Slaton

Duane's take

Here's my take on what the official marker has to say about Slaton, Lubbock County. Now, every town out here on the Texas plains has a starting point, and Slaton's is about as clear as a dry-sky day in July. It traces its history to the Santa Fe Railroad.

That's where the whole story begins. There was a Lubbock businessman and banker by the name of O. L.

Slaton. He was instrumental, the marker says, in securing the right-of-way for the railroad through this area. That is no small thing.

Wrangling a railroad right-of-way takes a certain kind of persistence, a certain kind of knowing the right people and not taking no for an answer. When the new town was laid out in 1911, it was named for him. Now here's where the pace of this thing picks up.

The Pecos and Northern Texas branch of the Santa Fe Railroad line reached Slaton in May of 1911, one month after the first town lots were sold. One month. Somebody bought a lot on raw prairie, and thirty days later the train came rolling in.

Then, on June 15, 1911, came the official opening day of Slaton, marked by the arrival of the first of Santa Fe's four daily passenger trains. Four daily trains. This was not a whistle-stop.

This was a destination. The railroad made sure of that. Santa Fe established a division point right here, and with it came a Harvey House, a roundhouse, machine shops, and a two-story freight and passenger depot.

That's a footprint. That's the kind of infrastructure that tells a town it has a future. Also in 1911, a post office opened, with Annie Higbee serving as postmistress.

Buildings went up fast around the square as businesses took hold. The Santa Fe hired Dr. Samuel Houston Adams as surgeon for the Slaton Division.

The town was moving, and it needed a doctor to keep up. By 1912, Slaton was incorporated. R.

J. Murray was elected mayor. Joe H.

Teague, Sr., served as the first city marshal. The machinery of a real town, clicking into place. Slaton sits in one of Texas' foremost agricultural regions, and to this day its economy is rooted in ranching and farming.

From a right-of-way negotiated by one determined banker, to a division point, to a living, working town on the South Plains. O. L.

Slaton would probably say that's about what he had in mind.

What the marker says

The town of Slaton traces its history to the Santa Fe Railroad. O. L. Slaton, a Lubbock businessman and banker, was instrumental in securing the right-of-way for the railroad through this area. When the new town was laid out in 1911, it was named for him. The Pecos and Northern Texas branch of the Santa Fe Railroad line reached Slaton in May 1911, one month after the first town lots were sold. The official opening day of Slaton was held on June 15, 1911, when the first of Santa Fe's four daily passenger trains arrived. Slaton grew rapidly as the railroad established a division point here which included a Harvey House, roundhouse, machine shops, and a two-story freight and passenger depot. A post office was opened in 1911 with Annie Higbee as postmistress. Buildings were quickly erected on the square as businesses were established. The Santa Fe hired Dr. Samuel Houston Adams as surgeon for the Slaton Division. Slaton was incorporated in 1912. R. J. Murray was elected mayor, and Joe H. Teague, Sr., served as first city marshal. Located in one of Texas' foremost agricultural regions, Slaton continues to have an economy based on ranching and farming. 1988