Editing George West, Texas (section)

==History==
[[Image:Buck West House in George West, TX IMG 0973.JPG|200px|right|thumb|Buck West House in George West is also the [[chamber of commerce]] welcoming center]]
George West was a land venture and ranching enterprise of George Washington West and Kittie West. Originally from Shannonville Tennessee, West began to build his town in 1913, after ranching from 1880 to 1912 in the area between [[Pleasanton, Texas|Pleasanton]] and [[Corpus Christi, Texas|Corpus Christi]]. He sold his [[cattle]] holdings and began to colonize some {{convert|75000|acre|km2}}.

West offered the [[San Antonio, Uvalde and Gulf Railroad]] $100,000 and a free easement through his land to build to George West. West had made his fortune on [[cattle drive]]s but knew that the future rested with the transport of the animals on a train. He purchased some 120,000 acres in Live Oak County and held 26,000 cattle. A [[drought]] had caused such losses that he sold half of his acreage. Other ranchers tried to sell property at that time, and prices dropped to low levels.<ref name=saug>{{cite web|url=http://www.txtransportationmuseum.org/history-rr-sa-uvalde-gulf.php|title=Hugh Hemphill, "San Antonio Uvalde and Gulf Railroad"|publisher=txtransportationmuseum.org|access-date=April 27, 2013|archive-date=May 12, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512071002/http://www.txtransportationmuseum.org/history-rr-sa-uvalde-gulf.php|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 1918, West offered $75,000 to build a new courthouse if the county seat was moved from [[Oakville, Texas|Oakville]], which was not on a railroad route, and if voters approved the plan. The courthouse actually cost $120,000 and was built to West's specifications.<ref name=saug/> He also built schools, roads, and water and electricity plants.

George West was incorporated in 1946, and the government changed to [[Devolution|home rule]] in 1980.
[[Image:Trail Side Artisan business in George West, TX IMG 0975.JPG|200px|right|thumb|"Trailside Artisan", a business catering to [[Western (genre)|Western]] goods and services, in George West]]