DUANE
Duane's take
The marker tells it this way, and I'm just passing it along. Way out in Winkler County, Texas, there's a patch of ground that almost became something. Almost.
That's the kind of story that sticks with you on a long stretch of road. Back in 1908, when Winkler County was still part of Tom Green County, the very first post office in the whole territory opened up near here on John Howe's ranch. Twice a week, the mail would come in — twice a week — serving three hundred souls spread across that lonesome country.
Not a bad start for a place that hadn't quite decided what it wanted to be yet. Then came the dreamers. The Pueblo Investment Co. had plans — big, shiny, coast-to-coast plans.
They promoted the Duval townsite all over the United States. All over it. And on March 19, 1910, they threw open the doors in style: free lots, a picnic, and a cowboy tournament.
Now, if you want to get people's attention in early twentieth-century Texas, you are doing exactly the right things. Folks came. Lots changed hands.
The future looked wide open as the Permian Basin sky. But here's where the story takes its turn. In April of that same year, Kermit became the seat of Winkler County.
Then in October, the post office picked up and moved there too. When the county seat goes and the post office follows, well, a town has to reckon with what it's got left. Duval never quite found its footing.
It failed to develop. And then came 1928 — oil discovered right here — and instead of saving the townsite, that discovery was the final word. Townsite rights were canceled.
All those lots sold with such fanfare back in 1910, with free deed promises and picnic handshakes? Ownership of many of those valuable parcels is still unclear to this day. The ground held its secret long enough to outlast the town built on top of it.
Out here, even the ghost towns have ghosts.
What the marker says
First post office in Winkler (then part of Tom Green) County opened near here (1908) on John Howe ranch. Mail came in twice weekly to serve 300 persons. Duval townsite, promoted all over the United States by the Pueblo Investment Co., opened on March 19, 1910, with free lots, a picnic, and cowboy tournament. In April, Kermit became seat of Winkler County; post office moved there in October. Duval failed to develop and townsite rights were canceled after 1928 oil discovery here. Ownership of many valuable lots sold in 1910 is still unclear today. (1968)