History
The History of Archer City and Archer County
Archer City is located twenty-five miles southwest of Wichita Falls and is the county seat of Archer County.
In 1858, the Texas State Legislature created the county and designated Archer City (Archer) as the county seat. Archer County was named in honor of an early Texas Patriot, Branch Tanner Archer, (1790-1856) who was a leading figure in the Texas Revolution and Republic of Texas.
The first settlers in Archer County were the R.O. Prideaux family in 1874, who came from England, and the W.W. Hutton family, who came from Canada in 1875. Both families established homes in the southeast section of the county.
The area was open to settlement after the U.S. Army drove the American Indians from North Texas. In 1876, it was reported by the Galveston News that there was to be a new town in Archer County called Archer City, and the town was intended to lie on the projected paths of three railroad lines – the Fort Worth and Denver Railroad, the Houston and Texas Central Railroad, and the Red River and Rio Grande Railroad.
In February 1877, Dr. C.B. Hutto, a dentist from South Carolina, purchased 4,422 acres from W.F. Adams at a cost of $2,110. Dr. Hutto donated property for the town square, a 20’ x 20’ wooden building to be used as a courthouse and a jail. He also donated property for the construction of Protestant churches. In 1892, the post office name was changed from Archer to Archer City to conform to the name of the town.
Archer County was politically organized on July 27, 1880, and an ornate stone courthouse was built in 1891. Archer City was incorporated by Special Election on February 25, 1908; and on April 7, 1908, the first City Election was held to elect a City Mayor, City Marshal, and 5 Alderman. Archer City continued to grow as oil wells began producing nearby; and by late 1926, there were more than 400 oil wells within 13 miles of Archer City. By 1930, the town’s population was 1,512; however, the population peaked in 1970 at 2,025. In 2021, the population was estimated at 1,690 by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Archer County is known as the short grass capital due to its short and strong grasses; while looking dead, a rain will bring it back green in a few hours. Archer County has many unique and first events, as follows:
- It was the leading oil producer in 1925, and had the deepest well ever drilled in 1917, at a depth of 5004 feet.
- The main space tracking station for the U.S. Navy was once located West of town.
- Having the first soils map made of any county in Texas (a private collection) prepared by Dr. A.H. Romer from Harvard after he tramped over its surface. He spent 50 continuous summers here (1923-1973). He brought fame to Archer County by finding, exhuming, preparing and placing Permiam lizard fossils in all the major capitals of the world, as well as our own Archer County Museum.
- Megargel had the first organized high school band in Texas.
- Windthorst is home to a memorial grotto which is credited to the safe return of all its World War II servicemen. Windthorst is also a leading milk, hog and egg producer.
- Scotland was set in the famed O Circle Ranch with over 75,000 acres.
- Holliday (its name taken from a tree marked by the Texas-Sante Fe Expedition of 1841) is home to the Confederate States of America Stonewall Jackson Reunion Grounds.
- Mankins was home to the famous Dudley Circus
- Dundee had the world’s larges Karakul Sheep Ranch
- Archer County has many ghost towns, such as Geraldine (population 8,000 in 1902), Luxemburg; Sunshine State, Texhoma City, Ferguson City, Gose City, Dad’s Corner, Tubeville, Green Flowers, Andrews, Anarene, Hausler City, Panther City, Coston, Bell Camp, Four Corners and West Fork.
