Dawson County: History and Experiences in Lamesa

Dawson County lies on the eastern edge of the Llano Estacado in the southern High Plains. In Lamesa, several tangible chapters of the county's history meet cultural and recreational attractions. The Dawson County Courthouse is an active government building; it was built in 1916 in the Classical Revival style. The building connects a specific architectural theme with the history of a county whose development can be traced through place names, community institutions, and changes to the county seat.

Places and Early History

Dawson County was organized in 1905 and named after Nicholas Mosby Dawson. That same year, Lamesa won the election to become the county seat by a margin of five votes. The residents of Chicago then moved their homes and businesses, as well as the school and Baptist and Methodist churches, to Lamesa within a few days. Together, the election and the rapid move tell two sides of this development: the decision about the county seat and the changes it brought about in the daily lives of the settlements.

Earlier place names are also part of this history. The OTO Ranch was established in Dawson County around 1887 and was later called Bar TO. The Chicago post office opened at the ranch headquarters on May 15, 1889. The settlement of Chicago was renamed Stemmons in 1904. Baptists founded the first church in Dawson County in Chicago in 1904. Three years later, Methodists built the first church building in Lamesa; four denominations used it in rotation on successive Sundays. The two church accounts thus mark different stages: an early congregation established in Chicago and the later first church building in Lamesa.

The area's history reaches further back: Paleo-Indians camped at Sulphur Springs Draw in the Lamesa area about 17,000 years ago. During World War II, Dawson County was one of five counties in Texas to receive the Army-Navy E Award. Lamesa Field was established as a military airfield in 1942 and served from 1942 to 1944 for primary and advanced glider training for Army Air Forces cadets.

The Lamesa Farm Workers Community

Another chapter is the Lamesa Farm Workers Community, now Los Ybanez. It existed from 1942 to 1980. The Farm Security Administration approved an application for a 50-acre migrant labor camp for the community southeast of Lamesa. The community included 50 residential buildings, a gatehouse, the manager's residence, and a community center. It also had indoor plumbing and running water.

Life in the community also included a medical clinic, educational programs, a nursery, recreational activities, and religious services. Residents played baseball, celebrated Mexican and U.S. holidays, and listened to conjunto music. These details give local history a social dimension: they are not only about settlements and administrative decisions, but also about the facilities and community activities of everyday life.

Museums, Theater, and Recreation in Lamesa

The Dal Paso Museum displays household furnishings, pioneer tools, and ranching and farming equipment from the early settlement period. Those interested in the area's development will find different kinds of objects from home, work, and agriculture displayed side by side. For culture lovers, the Lamesa Community Theater offers individual tickets and season packages. The theater group was founded in 1981 and prepared the melodrama “Skulduggery on the Square” as its first production.

The Lamesa Movieland Theater is a nonprofit theater supported by more than 125 volunteers. The Lamesa Municipal Golf Course is another recreational option: the nine-hole course is open to visitors traveling through Dawson County. Memberships offer unlimited play year-round. The attractions are quite varied in focus—from an evening at the theater and local history to time on the golf course.

Visitor Information and Local Tradition

The Lamesa Area Chamber of Commerce serves as the visitor center for the Lamesa community. It is located at 123 Main Avenue on the town square. Lamesa promotes chicken-fried steak as a local tradition and celebrates it with a three-day festival held every year in April. If the festival is the reason for your trip, check the specific event dates in advance. This makes it easy to plan your stay around one of the area's cultural, historical, or culinary highlights.

Discover more destinations: Lamesa, Rockwall, Oldham, Trinity, Hays, Brooks County, Callahan County, Webb.

For the broader travel overview: Texas.