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Hartley County | Hartley County Courthouse | First Hartley County Jail | Chief of the Pastores Casimiro Romero
Hartley County
Marker Title: Hartley County
City: Hartley
County: Hartley
Year Marker Erected: 1936
Marker Location: from Hartley, take U.S. 87 E about 1.5 miles
Marker Text: Formed from Young and Bexar territories: Created, August 21, 1876. Organized, February 5, 1891. Named in honor of two brothers, Oliver Cromwell and Rufus K. Hartley. Distinguished members of the Texas Bar. Hartley, the county seat. (1936)
Hartley County Courthouse
Marker Title: Hartley County Courthouse
City: Channing
County: Hartley
Year Marker Erected: 1987
Marker Location: corner 9th & Railroad, Channing
Marker Text: Hartley County was created in January 1891, and an election held that year designated the town of Hartley as county seat. A frame courthouse was built on the town square. In October 1896, largely due to XIT Ranch interests, a second election was held which resulted in the removal of the county seat to Channing. The frame courthouse was dismantled and moved to the new county seat, where it was reconstructed. In May 1905 the commissioners court approved the construction of a new courthouse. Contracts were awarded to Solan & Wickens, contractors, and O. G. Roquemore, architect. The 2-story, structure was completed in October 1906 at a cost of $10,525. The beaux arts style building features a triumphal arch on the front facade, native sandstone base, and Roman Ionic paired columns. When completed, the top story provided a courtroom and two offices, and there were five offices and a lobby on the first floor. At the time of construction, the building was served by its own water well and lighting system. A vault was added to the county clerk's office in 1927. A second vault and jury dormitories were built in 1935. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1987.
First Hartley County Jail
Marker Title: First Hartley County Jail
City: Hartley
County: Hartley
Year Marker Erected: 1966
Marker Location: 10th Street, near public school -Hartley
Marker Text: Built 1892, during land boom. Has not been used as jail since 1903. Recorded Texas Historical Landmark, 1966
Chief of the Pastores Casimiro Romero
Marker Title: Chief of the Pastores Casimiro Romero
City: Romero
County: Hartley
Year Marker Erected: 1970
Marker Location: from Romero take S.H. 54, 3.5 miles NE
Marker Text: Moved to Texas, 1876, from New Mexico-- wife and two children in a coach, goods in 14 wagons. Owned 6,000 sheep. A Castilian Spaniard by birth, Romero spoke for pastores (sheep herders), who built eleven haciendas and plazas in Canadian River area. Cattle rancher Chas. Goodnight in late 1876 made a pact with Romero to respect right of the pastores to valley of Canadian River. But, railroads and cattle ranches in 1880s cut into sheep lands. Romero returned to New Mexico, selling Texas lands, 1897. He is memorialized in this area by town of Romero (3.5 miles southwest of here). 1970