided into small panes by wood muntins. The main section of the house features a hipped roof with gabled exteriors to the north, east, west, and south. The predominant window type found on the house is one-over-one wooden sash, although the flat- roofed addition on the southeast corner of the house contains windows which, while of one-over-one design, are obviously much later in date than those on the original structural sections. The corners of the exterior walls are marked by simple squared pilasters with molded caps, details which compliment the porch columns. The only other decorative millwork on the house's exterior is the jigsawn bargeboard at the peak of the north gable. The west elevation includes a service porch, a part of which was filled in with board-andbatten construction. The second Spencer Boyd Street house, located at 800 Third Street, is a two story frame residence set on a chain wall foundation of rock-faced blocks of sandstone. Sited at the southeast corner of the intersection of Third and Plum streets, the main entrance to the house is located at the northwest corner of the structure. The main block of the structure is essentially square, is capped with a hipped roof, and has a two-story wing extending towards the south. Three-sided projecting bays appear on the east and west elevations, rise through the roofline, and are covered by a three-sided hipped roof projecting from the main roof structure. A single large dormer is centered on the north face of the roof. The house is generously equipped with porches, with two-story porches on the north and west elevations, and a one-story service porch on the east elevation. Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the second Spencer Boyd Street house is the fact that it has undergone almost no alterations since its construction in 1904. The chimney stacks, damaged in a storm in 1976, were rebuilt according to photographs of the originals. The majority of the furniture in the house dates from the date of construction, and has remained in the possession of Spencer Boyd Street's descendants, along with the house itself. Even the kitchen, usually the first room in such a house to be remodeled, has been left untouched, retaining its pull-out storage bins next to the modern stove. The only piece of original building fabric which has not survived are the projecting railing sections leading to the front porch, presumably the victims of natural deterioration from their constant exposure to the elements. The outbuildings which were once associated with the two houses have not fared as well as the residences, and no longer stand. A barn stood to the rear of the first Street House, and a garage to the rear of the second house. However, one of the two storm cellars still remains to the rear of the second house. It is built of hand-hewn blocks of sandstone similar to those used on the foundation of the second house. The two residences erected by Spencer Boyd Street illustrate the character of the early years of the town of Graham and its development at the turn of the century as the county seat. The first Street house is one of the few structures remaining from the initial period of settlement in Graham, and documents the typical process of addition and expansion to accommodate family needs. The second Street house is perhaps the least altered and most substantial turnof-the- century house in the community. Spencer Boyd Street, the builder of the two structures, was one of Graham's leading businessmen between 1880 and his death in 1910. Spencer Boyd Street was born on August 3, 1850, in St. Johns, New Brunswick, Canada. After completion of his education in Maine, Street moved to Young County, Texas, in 1872 to visit his brother, who was stationed at Fort Griffith near Albany in Young County. After trying his hand at farming, Spencer Boyd Street turned to buffalo hunting, shipping the hides and meat to Sherman, Texas, the nearest rail head. Street also became involved in transporting lumber from Fort Worth to Graham. Early 1878, he returned to his former home in Dover, Maine, and married Susan Ada Hodgdon on June 18th of that year. Shortly thereafter, Street and his bride moved to Graham and settled there. He purchased Lot 3 in Block 32 from the town's founder, E.S. Graham, for $40.00. According to the Graham Leader of September 7, 1878, Street was noted as "building a handsome cottage east of the Methodist Church in a grove on Plum Street". The following year, Street acquired Lot 2 in the same block from H.T. Sale for $25.00. It is interesting to note that the lots in Graham were sold with a restriction which forbid the construction of a "log or picket house" on any of the town lots. On the basis of the records in the possession of Street's descendants, the original residence must have truly been a cottage, for it was enlarged twice, in 1889 and in the 1890's. These enlargements and the family's documentation of them, provide an excellent illustration of what was a familiar practice of adding to an existing house when the needs of the growing family demanded improvements. As the family prospered, the