Town of Amherst
Amherst, Lamb County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Began in 1913 as a cattle-shipping point on Pecos & Northern Texas Railroad. Served the 300,000-acre Springlake Ranch, which was established in 1902 by W.E. "Colonel Bill" Halsell (1850-1934) and his son Ewing Halsell (1877-1965). According to local tradition the shipping point was named for Amherst College, Mass., alma mater of one of the railway officials. When, in 1923, the economy of the High Plains began to switch from ranching to farming, the Halsells divided much of their land to sell to the influx of new settlers. Farms could be bought for $25 an acre. They set aside land at the railroad depot for a town and donated lots for a school and churches. First permanent building was the Amherst Hotel, built by Halsell Land Company for prospective buyers and visitors. It also had space for a bank, general store, and office. For years it was the most popular hotel between Clovis, N.M., and Lubbock, Tex. The first general store was opened in 1923, a post office in 1924, and the First National Bank in 1925. The town's first newspaper was the "Argus". By 1930 Amherst had a population of 964. Today (1972) citizens number 835 and the economy is based on cotton and grain, hog raising and cattle feeding. (1972)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Amherst began in 1913 as a cattle-shipping point on the Pecos & Northern Texas Railroad, serving the vast 300,000-acre Springlake Ranch that W.E. 'Colonel Bill' Halsell and his son Ewing had established in 1902. When the High Plains economy shifted from ranching to farming in 1923, the Halsells carved up their land for new settlers at $25 an acre and set aside town lots, a hotel, and ground for schools and churches. A general store, post office, and bank followed, and by 1930 the town's population reached 964.
Why it matters
Amherst captures the transformation of the Texas High Plains from open cattle range into a patchwork of family farms — a defining chapter in the settlement of the American West.
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Related people
- · W.E. "Colonel Bill" Halsell
- · Ewing Halsell
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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