Editing Ward County, Texas (section)

==History==

===Native Americans===

Archeological investigations conducted in northwestern Ward County have found evidence of prehistoric man in the form of occupational debris, [[petroglyph]]s, and [[pictogram|pictographs]]. Tribes occupying the area include [[Suma-Jumano]], [[Apache]], and [[Comanche]]. The sand hills have contained native artifacts.<ref>[https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcw03 Texas Handbook, Ward County]</ref>

===Growth===

The [[Butterfield Overland Mail]] in 1858 used Emigrant's Crossing, where exposed rocks afford one of the few places safe for fording the [[Pecos River]]. The stage line had an adobe station and a high-walled adobe corral there.<ref>[http://www.forttours.com/pages/hmreeves.asp#crossing Fort Tours]</ref>

In 1881, the [[Texas and Pacific Railway]] crossed the region and established stations at Sand Hills, Monahans, Aroya, Pyote, Quito, Quito Quarry, and Barstow.<ref>[http://www.texaspacificrailway.org/ Texas and Pacific Railway Home Page]</ref>

The Texas State Legislature carved Ward County from a portion of [[Tom Green County, Texas|Tom Green County]] in 1887. The county was organized in 1892. Barstow became the county seat. Barstow became a farming and ranching trade center by 1904. Drought plagued the area in the early part of the 20th century.

Ward County benefitted from the opening of the Hendrick oilfield [[Winkler County, Texas|Winkler County]] in 1926. Pipelines and railroad loading tanks were constructed at [[Wickett, Texas|Wickett]], [[Pyote, Texas|Pyote]],<ref>[http://www.texasescapes.com/WestTexasTowns/Pyote-Texas.htm Texas Escapes, Pyote]</ref> and Monahans. Oil was discovered at [[Grandfalls, Texas|Grandfalls]]<ref>[http://www.texasescapes.com/TOWNS/GrandfallsTexas/GrandfallsTexas.htm Texas Escapes, Grandfalls]</ref>  in 1929, and the nearby community of [[Royalty, Texas|Royalty]] was established.  [[Shell Oil Company]] constructed an {{convert|8|acre|m2|adj=on}} tank that would hold a million barrels.<ref>[http://www.9key.com/markers/marker_detail.asp?atlas_number=5475003386 Texas Historical Markers, Million Barrel Tank]</ref><ref>[http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txward/million_barrel_museum.htm Rootsweb, Million Barrel Tank and Museum]</ref> By January 1, 1991, {{convert|668715000|oilbbl}} of oil had been produced in the county since 1928.

On May 10, 1938, Monahans won a contested election to move the county seat from Barstow. The election was upheld in 1939, and the county seat moved to Monahans that year.

Pyote Air Force Station <ref>[http://www.texasescapes.com/WorldWarII/Pyote-Air-Force-Station-AKA-Rattlesnake-Bomber-Base-Texas.htm Texas Escapes, Pyote Air Force Station]</ref> opened in 1942, becoming the largest bomber installation in the United States. The plane ''[[Enola Gay]]'', which dropped the atomic bomb on [[Hiroshima]], was later stored here. The base became inactive during the [[Korean War]].<ref>[http://www.9key.com/markers/marker_detail.asp?atlas_number=5475004204 Texas Historical Markers, Rattlesnake Bomber Base]</ref>

[[Monahans Sandhills State Park]] opened in 1957. The [[Sealy & Smith Foundation|Sealy-Smith Foundation]] leased much of the land to the state in 1956 until 2056. An additional {{convert|900|acre|km2}} were leased from the Williams family of Monahans.<ref>[http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/monahans_sandhills/ TPWD Monahans]</ref><ref>[https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/gkm05 Handbook of Texas, Monahans Sandhills State Historic Park]</ref><ref>[http://www.stateparks.com/monahans_sand_hills.html State Parks, Monahans]</ref>