Sand Hills Section House
Monahans, Ward County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Built 1903 by Texas & Pacific Rwy., for one of its track foremen who were stationed every 20 miles along road. Section houses in Permian Basin had water and human aid for men sand-bogged or stranded in storms. (Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1965.)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Built in 1903 by the Texas & Pacific Railway, this section house sheltered one of the track foremen stationed every twenty miles along the line. In the harsh Permian Basin, such houses offered water and human aid to men bogged down in sand or stranded in storms, a lifeline for the crews who kept the rails running.
Why it matters
It recalls the everyday labor and infrastructure that made rail transportation possible across the unforgiving West Texas landscape.
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Themes & tags
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