Littlefield, Texas (photo dated May 6, 1929)

August 20, 2006

(The above photo was left at the museum by someone. I hope the person will contact me so I can give proper credit. The following discussion comes from the files of Mrs. Bettye Kate Smith, during a conversation with Mrs. Katie Green, Mrs. Swede Kling, Mr. and Mrs. Bob Smith, Mr. W. G. Street, Sr., and Mrs. Guy Willis sometime prior to 1963.)

"The first store opened was a grocery store by J. J. Richards. He sold out in 1913 to the Street Brothers, Willard and J. T., who moved to Littlefield from Mexia, Texas, and were operating a hardware store on Phelps Avenue, where Clint’s Café is now. (Clint’s Café was located south across the street from what is now the Library, in the building that "Our Place" now occupies.) The Street Brothers moved the supply of groceries across the street to their building and operated a grocery store in connection with the hardware store.

"The McAdams Lumber Company came in 1912 and was located in the place now occupied by Higginbotham-Bartlett Lumber Company. (Higginbotham-Bartlett was in the building the Library now uses.) Fritz Disher, from Hermleigh, Texas, was the first manager of the McAdams Lumber Company. A little later C. B Hensley took over. Bob Smith got the lumber to build a dance platform for the picnic held on July 4, 1913, from the McAdams Lumber Company.

"John Hall opened the first barber shop in 1913 at the location of Thornton’s Cafeteria. (Thornton’s Cafeteria was located about where Price Home and Auto is now.) Next door to the barber shop the first confectionery was operated by Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Willis and their son, Clyde Willis.

"George W. Littlefield, of Austin, Texas, and Phelps White, of Roswell, New Mexico, divided their huge ranch, Littlefield taking the east part and White taking the west part. Littlefield put his part on the market under the management of Arthur P. Duggan, who moved to Littlefield from Denton, Texas, to divide the ranch lands into farms and the townsite. The Littlefield Land Company was housed in the Littlefield Land Building (sometimes called the Yellowhouse Land Building) in the offices now occupied by Potter, Gowdy and Kirk, Attorneys. (This is the building south across the street from what is now AimBank.)

"Campbell Duggan was the first Postmaster and operated the post office from the Littlefield Land Office. Eventually a frame post office building was constructed across the street and north from the Littlefield Land Building and William J. Wade was its Postmaster.

"Sadler’s Drug Store was opened in 1914 in the location now known as Farr’s Jewelry. (Farr’s Jewelry was also about in the area of Price’s Home and Auto.)

"The Littlefield State (or was it National?) Bank was founded in 1915 and was first located in the Littlefield Land Building where the Lamb County Abstract Company is now. (Lamb County Abstract is now located in the block directly across from the Security State Bank.) Rube Beard was its first president, followed by Phelps Walker, then E. A. Logan. In 1924 (or 1925) the bank moved across the street to the brick building now occupied by the First National Bank of Littlefield. (AimBank) E. S. Rowe, coming to Littlefield in 1921, was attorney for the bank.

"The first hotel, opening also in 1913, was located just north of what is now Staggs Drug. (Staggs Drug was located at the corner of 6^th and Phelps, the northeast corner of what is now Security State Bank.) It was managed by Bebe Moulton. Miss Alice Kling, who is now Mrs. Guy Willis, worked at the hotel.

"The Santa Fe Depot opened in July of 1912 in its same location. L. E. Bowman was the first station agent. The first depot building has been moved to the park and is being used by the American Legion. (The first depot, sadly, has been torn down.)

"George T. Galloway had the first telephone exchange where Hammonds Funeral Home now stands, later selling it to the Tolbert family.

"The Littlefield Land Company provided the Experimental Farm where Fenn’s Foods now is. (Ms. Smith could not remember where Fenn’s was located.) Mr. Bird put the farm into operation, assisted by Negro Ab, and about a year later Mr. Boggs came over from Roswell, New Mexico.

"The Littlefield Land Company also furnished the school building and paid the teacher for the first year, which was 1912 – 1913. It was located in a frame building on East 7^th Street. On April 4, 1914, the School District was organized. On that date an election for a bond issue, levying special school tax not to exceed 50 cents on the $100.00 and organizing School District #4 was held. J. H. Curl was the County Judge. B. F. Smith was the presiding election officer. Only property owners voted. There were twenty, all voting for the issue.

(Those voting were:) "A. P. Duggan, H. G. Pahl, G. W. Hargrove, John Kling, C. O. Munson, W. G. Street, C. D. Hensley, G. W. Willis, C. J. Duggan, B. B. Moulton, J. T. Street, C. Warhurst, C. W. Goodron, Roy Smith, E. G. Courtney, J. H. Hall, B. F. Smith, Ben W. Smith, D. C. Griffin, and W. H. Willis." (The original school petition, the election registration, and a letter approving the school from Austin are in Ms. Smith’s possession.)