DUANE
Duane's take
Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'm gonna pass it right along to you. Mitchell County — out here in West Texas, where the land doesn't apologize for being big and the history doesn't apologize for being rough. It all started moving once the Indians left Texas in 1875.
After that, settlers came. And on August 21, 1876, Mitchell County was carved out — one of 128 counties pulled from the Bexar Territory, that enormous sweep of land covering West Texas all the way to the Panhandle and El Paso. One hundred and twenty-eight counties out of one territory.
That is a lot of county. Now, the county got its name from the Mitchell brothers — Asa and Eli — veterans of the Texas War for Independence. Two men who fought for this land before most folks had even thought about settling it.
But here's where the story really gets moving. The county sat there, officially on the books, for nearly five years before it could pull itself together enough to organize. What finally did it?
The railroad. When the railroad came, Mitchell County organized on January 10, 1881, and Colorado City rose up as the county seat. They didn't call it just any town.
They called it West Texas' Mother City — the first boom town in the region. When a place earns a name like that, you know things were happening fast and loud. These days Mitchell County is known as an oil, sheep, and cattle ranching center — a working county that never quite lost that boom-town energy.
And if you go looking for history on the ground, it's there. The Comanche Indian Village. Seven Wells — the last buffalo watering hole.
Think about that one for a second. The last place the great buffalo herds came to drink. That spot is still here.
And every year, Colorado City throws the Frontier Roundup and the Tumbleweed Festival — because in Mitchell County, they know where they came from, and they don't mind reminding you. That's the story the marker tells, right here in the heart of West Texas.
What the marker says
Settled after Indians left Texas in 1875. One of 128 counties created (Aug. 21, 1876) from Bexar Territory covering West Texas to the Panhandle and El Paso. Named for Mitchell brothers, Asa and Eli, Texas War for Independence veterans. Organized Jan. 10, 1881, when the railroad came, making county seat Colorado City West Texas' "Mother City" and first boom town. Oil, sheep and cattle ranching center. Historic sites include Comanche Indian Village; Seven Wells, last buffalo watering hole. Annual events: Colorado City Frontier Roundup and Tumbleweed Festival. (1965)