Discover Motley County

The Motley County Jail, the history of the Matador Ranch, and places like Tee Pee City offer different perspectives on Motley County’s borderland heritage. The area is also shaped by the geology of Roaring Springs and the history of a railroad that once transported livestock and agricultural goods.

Ranch History and Borderland Heritage

The Motley County Jail is a two-story building dating from 1891 and remains a symbol of the county’s borderland heritage. The cells were on the upper floor, while the jailer’s living quarters were downstairs. This layout illustrates how the building was once used: the detention area and living quarters were arranged on two levels. Visitors interested in the county’s history will find a tangible example here of how a jail building was used.

The Matador Ranch was established on open range in 1879. In 1882, Scottish investors founded the Matador Land & Cattle Company, Ltd. The two dates mark different milestones in the ranch’s history. The Matador Ranch operates in Motley County and offers guided whitetail deer hunting packages; hunting opportunities may vary by season.

Traweek House also broadens the picture of the area’s architectural history. The two-story, stuccoed masonry building features elements of the Italian Renaissance, Prairie, and Classical Revival styles. It received an official historical medallion in 1964 and is also a Recorded Texas Historical Landmark. These three style designations give the house a distinct architectural place in the region’s history.

Historic Places and Their Timelines

From 1875 to 1880, Tee Pee City was a camp for early buffalo hunters. From 1879 to 1881, it also served at times as the headquarters of the Texas Rangers under Captain G. W. Arrington. The periods overlap: Tee Pee City was both a camp and, for a time, a headquarters. This sequence makes the site a vivid chapter in the region’s early history.

In Whiteflat, a ghost-town settlement, a one-room school built by volunteers opened in 1890. Whiteflat began to shrink during the Depression and Dust Bowl years of the 1930s. The school and the settlement’s development tell different parts of the local story: one reflects a community effort to build a school, the other the settlement’s later decline.

Roaring Springs: Springs and Getting Your Bearings

The natural Roaring Springs are three miles south of the town of Roaring Springs and one mile west of State Highway 70. Their water is supplied by precipitation on the High Plains, which seeps into Ogallala sand and Dockum sandstone. The springs can therefore be understood in terms of both their location and the path taken by the water. A swimming pool and public recreation campground were established at Roaring Springs in the 1940s.

The town of Roaring Springs lies on State Highway 70 and Farm Road 684, eight miles south of Matador. The town and the natural springs are therefore two distinct landmarks that share the same name. The Motley County Railroad is also of interest for local transportation history: it was a pioneering route for transporting livestock and agricultural goods and ceased operations in 1936. Its eight-mile line ran through unfenced ranch country and connected near Roaring Springs with the tracks of the Quanah, Acme & Pacific. This historic rail connection should be distinguished from today’s road routes.

Events and Route 70

The Motley-Dickens Counties Old Settlers Reunion is held annually in Roaring Springs, and the program also includes rodeo. Check the event dates for your travel period. Roaring Springs also participates in the Texas Highway 70 Association, which promotes visits to communities along the Route 70 corridor. Check separately for specific events along the route.

Discover More Destinations

Matador, Victoria, Stonewall County, Jim Hogg County, Young, Karnes, Wheeler County, Hutchinson County

For the main travel overview: Texas.