Borger Texas, Hutchinson County. (original) (raw)

Hutchinson County, Texas Panhandle

35� 39' 46" N, 101� 24' 6" W (35.662778, -101.401667)

Hwy 207 & 152
11 miles S of Stinnett the county seat
29 miles NW of Pampa
50 miles NE of Amarillo via Hwy 60 or Hwy 136
ZIP codes 79007-79008
Area code 806
Population: 12,534 (2020)
13,251 (2010) 14,302 (2000) 15,675 (1990)

Book Hotel Here > Borger Hotels

Borger, Texas 1926
Click on image to enlarge
Courtesy Dennis Glubish

History in a Pecan Shell

Eight times larger than the County Seat of Stinnett, Borger once boasted of a three-mile long main street when things like that were rare. Borger was a wild place in 1927. So wild, that Governor Dan Moody had to declare martial law and send in the Texas Rangers. The Ranger-in-charge was Captain Frank Hamer, who was to rain on Bonnie and Clyde's parade in '35. Gov. Moody didn't want to do it, but when a town shoots and kills its District Attorney, it's time to do something.

A One-sided Shootout
Named after Asa "Ace" Borger, land speculator and town builder, Borger lost its namesake in a one-sided shootout in the Borger Post Office in 1934. It seems that the County Treasurer, Arthur Huey (never trust a man with two first names) was miffed at Ace for not bailing him out of jail on an embezzlement charge. Huey confronted Ace while he was licking a stamp and called him a bunch of names. Mr. Borger could live with that; but then Huey shot him five times with a .45, which Mr. Borger could not live with. To add insult to fatal injury, Huey took Borger's .44 and shot him again (along with a few other postal patrons). It is not known if Mr. Borger's letter was ever delivered.

Borger, Texas

Attractions & Landmarks

• Hutchinson County Historical Museum: History of Hutchinson County to its boomtown days. 618 N. Main St., 806-273-6121
• Ace Borger's House, the first brick structure in Boomtown Borger is a town attraction.
• Lake Meredith National Recreation Area, 16,000 acres managed by the National Park Service.
• Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument (the only National Monument in Texas), next to Lake Meredith National Recreation Area.

"Borger-Isom Depot"
Photo Courtesy Ken Sharpe Collection

Borger, Texas Vintage Photos

Two Gun Dick and Police Dog
Click on image to enlarge
Courtesy Ken Sharpe Collection

Borger, Texas Oil Derrick
Click on image to enlarge
Photo courtesy Ken Sharpe Collection

Night drilling in Borger
See Electric City
Click on image to enlarge
Photo courtesy Ken Sharpe Collection

Water and Ice
"Water $1.00 a Barrel
Ice $2.00 per Hundredweight"
1920s photo courtesy Ken Sharpe Collection
Click on image to enlarge

"Sand Storm, Borger, Texas, April 14, 1935"
Postcard courtesy Bob Walker

Sandstorm postcard posted in Whittenburg, one mile from Borger
Postcard courtesy Bob Walker

Poison Gas and Poison Snakes in Borger
Click on image to enlarge
Photo courtesy Ken Sharpe Collection
More Texas Animals

Borger, Texas Chronicles

Mr. Acton's Story C. F. Eckhardt
"...We headed for that light. It was slow going, but we made progress-but when we got to it, there was no house. There was just a glowing ball of light, maybe a foot or a foot and a half across, in the branches of a little tree..."

A Panhandle scenic drive near Borger

The 25-mile loop (Texas 136 west, FM 1319 and FM 687) to the county seat of Stinnett is a Panhandle scenic drive. It crosses the Canadian River, eh?

Borger Area Ghost Towns

• Isom, Texas -
  A Panhandle ghost town (absorbed by Borger), now inside the Borger city limits.
• Whittenburg
  A mile from Borger
• Phillips
  In 1938 Whittenburg and Pantex became Phillips, Texas
• Electric City -
  A Panhandle ghost town, 3 miles north of Borger on the southern bank of the Canadian River.

Borger, Texas Forum

• Phillips and Borger
  Our family was from Borger, Texas, and my dad's brother, Sydney Wilson Bennett, worked in nearby Phillips at the refinery. I was born in Borger in 1948 and left for Wyoming in 1953. My aunt "Frankie" and uncle Wilson would babysit me and my sister at their company home in Phillips. We spent many, many a happy time there in the early years of our lives.
  About 30 years ago, I took my wife to see Borger and Phillips. We had our first child with us, and we parked our travel trailer across from my aunt and uncle's house in a friendly neighbor's driveway. I took my wife on a "tour" of Phillips and Borger, and we left a few days later, following a tornado. I just did not want to sit through another Panhandle tornado!
  I only learned of the demise of Phillips today! My aunt and uncle moved away when he retired from Phillips, to relocate in Bowie. Both are now deceased. I can't imagine Phillips having been leveled. - Jim Pixley, Corona, California, May 24, 2007
• Subject: BORGER, TEXAS
  My daughter-in-law in Houston found your website (she is a teacher in creating websites & computer at Dobie High School in Pasadena, Texas) and she forwarded your site to me. I grew up in Borger, started to school there, graduated in 1940 and worked at the old Panhandle State Bank, starting while a junior in high school. At the time I knew everyone in town. I did an article on Dixon Creek for the Museum in Borger, having moved there when I was about 3 years old. My first memory of time is on Dixon Creek, and I have pictures of myself standing in front of our tent at what was then called "Tent City", up and down the banks of the Dixon Creek. Never met but one person who could go back to Tent City with me, and she is now deceased. I am 83 years of age now, and that seems so long ago, but I found your site nostalgic, and brought back many memories. - Elnora Engle Walker, January 12, 2007
• Subject: RIVERVIEW POWER PLANT TX
  By chance found your site and was very interested in the pictures of camp. I was born in Borger and lived in Riverview. My dad worked at the Power Plant. I have looked at the images of the area on google earth and am able to place where we lived and even though the houses are long gone, the trees tell where they were. Thie image of camp you have on the site, does not seem to fit any of these configurations so was very puzzled unless it was not taken facing West. I do have images (will have to look for them) and when I find them, will email them to you. Do you have any other images I could see?
  It was quite a memory jogger and was delighted to realize how much was still there! Thanks for posting it. - Margot Carter Blair, April 02, 2006
• Subject: William Henderson - Borger, TX - Isom Township
  My wife's step grandfather, William Henderson, was a land speculator from Alabama who first established the Isom township which later became Borger. He was the owner of the Black Hotel in Borger, and following the 1920s scandal (martial law) he was elected mayor of Borger. I have many newspaper clippings describing the events, and many early photographs of the people of the time (and an aerial photo of the original townsite). In addition I have letters and a journal that gives first hand accounts of the early history of Borger. I am beginning research so that I might write a biography of "Pop" Henderson and the beginnings of Borger. Can you give me any suggestions as to how I might proceed? Is there a way to access newspaper articles from that early time, or is there anything that can be gained from your museum? Perhaps I can come to Borger and speak to people who are familiar with the early history and who might shed some light on my research. Thanks. Thomas E. Casey, Colorado, usmasu1@cox.net , February 28, 2006

Hutchinson County 1940s map
From Texas state map #4335
Courtesy Texas General Land Office

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