Texas Highway Department

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Back in the early twentieth century, Texas farmers had a problem — and it wasn't drought, or boll weevils, or ornery livestock. It was mud.

Thick, wagon-swallowing, market-killing mud. All-weather access to markets was what they demanded, and right about the same time, the automobile was turning every dirt path in the state into a question mark. The Good Roads promoters — and you had to love their optimism — envisioned one central state agency that could bring safe, consistent routes out of the chaos.

Then in 1916, the federal government made an offer: matching funds to build a statewide highway system. Well, Texas legislators weren't about to leave money on the table. In 1917, they created the Texas Highway Department.

That same year, Texans had already registered a hundred and ninety-five thousand automobiles. The demand was real, and it was rolling. Agency employees set up shop in the Capitol, then moved to the 1917 Land Office, and before long district offices were opening up across the state like mesquite after a spring rain.

By 1921, federal officials had approved a twenty-nine-hundred-mile Texas system — and to keep it funded, a one-cent-per-gallon state gas tax kicked in after 1923. One cent. Every gallon.

Every mile. Then came the Great Depression, and federal relief funds poured in and stimulated massive road building across the state. Engineers, never ones to miss an opportunity, also pushed for a proper headquarters.

In 1933, they completed this very state highway building — the one the marker stands beside. And it is out of this building that one man would leave perhaps the longest mark of all. DeWitt Carlock Greer served as state highway engineer from 1940 to 1967, then came back as commissioner from 1969 to 1981.

That is four decades of shaping the roads of Texas, from one address. When legislators finally named the building for him, the agency had already grown well beyond asphalt and right-of-way — it was now managing public transportation too, overseeing seventy-one thousand miles of highways traveled by twelve million Texas vehicles. Twelve million.

From two farmers hollering about mud to twelve million vehicles on seventy-one thousand miles of road. That's not just progress, friend. That's the whole state moving at once.

What the marker says

Established April 4, 1917 Early 20th century Texas farmers demanded all-weather access to markets just as automobiles revolutionized transportation for all travelers. Good Roads promoters envisioned a central state agency to organize safe, consistent routes. In 1916 the federal government offered matching funds to build a statewide highway system. In 1917, legislators created the Texas Highway Department, and Texans registered 195,000 automobiles. Agency employees worked in the Capitol, then the 1917 Land Office, and soon the agency opened district offices across the state. In 1921 federal officials approved a 2,900-mile Texas system, ensured by a one-cent-per-gallon state gas tax after 1923. During the Great Depression, federal relief funds stimulated massive road building. Engineers also promoted a new headquarters, and in 1933 completed this state highway building. From here, DeWitt Carlock Greer (1902-1986) served as state highway engineer, 1940-1967, and commissioner, 1969 to 1981, when legislators named the building for him. That year, as the agency's role expanded to public transportation, it managed 71,000 miles of highways for 12 million Texas vehicles. (1997)