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Ochiltree County Historical Markers

Michael has a BA in History & American Studies and an MSc in American History from the University of Edinburgh. He comes from a proud military family and has spent most of his career as an educator in the Middle East and Asia. His passion is travel, and he seizes any opportunity to share his experiences in the most immersive way possible, whether at sea or on the land.

Texas Plains Trail Region

Map of Ochiltree County

Topics (click on a topic to jump to that section).
Buried City | Museum of the Plains | Ochiltree County | Ochiltree Townsite | Trading Post, Site of
The Buried City

Marker Title: The Buried City
Address: US 83, S of Perryton 10 mi.
City: Perryton
County: Ochiltree
Year Marker Erected: 1936
Marker Location: from Perryton take US 83, south about 10 miles; turn east onto Fryer Lake Road; marker located on private ranch on south side of road.
Marker Text: In 1907, Dr. T.L. Eyerly, Floyd V. Studer and other archaeologists discovered here, "The Buried City." These Pueblo ruins were built by the Panhandle Pueblo Indians who were agriculturists, stone house builders, pottery and basket makers. Dr. Warren K. Moorehead partially excavated this ruin in 1919-1920. Some archaeologists and historians agree that the well-built stone houses were in ruins when Coronado explored this region in 1541. (1936) More

Museum of the Plains

Museum Name: Museum of the Plains
Street Address: 1200 N. Main
City: Perryton
Zip Code: 79070
Area Code: 806
Phone: 435-6400
County: Ochiltree
Types of Exhibits/Collections: Archeology, Local/Pioneer History

Ochiltree County

Marker Title: Ochiltree County
Address: US 83, about 2 mi. N of Perryton
City: Perryton
County: Ochiltree
Year Marker Erected: 1936
Marker Location: from Perryton take US 83 about 2 miles, north
Marker Text: Formed from Young & Bexar territories: Created, August 21, 1876 Organized, February 21, 1889 Named in honor of William Beck Ochiltree, 1811-1867, Associate Justice, Supreme Court of Texas, 1842, Secretary of the Treasury, 1844, the last Attorney General of the Republic of Texas, member of the Texas Legislature, 1855; delegate to the Secession Convention of 1861, colonel in the Confederate army. County Seat Ochiltree, 1889 Perryton, since 1920. (1936)

Ochiltree Townsite

Marker Title: Ochiltree Townsite (Bordering this Highway)
Address: SH 70, 8 mi. S of Perryton
City: Perryton
County: Ochiltree
Year Marker Erected: 1976
Marker Location: from Perryton take SH 70 about 8 miles, south
Marker Text: This county was created in 1876 and named for noted Texas jurist William Beck Ochiltree (1811-1867). In 1876 it was attached for judicial purposes to Clay and later to Wheeler County. In 1886 pioneers began to settle in dugouts here on the prairies near Wolf Creek, saying they lived "in Ochiltree." For convenience in making land and tax transactions, and establishing law and order, they organized the county in 1889, making their village the county seat. First elected officials were William J. Todd, county judge; Dave C. Kettell, sheriff and tax collector; George M. Perry, county clerk; Myrtle L. Daily, treasurer. In 1891 a 2-story courthouse was built (100 yards southeast) of lumber freighted from Dodge City, Kansas. This also served as church, schoolhouse, and social hall for the town. By 1903, Ochiltree had 600 people, churches, a high school, a newspaper, bank, flour mill, and other facilities. In 1919, the Santa Fe Railway founded a new town between Ochiltree and Gray, Oklahoma, and induced people from both places to relocate by offering free lots. In 1919 steam engines and heavy equipment hauled the improvements from Ochiltree to the new site (8 miles north), called Perrytown, in honor of veteran county official George M. Perry. (1976)

Site of Trading Post

Marker Title: Site of Trading Post
Address: US 83 S to Fryer Lake Road, then 2 mi more
City: Perryton
County: Ochiltree
Year Marker Erected: 1936
Marker Location: from Perryton, take US 83, about 10 miles south; turn east onto Fryer Lake Road and continue 1.6 miles to marker
Marker Text: Established by C.E. Jones in 1874 on the Jones & Plummer Trail which extended from Dodge City, Kansas, to Mobeetie. Here food and cloth were traded to Indians for hides and later ranchmen purchased general supplies hauled from Dodge City. (1936)

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