Comanche in Comanche County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
First settled in 1854 by five families, the county, created and organized 1856, was named for Comanche Indians, Lords of Texas frontier, who were losing hunting grounds to settlers.
First county seat was Cora. Comanche has been county seat since July 18, 1859.
Indians harassed settlers, stealing cattle and horses, and keeping farmers out of fields. Food from neighboring Bell County kept people here from starvation in 1861. By 1879 a stage line crossed county; the Texas Central Railroad came through in 1880; Fort Worth & Rio Grande Railroad in 1890. An oil boom occurred in 1918-1920. Agriculture has long been major industry.
Erected 1966 by State of Texas. (Marker Number 989.)
Marker series. This marker is included in the Texas 1936 Centennial Markers and Monuments marker series.
Location. 31° 53.857′ N, 98° 36.847′ W. Marker is in Comanche, Texas, in Comanche County. Marker is on West Central Avenue (U.S. 67/377) near Texas Highway 36, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1001 W Central Ave, Comanche TX 76442, United States of America.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Comanche Chief (approx. Durham Building (approx. half a mile away); Ritz Theater Building (approx. half a mile away); The Chilton-Harelik Building (approx. half a mile away); Huett Building and Carrera [sic Carrara] Glass (approx. half a mile away); Royal King (approx. half a mile away); Old Cora Courthouse (approx. half a mile away); Bicentennial Park (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Comanche.
More about this marker. The Texas Historic Commission's site atlas notes that this marker was first erected in 1936, part of the centennial series. The marker text was updated in 1966 as shown here. The original 1936 marker text read:
Created January 25, 1856; Organized May 17, 1856; Named for the Comanche Indians, nomads of the Plains; successful hunters, superb horsemen, and courageous warriors; the terror of Texas frontier settlers, who dispossessed them of their hunting grounds. County Seat Troy (changed to Cora), 1856; Comanche, since July 18, 1859
Categories. • Native Americans • Settlements & Settlers •
Credits. This page was last revised on October 3, 2016. This page originally submitted on September 28, 2016, by Richard Denney of Austin, Texas. This page has been viewed 193 times since then. Photos: 1. submitted on September 28, 2016, by Richard Denney of Austin, Texas. 2. submitted on September 29, 2016, by Richard Denney of Austin, Texas. 3. submitted on September 28, 2016, by Richard Denney of Austin, Texas. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.