Congressman George Mahon

Duane's take

The official marker tells it this way, and I'm just here to carry the tale down the road. Now, some men are shaped by one place, but George Herman Mahon got shaped by a few. He was born in 1900, out in Claiborne Parish, Louisiana.

But when George was eight years old, the family packed up and moved to Loraine, Texas, Mitchell County, where the land was flat and the cotton was king. He grew up on that cotton farm, graduated from Loraine High School, and somewhere along the way he fell for a girl named Helen Stevenson, born that same year, 1900. High school sweethearts.

He'd eventually make her his wife. He attended Simmons College over in Abilene, the school that'd later become Hardin-Simmons University, and then went and got his law degree from the University of Texas. Came back west and started a law practice in Colorado City.

Quiet enough start for a man who'd go on to outlast almost everybody in Washington. In 1926, George Mahon stepped into politics as Mitchell County Attorney, then moved up to District Attorney. And then, elected to the U.S.

House of Representatives from the newly-created Nineteenth District in 1935, he held that seat for forty-four years. Forty-four years. Let that settle in a moment.

He served alongside seven of the eight U.S. presidents with whom he served, worked closely with them, became the kind of man who got trusted with things most people never knew existed. During World War II, he was one of a very few members of the House who were trusted with knowledge of the atomic bomb. That is a short list, and George Mahon was on it.

In 1949 he was selected to chair a new subcommittee on defense appropriations, and in time he became chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations. From that chair, he was instrumental in projects that touched West Texas directly. The reactivation of Reese Air Force Base in Lubbock.

Webb Air Force Base in Big Spring. And the construction of Interstate 27, running from Amarillo all the way down to Lubbock. The man had a long arm, and he pointed it toward home.

Now here is the moment in this story where the air changes. In 1963, Mahon accompanied President John F. Kennedy on his trip to Texas.

He was in the motorcade in Dallas when the President was killed. There's no dramatic flourish to add to that. It simply happened, and George Mahon was there.

Life kept moving, as it does. In 1970, a tornado tore through Lubbock. And when the dust settled and the city needed help, Mahon persuaded federal officials to grant millions in federal aid to the city.

A new library was built on the site of that devastation, and it was named for George and Helen Mahon. When George Mahon retired in December 1978, he was the longest-serving member of the House. In 1984, he and Helen returned to Colorado City, the same town where he'd first hung out his shingle as a lawyer.

George Herman Mahon died in 1985. Helen Stevenson Mahon followed in 1987. Forty-four years in the House.

One cotton farm in Mitchell County. And a name on a library built where a tornado once touched down. That's the marker's measure of the man.

What the marker says

George Herman Mahon (1900-1985) was born in Claiborne Parish, Louisiana, to John Kirkpatrick and Lola Willis (Brown) Mahon. In 1908, the family moved to Loraine (Mitchell County), Texas, where George grew up on a cotton farm and graduated from Loraine High School. He attended Simmons College (now Hardin-Simmons University) in Abilene and married his high school sweetheart, Helen Stevenson (1900-1987). George received his law degree from the University of Texas and began a law practice in Colorado City. In 1926, George Mahon began a life in politics as Mitchell County Attorney and then District Attorney. Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from the newly-created Nineteenth District in 1935, he retained this seat for 44 years. He was one of a few members of the House trusted with knowledge of the atomic bomb during World War II. In 1949, Mahon was selected to chair a new subcomittee on defense appropriations and later became the chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations. Mahon was instrumental in such West Texas projects as the reactivation of Reese Air Force Base in Lubbock and Webb Air Force Base in Big Spring, as well as construction of Interstate 27 from Amarillo to Lubbock. Mahon accompanied President John F. Kennedy on his trip to Texas in 1963, and was in the motorcade in Dallas when the President was killed. After the 1970 tornado in Lubbock, Mahon persuaded federal officials to grant millions in federal aid to the city. A new library, built on the site of the devastation, was named for George and Helen Mahon. When he retired in December 1978, Mahon was the longest-serving member of the House. He worked closely with seven of the eight U.S. presidents with whom he served. In 1984, he and his wife returned to Colorado City. (2017) Maker is property of the State of Texas