Haskell County: History and Fishing

Haskell County lies in the Rolling Plains region of northwest Texas. Its 901 square miles of rolling plains are shaped and drained by tributaries of the upper Brazos River. The landscape provides a backdrop for a trip that is equally suited to exploring county history and fishing.

Landscape and Getting Around

U.S. Highways 277 and 380, State Highways 6 and 283, and numerous Farm-to-Market Roads cross Haskell County. You can use these road names to find your way as you organize your destinations on the map.

Museums and County History

The Fort Sam Museum in Haskell displays military artifacts from the Civil War, as well as World War I and World War II, the Vietnam War, and the Korean War. The collection on display may change in the future.

The restored Sublette Santa Fe Depot houses the Haskell County Historical Society Museum. Its collection includes memorabilia, artifacts, and other objects from the county’s history. The building’s history is also one of preservation: when it was slated for demolition, county residents acquired the depot and loading dock and moved both to a new location north of the fairgrounds on the edge of town. According to the earliest records, C. A. Woodson was appointed the depot’s railroad agent in 1916.

The Johnson House was built in Santa Fe and moved to Sublette in 1913. It was once owned and maintained by two prominent early Haskell County ranchers. The Independence School House is a 16 × 32-foot wood-frame school building in District #40, where all eight grades were taught. Its dimensions, construction, and school history give this building a different character from the military and railroad history collections.

The 1898 Texas Cowboys’ Reunion was a significant event in local history and represents the preservation of Texas ranching heritage. An expedition led by Capt. Randolph B. Marcy crossed the area of Haskell County along Paint Creek in 1849. Haskell hosts the Frontier Days Celebration and Rodeo in May; check the specific dates for the year you plan to visit if you’re timing your trip around the event. The City of Haskell also operates the Haskell County Railroad Museum. Check its opening hours in advance if you plan to visit.

Fishing in Haskell

Haskell City Park, at Avenue D and South 4th Street in Haskell, is designated as a Community Fishing Lake. A stocking of 294 adult rainbow trout is recorded there for 2026.

At Silo Scott Memorial Park in Haskell County, Anchor Marina offers a boat ramp and bank access for anglers. Shore access is therefore a feature in its own right, alongside the boat ramp.

Lake Stamford

Lake Stamford is a 5,124-acre reservoir on Paint Creek, a tributary of the Clear Fork of the Brazos River, and is located 10 miles east of Stamford. The lake has fish habitat structures that anglers can locate using GPS and a fish finder.

Discover more destinations: Haskell, Trinity, Dimmit, Upton County, Hopkins, Wheeler County, Willacy County, Real County.

For the broader travel overview: Texas.