Old Hurley
Muleshoe, Bailey County, Texas
Marker Inscription
One-half mile west to townsite of Old Hurly. First town in Bailey County. Promoted in 1907 by land company of Stevens A. Coldren (d. 1924). He had a townsite surveyed and named it for Patrick J. Hurley (1883-1963), New Mexico political leader. Company built a general store, hotel and livery stable. Wide plowed furrows indicated future streets. In August 1907 a post office was established. Settlers came in and a church and school were begun. In 1913, however, the railroad bypassed town. Efforts to start "New Hurley"-- on the rail line -- failed. After Muleshoe became county seat, 1918, Hurley expired. (1970)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Old Hurley was born of optimism in 1907, promoted by a land company that surveyed a townsite, plowed furrows to mark future streets, and named it for New Mexico political figure Patrick J. Hurley. A store, hotel, livery, post office, church, and school soon followed as settlers arrived. But when the railroad bypassed the town in 1913 and Muleshoe won the county seat in 1918, Hurley withered and died.
Why it matters
Its brief life is a textbook case of how the railroad's route, more than any settler's hope, decided which frontier towns lived and which vanished.
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Related people
- · Stevens A. Coldren
- · Patrick J. Hurley
Themes & tags
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