Texas and Pacific Railway Depot
a.k.a. T&P Depot
100 Market St., Baird, TXThe Texas and Pacific Depot in Baird, Texas, was built in 1911 to replace an earlier passenger depot. The building's design incorporates elements of Prairie School, Renaissance Revival, and Mission Revival styles, with a plan that expresses the functional aspects of early 20th-century depot design, as well as the social aspects of race separation under Jim Crow laws. The depot stands as a good example of depot architecture and reflects the significance of the railroad in the establishment and development of Baird. The property is nominated to the National Register at the local level of significance in the area of Transportation, and Architecture.
Baird, Texas, was established in 1880 with the arrival of the Texas and Pacific (T&P) Railway and was named for railroad surveyor and engineer Matthew Baird. Train service from Fort Worth to Baird officially began on December 14, 1880. Serving as a division point along the main line, T&P railroad facilities in Baird included a depot, roundhouse, and repair shops. In the 1880s as cattle drives moved across Texas, railroads crossing the Great Western Cattle Trail carried millions of head of cattle to northern markets from Texas. Baird soon became an important cattle and cotton shipping point for the railroad. The T&P advertised nationally, offering cheap land around Baird and the area population steadily increased. In early April 1881, The Callahan County Clarendon, an early Callahan County newspaper, stated that Baird was to become the company's headquarters for immigration in northwest Texas. To aid in these efforts, the company would erect a large Immigrant House near the depot. In 1883, Baird became the county seat (replacing Belle Plain) and gained most of the former county seat's population. The population increased to 1,200 by the mid-1880s. A fire that started in S. L. Robinson's store, where the cast of Golden's Opera Company was preparing a show for the residents, did not stop the town's progress in 1884, nor did a tornado in 1895. The population was 1,502 in 1904 and peaked in 1929 at 3,000, then declined to 1,810 by 1941. By 2000 the population was 1,623. Industries have included gins, an oil refinery, flour mills, and a feed mill. The county hospital is in Baird, and the town is the center for local oilfield supplies and ranching.
Local significance of the building:
Baird, Texas, was established in 1880 with the arrival of the Texas and Pacific (T&P) Railway and was named for railroad surveyor and engineer Matthew Baird. Train service from Fort Worth to Baird officially began on December 14, 1880. Serving as a division point along the main line, T&P railroad facilities in Baird included a depot, roundhouse, and repair shops. In the 1880s as cattle drives moved across Texas, railroads crossing the Great Western Cattle Trail carried millions of head of cattle to northern markets from Texas. Baird soon became an important cattle and cotton shipping point for the railroad. The T&P advertised nationally, offering cheap land around Baird and the area population steadily increased. In early April 1881, The Callahan County Clarendon, an early Callahan County newspaper, stated that Baird was to become the company's headquarters for immigration in northwest Texas. To aid in these efforts, the company would erect a large Immigrant House near the depot. In 1883, Baird became the county seat (replacing Belle Plain) and gained most of the former county seat's population. The population increased to 1,200 by the mid-1880s. A fire that started in S. L. Robinson's store, where the cast of Golden's Opera Company was preparing a show for the residents, did not stop the town's progress in 1884, nor did a tornado in 1895. The population was 1,502 in 1904 and peaked in 1929 at 3,000, then declined to 1,810 by 1941. By 2000 the population was 1,623. Industries have included gins, an oil refinery, flour mills, and a feed mill. The county hospital is in Baird, and the town is the center for local oilfield supplies and ranching.
Architecture; Transportation
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 2012.
About National Register Listings
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.
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The first oil well in the United States was drilled in Texas in 1859. The discovery of oil transformed the economy of the state and helped to make Texas one of the wealthiest states in the nation.
About Callahan County
Callahan County Timeline
Callahan County, Texas has a rich history that dates back to its initial settlement in the mid-19th century. Originally inhabited by various Native American tribes, the region saw an influx of settlers in the 1850s, primarily from states like Alabama, Tennessee, and Missouri, seeking new opportunities on the Texas frontier.
In 1858, the Texas Legislature officially established Callahan County, naming it after James Hughes Callahan, a ranger and soldier in the Texas Revolution. The county's early economy relied heavily on agriculture, with cotton being the main cash crop and cattle ranching also playing a significant role.
During the Civil War, like many regions of Texas, Callahan County experienced unrest and hardship. After the war, however, the county quickly recovered, and the construction of the Texas and Pacific Railway in the late 19th century further fueled growth and development. The railroad brought new settlers, boosted trade, and led to the establishment of towns like Baird, Cross Plains, and Clyde.
Throughout the 20th century, Callahan County continued to evolve and diversify its economy. Oil was discovered in the area in the 1920s, leading to the establishment of oilfields and the growth of the petroleum industry. Agriculture remained important, with crops like wheat, milo, and sorghum becoming significant, and ranching continued to thrive.
Today, Callahan County is a vibrant community that honors its history while embracing modern advancements. Its rich agricultural heritage, coupled with a growing oil and gas industry, makes this county a resilient and prosperous area within the state of Texas.
In 1858, the Texas Legislature officially established Callahan County, naming it after James Hughes Callahan, a ranger and soldier in the Texas Revolution. The county's early economy relied heavily on agriculture, with cotton being the main cash crop and cattle ranching also playing a significant role.
During the Civil War, like many regions of Texas, Callahan County experienced unrest and hardship. After the war, however, the county quickly recovered, and the construction of the Texas and Pacific Railway in the late 19th century further fueled growth and development. The railroad brought new settlers, boosted trade, and led to the establishment of towns like Baird, Cross Plains, and Clyde.
Throughout the 20th century, Callahan County continued to evolve and diversify its economy. Oil was discovered in the area in the 1920s, leading to the establishment of oilfields and the growth of the petroleum industry. Agriculture remained important, with crops like wheat, milo, and sorghum becoming significant, and ranching continued to thrive.
Today, Callahan County is a vibrant community that honors its history while embracing modern advancements. Its rich agricultural heritage, coupled with a growing oil and gas industry, makes this county a resilient and prosperous area within the state of Texas.
Callahan County Timeline
This timeline provides a condensed summary of the historical journey of Callahan County, Texas.
- 1854 - Callahan County is created and named after James Hughes Callahan, a Texas Ranger and legislator.
- Late 1850s - Settlers begin to arrive in the area, primarily from the southern United States.
- 1861-1865 - Callahan County, like the rest of Texas, is greatly impacted by the American Civil War.
- 1872 - Baird is established as the county seat.
- Early 1880s - The Texas & Pacific Railway is built through Callahan County, boosting economic growth.
- Early 1900s - Agriculture, particularly cotton farming, becomes a major industry in the county.
- 1923-1924 - Oil is discovered in Callahan County, leading to a boom in production and economic development.
- 1940s - Callahan County experiences a decline in population due to the effects of World War II.
- 1980s-1990s - The economy diversifies with the growth of manufacturing and retail sectors.
- 2000s - Callahan County continues to be primarily rural, with agriculture and oil production playing significant roles in the local economy.