Belle Plain

Duane's take

The way this marker tells it, here's what went down in Callahan County, and I'm givin' you the official version straight off the historical record. Now, every county needs a seat of power, a place where the commissioners bang their gavels and the paperwork piles up. Callahan County was no different.

But finding that seat, well, that turned out to be a whole process. The commissioners court organized itself on July 30, 1877, over in Callahan City. That was the first unofficial county seat, and they got right to work, filing civil and probate cases like they meant to stay.

But here's where it gets interesting. An election on October 13th of that same year, 1877, was ruled invalid. Invalid.

All that voting, for nothing. So they held another one, December 9, 1877, and this time it counted. Belle Plain was selected.

Belle Plain became the first official county seat of Callahan County, carrying that title from 1877 all the way to 1883. Then on January 16, 1883, the county seat was located at Baird, and that was that. Three towns, two elections, one invalid, and a moving county seat.

Callahan County didn't settle easy, but it did settle.

What the marker says

First official county seat of Callahan County, 1877-1883. The first unofficial county seat was Callahan City where the commissioners court was organized, July 30, 1877, and several civil and probate cases filed by an invalid election, October 13th, and a valid election, December 9, 1877 Belle Plain was selected. On January 16, 1883, the county seat was located at Baird.