San Angelo Texas, Tom Green County seat. (original) (raw)
History in a Pecan Shell
San Angelo had originally been named after the wife (or some say the sister-in-law) of Bartholomew DeWitt. Mr. DeWitt had bought the 360 acres opposite Fort Concho for $1.00 per acre. The town had been spelled San Angela but that spelling was rejected by the postal authorities for its "ungrammatical construction". They would accept either Santa Angela or San Angelo and so the city fathers chose the easier-to-pronounce San Angelo.
San Angelo grew as a direct result of its proximity to Fort Concho. The town was a pretty rowdy place, and so was the fort. But Fort Concho's post hospital (built in the 1870s) served as the city hospital until St. John's Hospital and Health Center was constructed in 1910.
Five miles away from the fort - a rival town was prospering and indeed, it became the county seat. But the town, later to be named Ben Ficklin was washed away in an 1882 flood. Ben Ficklin's colorful story is worth reading.
After the courthouse at Ben Ficklin was swept away, San Angelo became the logical choice for the county seat. Shortly after the flood, Oscar Ruffini showed up and asked if anyone needed a courthouse. They did.
Ruffini had been sent west for his health and ended up outliving his "healthy" brother by decades. He stayed in San Angelo and made it his home, dying in the late 1950s. He is said to have contributed more than 40 buildings to the city - some of which are still standing. Between Oscar and brother F. E. - the Ruffini Brothers dotted the Texas landscape with courthouses, jails and durable structures from McKinney (The Collin County Prison) to the Concho County courthouse in Paint Rock.
San Angelo has always had a diverse economy. It developed a sheep raising industry in the 1870s and the railroad came through in 1888. Oil discoveries helped and in 1940 Goodfellow Air Field was developed, which later became Goodfellow Air Force Base.
San Angelo Landmarks / Attractions
Some of the oldest buildings in San Angelo on E. Concho Ave.
including the 1884 San Angelo National Bank Building
Photo courtesy Terry Jeanson, March 2017
The First Baptist Church at E. Harris Ave. and Oakes St.
The current sanctuary was completed in 1952.
Photo courtesy Terry Jeanson, March 2017
The First Presbyterian Church across from the City Hall.
Built between 1906 and 1908.
Photo courtesy Terry Jeanson, March 2017
The 1910 Orient-Santa Fe Depot
703 S. Chadbourne Street
Museum featuring West Texas Railroading.
Photo courtesy Terry Jeanson, March 2017
More Texas Depots
Mural on a building on S. Chadbourne St and Concho Ave.
Photo courtesy Terry Jeanson, March 2017
Another mural on a building on S. Chadbourne St. north of Twohig Ave.
Photo courtesy Terry Jeanson, March 2017
More Texas Murals
The Cactus Hotel (formerly the Hilton Hotel)
at E. Twohig Ave. and S. Oakes St.
Built between 1928-29, the 14 story building is the tallest building in San Angelo.
Photo courtesy Terry Jeanson, March 2017
The Naylor Hotel (later known as the Town House Motor Hotel)
at Concho Ave. and S. Chadbourne St.
It was built in the 1930s at a location where three previous hotels burned down.
Photo courtesy Terry Jeanson, March 2017
The Trust Building at S. Chadbourne St.and Beauregard Ave.
Construction on this six story building began in 1908.
Photo courtesy Terry Jeanson, March 2017
The San Angelo City Hall at the intersection of N. Irving St. and W. College Ave. It was built by the El Paso architectural firm of Trost and Trost in 1928.
Photo courtesy Terry Jeanson, March 2017
The 1909 O. C. Fisher Federal Building and Courthouse
across E. Twohig Ave. from the Cactus Hotel.
Photo courtesy Terry Jeanson, March 2017
Running of the Sheep ›
by Audrey A. Herbrich
On the last Saturday in September, local West Texan�s showcase their idea of �fun� by releasing a herd of sheep in the downtown streets.
Bronze "Pearl of the Concho" mermaid statue, which was dedicated in 1994, sits in the Concho River just west of the Celebration Bridge at S. Oakes. St.
Photo courtesy Terry Jeanson, March 2017
More Texas Statues & Monuments
- Concho Avenue:
Many fine examples of San Angelo's early architecture, beautifully restored. - San Angelo State Park:
Camping, boating and fishing on 7,000 acres on O. C. Fisher Reservoir.
3900 - 2 Mercedes San Angelo TX 76901
325-949-4757
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us
San Angelo Chronicles
Ice Company in San Angelo, 1931
[Picture from the papers of Robbie Nell Wood Fulton, 1927-2018, of San Angelo, Texas.
Transcription of back of photo:
Charley Stages
Bert Allen worked Angelo Ice
1931
Name of Mules Tom on Right Jerry on Left]
- Trudi Becht, February 24, 2021
San Angelo Vintage Postcards
Chadbourne Street
Postcard courtesy Danny Whatley
San Angelo Chadbourne St. showing Hilton Hotel (Cactus Hotel) & Naylor Hotel
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/
San Angelo Chadbourne St. viaduct and business section
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/
1940s street scene showing the Cactus Hotel
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/
San Angelo U.S. Post Office
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/
More Texas Post Offices
San Angelo City Hall
1940s Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/
Goodfellow Air Force Base
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/
Guinn Field, Home of the San Angelo Colts
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/
San Angelo Nearby Attractions:
San Angelo, Texas Forum
- I recently purchased a travel book on Texas here in Germany, in which they focused on about five cities in Texas and San Angelo was one of them. They pointed out that San Angelo, in their opinion, is the real Texas, with genuine friendly people, etc. I am very proud of my home!! Take care and best greetings from Hamburg, Germany - Glenn Du Pree, December 2001
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