City of Dumas

Duane's take

The way the official marker tells it, here's the story of the city of Dumas, up in Moore County. Louis Dumas and J. R.

Wheat had themselves a notion back in 1891. They formed the Panhandle Townsite Company, set out to develop and promote a community, and they called it Dumas. That same year, a post office was established, which is about as official as a town gets out on the Panhandle.

Then in 1892, Dumas was elected the seat of Moore County government. Things were movin'. A mercantile store opened in 1894.

The First State Bank was organized in 1908. By all appearances, a real town was takin' shape. But here's where the story gets honest with you.

The dry, arid land surrounding Dumas attracted few newcomers. The population remained sparse. Years rolled by.

The bank opened, the county seat held, the mercantile kept its doors, and still the land kept most people at arm's length. That wind-scoured Panhandle earth wasn't givin' much away. Not yet.

Then 1927 arrived. Oil was discovered. And if you know anything about Texas, you know what that means for a sparse population on dry, arid land.

The marker puts it plainly, and plainly is exactly right: the town's history is a good reflection of life in the Texas Panhandle. Quiet a good long while, then the ground decides it's ready to talk.

What the marker says

In 1891, Louis Dumas and J. R. Wheat formed the Panhandle Townsite Company to develop and promote a community they named Dumas. A post office was established the same year, and in 1892 Dumas was elected the seat of Moore County government. A mercantile store opened in 1894, and the First State Bank was organized in 1908. The dry, arid land surrounding Dumas attracted few newcomers, and the population remained sparse until oil was discovered in 1927. The town's history is a good reflection of life in the Texas Panhandle. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986