Farmer Community

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Out here in Crosby County, there's a place called Farmer Community, and if you blink driving through, you might miss it. But don't you dare, because this little stretch of Texas has a story worth pulling over for.

Settlement began here in 1887. That's where it all starts. A community taking root on the South Plains, the kind of place that builds itself up from nothing but hard work, good neighbors, and a whole lot of faith.

By 1893, they had themselves a school district. And here's the part that'll warm your heart a little. That early school building wasn't funded by some government program or a wealthy benefactor sitting on a fortune.

It was funded by gifts from friends, including residents over in Amarillo and Colorado City, folks who believed in what this community was becoming. That's the kind of neighborly reach that doesn't happen everywhere. Now the churches came along right with the community.

The Methodists organized around 1890, the Baptists in 1891, and before long you had Presbyterians, Church of Christ, Seventh Day Adventists, and others all putting down roots in Farmer. Six congregations worth of faith woven into one small community. And the social life, well, they didn't let the prairie wind keep them indoors.

The P.T.A., a Singsong club, a baseball club, a Forty-two Club, and the Farmer Community Reunion all found a home here. These weren't just clubs. They were the glue.

And then there's this quiet but remarkable fact sitting right at the top of the marker. Farmer Community was the girlhood home of Mrs. Ima Smith, First Lady of Texas, wife of Governor Preston Smith.

A First Lady grew up right here, in this community that strangers from Amarillo and Colorado City helped build one donated dollar at a time. Some places shape the people who go on to shape the state. Farmer Community is one of them.

What the marker says

Girlhood home of Mrs. Ima Smith, First Lady of Texas, wife of Governor Preston Smith. Settlement began here in 1887. The school district was created in 1893, with its early building funded by gifts from friends, including residents of Amarillo and Colorado City. Religious faiths active in Farmer have been the Methodists (organized about 1890), Baptists (organized 1891), Presbyterians, Church of Christ, Seventh Day Adventists, and others. Service and social clubs have included P.T.A., Singsong, baseball club, Forty-two Club, Farmer Community Reunion. 1970