A Short History of Hutchinson County


The origin of this transcript is unknown

• Thomas S. Bugbee brought in 1750 head of cattle and established the Quarter-circle T Ranch in Bugbee Canyon. Six years later, the Quarter Circle T Ranch and the Turkey Track Ranch were bought by the Hansford Land and Cattle Company. The cattle industry was well on its way in Hutchinson County by the 1880's. By 1889 there were still only 15 families in the entire county. In 1898 the Weatherly Family moved here from Greer County, Oklahoma in a mule-drawn wagon. In 1900 there were still only 303 people in the county.
• On April 5, 1921 the first producing oil well was drilled here; the Gulf #2 Burnett Well on Captain S. B. Burnett's 6666 Ranch. The Dixon #2 was the first oil well in Hutchinson County and it came in on the Smith Ranch. Oil production jumped from one million barrels per year in 1925 to 26 million barrels per year in 1926.
• March 8, 1926 Ace Borger came down from Oklahoma and started the town of Borger. He bought 240 acres on the S. Canadian River for $12,000 then sold lots for $1500 each. In just 90 days Borger went from 0 population to 35,000. Huber moved in on March 1, 1929 with Phillips Petroleum coming to town on December 2, 1929. Tents were soon replaced by houses.
• 1926 - Santa Fe Railroad finished track from Panhandle to Borger. Before this, oil well construction and other materials were trucked by horse and wagon over dirt trails from Panhandle.
• 1929 - City Hall was built, Main Street paved, and sewage and lighting provided. Huber came to Borger. Within 10 years there were 33 plants processing carbon black in the area giving Borger the name Blacktown.
• 1936 - Alamo Refinery built 2 1/2 miles NE of Borger by Phillips Petroleum Company, and was at that time the world's largest refinery.
• 1943 - Plains Plant was designed and built by the United States Government. In 1955, Phillips Petroleum Company acquired this plant.
• 1957 - Introduction of Hybrid grains quadruple the per-acre yield of grain.
• 1958 - Filters were installed at the carbon black plants because of Government air pollution standards. The black clouds so characteristic of Borger in the early days ceased to exist.
• 1959 - Philtex Plant opens operations.
• 1965 - Lake Meredith Dam is completed on June 16.
• 1966 - Camex Anhydrous Ammonia Fertilizer plant opens.
• 1970 - Borger chosen as an All-American City.
• 1974 - Population is at 25,400.
• 1975 - Huber tool-making plant opens.