Coke County

Duane's take

The way the marker tells it, here's the story of Coke County. Formed from Tom Green County, Coke County was created on March 13, 1889, and organized just forty-one days later, on April 23, 1889. Now that is moving fast for a place that has all the time in the world out here under a West Texas sky.

The county was named in honor of Richard Coke, born in 1829 and gone by 1896, a man who stacked up some considerable Texas history between those two years. He served as Governor of Texas from 1874 to 1876, and then, as if the governor's chair wasn't enough, he went on to serve as a member of the United States Senate from 1878 all the way to 1896. Richard Coke kept working long after most men would have called it a life.

Now, every county needs a seat, and when Coke County first organized in 1889, it planted that flag at a place called Hayrick. But Hayrick's tenure at the top was short. By 1890, the county seat had moved to Robert Lee, and Robert Lee has held that distinction ever since.

One year the county is born, the next year it's already rearranging the furniture. Out here in Coke County, things got settled in a hurry, and then they stayed settled.

What the marker says

Formed from Tom Green county. Created March 13, 1889, Organized April 23, 1889. Named in honor of Richard Coke 1829-1896. Governor of Texas 1874-1876, member of United States Senate 1878 - 1896. County seat, Hayrick, 1889 Robert Lee, since 1890.