SHORT HISTORY OF RANGER, TEXAS

Prior to the building of the Texas and Pacific Railway in the northeastern portion of Eastland county, there was a Texas Ranger Camp in a beautiful valley. When settlers came to the area, they began setting up tents, and the community became known as Ranger Camp Valley. A. J. Sims and Mr. Griffin carried a stock of merchandise in a tent store, Mr. Griffin did a thriving hotel business, also in a tent, and there were tent churches and schools. [1] A record of "County Treasurer in Account with School Communities" has Ranger Camp Valley School as early as Jan 3rd, 1879. [2]

The railroad came in 1880, and "Ranger Camp Valley moved two miles west to the railroad and established a permanent town." [3] Questionnaire was completed December 6, 1880 for application of a post office, renaming the town Ranger as it is known today. [4] Before the Ranger Oil Boom, industry of the ranger area was mostly ranching and farming, the main crop being cotton. There was a drought, the boll weevil hit and the economy of Ranger declined. [5]

There had been explorations for oil in Eastland County as early as 1904 when Henry Lightfoot drilled, although the results were not known (to the public). In 1909 The Central Texas Oil Company (an organization of local Rising Star people)...drilled to the Caddo Lime, and a nice show of oil, but never made a producer. In 1912 the Texas and Pacific Coal Company drilled numerous wells... The Texas Company took some leases as early as 1911... The Canfield Company became interested in leasing... the latter part of 1914 and the early part of 1915. [6] Many other companies took leases in Eastland County during this time.

John M Gholson, Cull Moorman, M. H. Hagaman and other leading citizens in Ranger realized something had to be done to help the town's economy and with the knowledge of the earlier oil explorations in the area, went to The Texas and Pacific Coal Company in Thurber, 16 miles east , met with, and persuaded Mr. W. K. Gordon, the company's vice president and general manager to drill in and around Ranger.[7]

THE BOOM

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