New Deal

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about New Deal, up in Lubbock County. Now, the name New Deal didn't just appear out of nowhere, and the town didn't either. Pull up a chair and let me walk you through it.

Back in 1909, the Pecos and Northern Texas Railway, running as part of the Santa Fe system, pushed its line from Plainview down to Lubbock, and wherever that iron road went, new settlements rose up along it. Someone had to name the towns that sprouted north of Lubbock, and the invitation went to a woman named Mollie Abernathy. She suggested two names.

One was Monroe, and one was Abernathy, the latter for her husband, a land agent and official liaison to the Santa Fe Railroad. Monroe is where our story plants its boots. On December 22, 1909, the Monroe townsite developers held an auction for lots, and a store went up not long after.

The town stretched out to the west and south of that original townsite, and by the late 1920s it had filled out nicely: a general store, a blacksmith shop, cotton gins, a café, and a lumberyard. A real community, not just a dot on a railway map. On May 28, 1917, the town's school became Monroe Common School District Number Ten of the Lubbock county schools.

Later that same year, voters approved plans to construct a two-story brick school building. Now, you build something sturdy in brick, you expect it to last. That building burned in 1938.

But the community kept going, as communities do. In 1935, Monroe consolidated with Caldwell, Grovesville, and Center Schools to form New Deal Rural High School District Number Three, and that name, New Deal, was a direct nod to the federal programs of U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt.

By 1939, all of the schools were consolidated at New Deal. The name was doing the work before the town officially wore it. That came on June 1, 1949, when Monroe was renamed New Deal with the establishment of a post office.

The city incorporated in 1970. And all the while, the place sat right on the main transportation corridor between Lubbock and Plainview. The railroad had come through first, then the automobile routes followed, progressively designated as the Puget Sound to Gulf Highway, then State Highway 9, then US Highway 87.

Roads that led to points beyond, as the marker says, which is its way of telling you this was never just a crossroads. Despite everything that changed over the years, a fire, consolidations, renaming, New Deal is still out there on Highway 87, still incorporated, still thriving. The marker credits the citizens' service and pride in their community, and after a story like that, it's hard to argue with it.

What the marker says

The Pecos and Northern Texas Railway, part of the Santa Fe system, extended from Plainview to Lubbock in 1909 and established new settlements along the line. Invited to name two of the towns north of Lubbock, Mollie Abernathy suggested “Monroe” and “Abernathy” for her husband, a land agent and official liaison to the Santa Fe Railroad. The Monroe townsite developers held an auction for lots on December 22, 1909, and a store was built soon after. The town grew to the west and south of the original townsite and by the late 1920s had a general store, a blacksmith shop, cotton gins, a café, and a lumberyard. On May 28, 1917, the town’s school became Monroe Common School District #10 of the Lubbock county schools. Later that year, voters approved plans to construct a 2-story brick school building, which burned in 1938. In 1935, Monroe consolidated with Caldwell, Grovesville and Center Schools to form New Deal Rural High School District #3, named after the federal programs of U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt. By 1939, all of the schools were consolidated at New Deal. On June 1, 1949, Monroe was renamed New Deal with the establishment of a post office. The city of New Deal incorporated in 1970. The community benefited from its strategic location on the main transportation corridor between Lubbock and Plainview and leading to points beyond. In addition to the railroad, an automobile route was progressively designated as first the Puget Sound to Gulf Highway, then State Highway 9, then US Highway 87. Despite changes over the years, the city continues to thrive as a result of citizens’ service and pride in their community. (2018)