Carbon School 1916-1990
CARBON - located south of Eastland.
Carbon High School Reunion will be held on July 10, 2010.
Carbon High School Reunion Website
Cisco Swimming Pool in 1940
CISCO - located 20 miles west of Ranger.
Home of Cisco College
Lela Latch Lloyd Museum (located in Old City Hall)
Old Mobley Hotel Museum (Conrad Hilton's first hotel)
DELEON - located about 20 miles south of Ranger.
Terrill Antique Car Museum is open Tuesday through
Saturday from 10 a.m. until 12 noon and from 1 to
5 p.m. On Sundays the hours are 1 to 4 p.m. Admission
is free, donations accepted. It is located at 500 N.
Texas Street. DeLeon website
DESDEMONA - originally known as "Crystal Springs" and
also referred to as Hog Town in reference to Hog Creek.
It is located south of Ranger. Their 12-grade school
closed in 1969. Desdemona Homecoming & School Reunion
(P.O. Box 187, Desdemona, TX 76445).
Downtown Eastland in 1920s
EASTLAND - located 10 miles west of Ranger.
Eastland is the county seat of Eastland County. Known for
its Connellee Hotel and "Old Rip" the Horned Frog that
lived 30 years sealed in the corner stone of the old
courthouse. Home of the 1982 Class AA State Football
Champions.
City of Museums City of Eastland website
Eastland County Museum opens Feb. 3, 2006 in the renovated
Petroleum Building on the square in downtown Eastland.
GORDON - located east of Ranger near Mingus.
City of Gordon website Gordon ISD website
GORMAN - located south of Ranger. Originally named
"Shinoak Springs" from dwarf oaks and springs that
attracted wildlife as well as early settlers. The
post office of Shinoak Springs was built in 1888.
Later the name changed to Gorman after the Road
Master Pat Gorman.
Kokomo school in 1923
KOKOMO - located halfway between Desdemona & Carbon on
the T&P Railroad with a population of 25. A one-room
log school was built there in 1886.
Old Mingus Methodist Church
MINGUS - Three miles north of Thurber is the village of
Mingus. Thurber was entirely owned by The Texas and
Pacific Coal Company, but Mingus was an open and free
town. Workers in Thurber could not own land or build
homes there and so some of the Thurber workers bought
land and built homes in Mingus. Other reasons for the
development of Mingus was the 1881 construction of the
Texas and Pacific Railway through the area.
The community served local farmers and ranchers. Population
was estimated at 1,110 in 1920 and 1930; 25 businesses
were reported there in 1930. By 1940 the number of residents
had declined to 570. The population was down to 212 in 1980,
but the post office was still open. Currently the population
is approximately 200.
MORTON VALLEY - first known as Fisher Hill is located
west of Ranger. The first school was built in 1904. In 1921,
a two-room frame structure was built and became known as Morton
Valley School in honor of Tobe Morton. A beautiful brick school
was completed in 1934.
OLDEN - small town between Ranger & Eastland created as a switch
station for the T&P Railroad. At one time the town had a silver
smelter. It still has a post office.
PIONEER - is a small town of 40 located in the southwestern corner
of Eastland County. It was established in 1883 & the population
increased to 5,000 during the oil boom. In 1924, an independent
school district was created but closed in 1942.
STAFF - located at Lake Leon with a population of 65. The settlement
started with the Round Mountain Baptist Church in 1896 and had a
post office which closed in 1908. In 1940, there were two stores.
STRAWN - located east of Ranger on State Highway 16. The town was
developed about 1880 when the railroad started service. Oil was
discovered near here in 1895. In 1940, Strawn was incorporated
and had a population of 1,107. The town is a center for local
farming and oilfield activities. Home of the 2003 State Football
Champs. City of Strawn website