Gomez, Texas; Old Gomez and 'New' Gomez, Terry County. (original) (raw)
History in a Pecan Shell
It wasn�t until 1902 that the community of Gomez became the first settlement in Terry County. Trying to comply with state mandates, the three founders (none of whom were named Gomez) attempted to built their town in the geographic center of Terry County.
A post office opened in 1903. The men (Pool, Blankenship and Ford) couldn�t decide on a name for the town so they left that up to postal authorities in Washington who honored M�ximo G�mez, a Cuban hero of the (then) recent Spanish-American War.
Stores were built, a well was drilled on the town square and hopes were high that Gomez would become �the Metropolis of the Plains� or at the very least, the Terry county seat.
By 1904, Gomez had everything they needed, but in an election that year, the community was outvoted by just three votes. Brownfield won the election although the momentum Gomez had had kept it growing for a few more years. People started gravitating to Brownfield around 1910 and in 1917 the final blow came in the form of an arriving railroad. The South Plains and Santa Fe Railroad came to Brownfield and by 1918, Gomez was a ghost and the land reclaimed for agriculture.
But a �New� Gomez came into being � just a mile from �Old� Gomez. Only the cemetery of Old Gomez is left. New Gomez reported a population of 75 in the late 1920s. It remains a community � but barely. Except for the history, there is now no distinction of Old or New Gomez. Just Gomez, Texas � a town that was named for a Cuban General and came within three votes of being the county seat.
Photographer's Note:
"The Gomez Cemetery and marker are located about 5 miles west of Brownfield on CR 345 about 1/4 mile south of US 380." -