Lamb County
Olton, Lamb County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Lamb County, Formed From Young and Bexar Territories. Created August 21, 1876. Organized June 20, 1908. Named in honor of George A. Lamb, 1814-1836, a Second Lieutenant who fell in the first charge at the Battle of San Jacinto. Olton, County Seat.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Lamb County was carved from earlier territories and created in 1876, though it wasn't formally organized until 1908, with Olton as its first county seat. It honors George A. Lamb, a young second lieutenant who fell in the opening charge of the Battle of San Jacinto in 1836 โ the decisive fight that won Texas its independence. His name binds this High Plains county to the revolution that made Texas a republic.
Why it matters
Naming a county for a soldier who died winning Texas independence kept the memory of the revolution alive across generations and hundreds of miles of frontier.
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Related people
- ยท George A. Lamb
Related events
- ยท Battle of San Jacinto
Themes & tags
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