kitchen, which had been detached in a separate structure no longer extant, was incorporated in the residence and an additional bedroom and bathroom were added. In 1879 Street associated himself with Dr. J.E. Ryus and F.M. Burkett, operators of a drugstore. Then he established, in partnership with John E. Morrison, a dry goods store and grocery store. Morrison, Street & Co. operated until 1881, when the two men parted company to pursue their own business ventures. Street then founded S.B. Street & Co., associated with R.E. Mabry. This partnership lasted until 1888. Street's dry goods business was quite successful, and he entered into partnership with other similar businesses in other Texas and Oklahoma communities, although it should be noted that at the time Oklahoma was still Indian Territory. By the start of the 20th century, Street was evidently in need of a more commodious and suitably impressive residence. Having purchased Lots 2,3, & 4 in Block 32 in the 1880's (the last lot, 4, in 1889), Street bought the corner lot, 1, from Bell Beckham in 1902. Graham Leader of February 25, 1904, noted that "S.B. Street will soon begin the erection of a handsome residence on his property in the east part of the city." Tax records indicate that it was completed by 1905, with the assessed value of the property, Lots 1 & 2, rising from $1,200 to $3,200. The second Spencer Boyd Street house is one of the finest and least altered turn-of-the-century houses in Graham, and clearly must have fulfilled Street's desire for a home which would reflect his business success. The two-and a-half-story residence, the design of which reflects the popularity of the Colonial Revival style of the period, features elegantly detailed formal rooms on the first floor, with ample bedrooms on the second. By virtue of its remaining in the hands of Street's descendants, the house also retains its original furniture, providing an undisturbed glimpse into the lifestyle of a turn-of-the century Texas businessman's family. Spencer Boyd Street died in Chicago on February 25, 1910, while on one of his firm's twice-yearly buying trips, accompanied by his business associate F.G. Alexander. The operation of the dry-goods store was assumed by Spencer Boyd Street, Jr., who was born in Graham in 1879, and who resided with his wife and mother in the new home at 800 Third Street. Despite his prominence in the community, Spencer Boyd Street never held an elected office, as he never renounced his Canadian citizenship. His son, Spencer, Jr., however, was elected a City Alderman and Mayor in 1909 and 1917, respectively. The firm of S.B. Street & Co. continued to operate until it was forced to close in 1934 as a result of overextended credit during the Great Depression. In 1939, the artist Alexander Hogue decorated the Graham Post Office with a mural depicting the town's industries, and Spencer Boyd Street is depicted supervising workers along with the town founder, E.S. Graham. Such a depiction suggests that Street was viewed with respect by his peers in Graham. Both of the Spencer Boyd Street houses remain in the possession of the family although the first house did pass out of family hands between 1975 and 1983, when it was reacquired by Spencer Boyd Street, III. This continuity of family ownership ensures the maintenance of these significant buildings, along with the family's papers which detail so much of the structures' history, as well as the biographical documentation on the man who built them both. Marker Title: St. Luke Lutheran Church of Olney Year Marker Erected: 1979 Marker Location: 1302 W. Oak St., Olney Marker Text: In 1883 when this area was still a roundup point on the cattle range, German families of the Lutheran faith began settling in the Salt Creek Valley. The following year William Bernhardt received a bible, prayer book, and a devotional book or "Hauspostille" from a visiting cousin. The families began using the books to conduct religious services in their rock and log cabins. Henry Kunkel, the pioneering son of a large family from Posen, Germany, acted as leader. They also started a Sunday School. In 1886 the first formal service was conducted by Pastor Bartelo of Hamilton County. Through the years, several Lutheran pastors conducted worship services for the fellowship. In 1896 the Lutheran Board of Missions assigned Pastor F. M Rudi to this field. On Reformation Day, October 31, 1897, Pastor Rudi officially organized the St. Luke Lutheran Church. The members met in the Terrapin School building until 1914 when a church house was constructed near their homes at a site which was two miles northwest of Olney. A second structure was built in 1926 at the same location. Many of the church members moved into Olney. In 1967 the congregation relocated in town and built this structure. Marker Title: Standpipe Mountain Year Marker Erected: 1981 Marker Location: 700 block of 4th St., Graham Marker Text: Rising 1160 feet above sea level as part of the Belknap Range, Standpipe Mountain is the western peak of the twin mountains, which dominate the surrounding landscape. It was included in the