Fourth in the Texas Triangle series.
The Texas Panhandle is rich and intricate, shaped by Native American culture, Spanish explorers, frontier settlers, ranchers, and the development of the railroad and oil industry. He has lived there for over 10,000 years. The Old Indians hunted mammoths and bison on the plateau. The Texas Historical Society is tracking down Apache, Comanche and Kiowa, who dominated the region before European colonization. Comanche in particular ruled the area throughout the 1700s and 1800s.
Spanish explorer Francisco Vazquez de Coronado passed the Panhandle in search of seven gold cities in mythology. Texas joined the United States in 1845, raising American interest in the Panhandle. Red River War (1874–1875) marked a decisive US military campaign to eliminate the Comanche and Kiowa tribes and relocate them to Indian territory (now Oklahoma).
Following the forced relocation of the Plains tribes, Anglo-American settlers began to arrive. In the late 1800s, the Panhandle became a cattle ranch hub. Like the JA Ranch founded by Charles Goodnight, legendary ranch was founded. In a well-executed paper, Melissa Myers documented the advancements in railroads such as the Fort Worth and the Denver City Railroad, which reached the Panhandle in the 1880s and 1890s, connected to large markets and promoted town development.
According to Texas Almanac, oil was discovered in the early 20th century, a boom was discovered, creating a new local economy, contributing to the economic strength of the Panhandle settlers and the statewide. Serious droughts and poor farming practices have resulted in large sandstorms, dust bowls in their 30s and economic hardships for farmers. Despite the set-up, the Panhandle developed a powerful agricultural base and remained the key to Texas oil and gas production. The grit in the dust bowl helped create the “grit” that it was Texan. The Panhandle is proud of its frontier heritage and has strong connections to ranches, cowboy culture and western history.
The Texas Panhandle is rich and intricate, shaped by Native American culture, Spanish explorers, frontier settlers, ranchers, and the development of the railroad and oil industry.
The combination of agriculture, energy production and manufacturing contributes significantly to the state’s economic production. The Panhandle industry provides employment and supports the local economy. Though its population is sparsely dependent on other parts of Texas, the Panhandle retains political influence due to its economic contributions and conservative values, often affecting state policy decisions. These factors make the Texas Panhandle an integral part of the state.
The Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum (PPHM) has been telling the stories of Texas settlers for almost a century. At West Texas A&M University, we believe PPHM is important to our region, but even more important to our state and its foundations. WT has been working diligently to find ways to “modernize” PPHM. Timelines of events and actions over the past decade are available on the university’s website by searching “PPHM Timeline”. A 2015 Texas Firefighter Examination found 10 safety violations. A “Workaround” was executed. In 2017, the construction company was engaged in proposing a permanent solution to the 2015 report. In 2018, WT developed a $40 million proposal on the state budget to address unfunded, worsening, unsafe museum facilities.
Additionally, the Campus Master Plan strengthened the importance of PPHM’s campus, community, locality and state. Academic funding for the PPHM was not possible because the state does not classify the museum as “educational and general” facilities. In 2019, the state approved a $250,000 special budget to continue in 2020 to maintain and modernise the 217,000 square foot PPHM facility.
“Food, Fuel and Fiber Triangle” defined by Amarillo, San Angelo and El Paso in contrast to the “Texas Triangle” defined by DFW, Houston and San Antonio.
In 2021, the cultural foundation of the Texas Panhandle (CFTP) was formed with statewide representation. CFTP has demonstrated that PPHM and Texas outdoor musicals are valuable to all Texans, no matter where they come from. In 2024, the Texas A&M University System, with the cooperation of the Texas Historical Commission, representing the state and country’s best minds, committed to researching the future of PPHM and Texas by securing architectural and museum experts.
This January was received by the Texas Fire Department, identifying 149 defects in the PPHM. After discussions with former state firefighters staff and CFTP chairperson, Mark Bivins’ Chairman, Careful Course of Action, has decided to close the PPHM to the public regarding safety concerns about staff, students, faculty and visitors. The museum will remain closed until funding for the new museum can be obtained. We continue to investigate the possibility of part of the museum being open to the public during this transitional period of attendance with modern safety standards.
Dr. Walter Wendler, president of West Texas A&M University
At the same time, alternatives are explored that share the state’s history found in collection lore and its influence on the Texas and the Panhandle. The collection of the Panhandle-Plains Historical Society, a nonprofit that owns and manages two million artifacts housed at PPHM, is at the heart of the work. The collection and museum partnership is at the heart of our region and the entire state. The Panhandle uniquely defines what it means to be Texan. The influence of the museum and collection can be felt from the Panhandle into the world. At WT, we will continue to find a way to share the key treasures of PPHM in our region and state with the widest possible audience. As a member of the University of West Texas and the Texas A&M University system, that is our duty.
Walter V. Wendler is the president of West Texas A&M University. His weekly column with hyperlinks is available at https://walterwendler.com/.
More Information: Opinion: View “Food, Fuel, and Fiber Triangles” in West Texas
Details: Opinion: Water and its important role in the Texas triangle
More details: Part 3: Texas Triangle Healthcare and Rural Heavy Loads
This article was originally published in the Amarillo Globe-News: Opinion: West Texas Culture and Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum.