land purchased in 1872 by E. S. and G. A. Graham, for whom the town was named. The brothers moved to this area from Kentucky to begin development of land and mineral resources in the area. The town of Graham developed rapidly and was soon the site of a gristmill, sawmill, brick factory, Federal court, and the county courthouse. During the early 1890s the mountain was explored by E. S. Graham to determine if silver or other minerals might exist in commercial quantities. It became known as Standpipe Mountain in 1907 when a city water storage tank was first constructed on the crest. Designated Victory Park, the mountain was donated to the city by the estate of E. S. Graham following World War I. Later developed by the Rotary Club, it has played a significant role in the community. Since the 1870s Standpipe Mountain has served as a landmark, a center of commercial activity, and as a favorite spot for numerous candlelight ceremonies, picnics, and outings. Marker Title: Third Young County Jail Year Marker Erected: 1976 Marker Location: 612 Fourth St., Graham Marker Text: (1878-1921) This jail was built with two stories in 1878. The sheriff lived downstairs, and above were two cells Ń one with a banded steel cage for maximum security and a wooden cage. There were many dramatic jailbreaks, with lives lost on both sides of the law. In 1881, killer Jack Post, the only man legally hanged in this county, rode from the jail astride his coffin. The five Marlow brothers broke out in 1888, causing a major shootout and manhunt. The property was phased out as a jail in 1921, and saw many changes in use and appearance. [the jail have been drastically changed. The jailŐs entrance was never on Fourth street. The front of the jail looks much like the building looked when it was a car dealership. Dorman Holub] Marker Title: Tonk Valley Community Year Marker Erected: 1972 Marker Location: From Graham, take SH 67, five miles south Marker Text: Earliest known attempt at permanent settlement in this valley was made in 1851 by Elijah Skidmore, who was killed after a few months on the frontier. Locality takes its historic name from the Tonkawa nation, known in its own language as "The most human of people". In 1855 the Tonkawa were placed in this valley on reservation provided by an act of the Texas Legislature; but in 1859 the tribe was removed to Indian Territory (now Oklahoma). After the Civil War ended in 1865 and especially after the Indian reserve was opened to settlers in 1873, pioneers established livestock farms here. Their children went to school in log cabin with dirt floor and homemade split log benches. Schoolmistress Addie McNabb accepted as salary a gray plow pony and a small amount of cash. In 1877 Baptists organized a church with the Rev. G. W. Black as pastor; also in 1877 Methodists founded Monk's Chapel, with Rev. B. H. Johnson as pastor. The first building strictly for church use was erected 1909. School consolidation (1922) enlarged community and (1948) saw local children transported into Graham. Community life is centered in the churches. Marker Title: Tonkawa Scouts, C.S.A. Year Marker Erected: 1964 Marker Location: From Newcastle, take SH 251 south 3 miles to Belknap Marker Text: By the time of the Civil War, 1861-65, Texans knew the horrors of Indian warfare. Hostile tribes made a business of stealing horses, cattle, women and children. The paths they followed in the "bright Comanche moons" were marked by fires and ruin. The Tonkawa tribe, by contrast, sought friendship with Texans. They became valued allies in the Civil War, scouting against hostile Indians and watching for signs of Federal invasion. Old Texas Indian fighters, who once had fought Tonkawas along with others, in wartime asked for Tonkawa scouts. Along the frontier defense line from Red River to the Rio Grande, commanders valued them so much they fed them at personal expense when necessary, to obtain their help. A few Tonkawa scouts were more useful than two or three companies of regular soldiers. They could stalk enemies better than bloodhounds. They paid for their Confederate loyalty. On Oct. 25, 1862, near present Anadarko, Okla., hostile Indians attacked the Tonkawa camp, killing 137 men, women and children out of 300. When later their Chief Castile requested a tribal home in Texas, they were located at Fort Griffin, where they remained until 1884, and then were removed to Oklahoma. Marker Title: Warren Wagon Train Massacre Year Marker Erected: 1977 Marker Location: From Graham, take SH 16 about eight miles northeast Marker Text: On Salt Creek Prairie (1.5 mi. W on private property), On May 18,1871, Kiowas and Comanches from the Fort Sill Reservation, in present Oklahoma, attacked a train of 12 wagons owned by Capt. Henry Warren, contractor of supplies for U.S. forts in this frontier region. Seven teamsters were killed. The chiefs who led the raid were soon arrested, and Satank committed suicide. In a nationally spotlighted trial at Jacksboro, Satanta spoke with great eloquence on behalf of his people. Texas' Governor, E. J. Davis, later commuted the death sentences given by the court.