urn:taro:ttu.ua.00155 Locating Board: An Inventory of Its Records, 1923 and 1938, at the Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library Lynn Whitfield The Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library
The Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library Texas Tech University MS 41041 Lubbock, Texas 79409 Phone: (806)-742-3749 Fax: (806)-742-0496 Webpage: http://swco.ttu.edu/ Contact Person: Reference Archivist
June 12, 2000 Text converted and initial EAD tagging provided by Apex Data Services, April 9,2001 Finding aid written in English. Tue Jul 22 14:48:49 CDT 2003 urn:taro:ttu.ua.00155 converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by v1to02.xsl (20030505). Inventory for the Locating Board Records, 1923 and 1938 Lynn Whitfield The Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library, April 9, 2001 Descriptive Summary Texas Technological College Locating Board records, 1923 and 1938 Records of the Locating Board which established the location for Texas Technological College. U 113.1 Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library, Texas Tech University 8 Boxes (8.6 linear feet) English. Biographical Sketch

Senate Bill No. 103 provided for the establishment of a “State school west of the 98th meridian and north of the 29th parallel,” thereby setting the ground work for the creation of Texas Technological School. Among the purposes of the school was to provide a “co-educational college giving thorough instruction in technology and textile engineering from which a student may reach the highest degree of education.”

Membership of the Locating Board consisted of S. B. Cowell (chairman), W. A. Nabours (secretary), Dr. F. M. Bralley, Dr. S. M. N. Marrs, Dr. W. B. Bizzell, and Dr. William B. Sutton.

The application form specified the role of the Locating Board, as well as the Board's requirement of six copies of each application. Members were not to accept, either directly or indirectly, any gifts, offers or bonuses which could influence their decision.

The applicants were free to submit their proposal in any form or size, as long as considerations such as climatic conditions, accessibility, water supply and location were addressed. 2,000 acres of land which could not exceed the sum of $150,000 was another provision for receiving the winning bid. Thirty-five cities and the county of Panhandle-Plains placed bids for the location of the Texas Technological School.

On August 8, 1923, the Locating Board announced Lubbock as the site chosen for the new college campus. A celebration to commemorate the selection occurred on August 28th, with Governor Pat Neff as the main speaker.

 Scope and Contents

The collection contains the applications, proposal and supplemental information submitted by 36 applicants for the location of the Texas Technological School. Several include black and white photographs, maps and blueprints. A few also have leather covers.

 Organization

The papers are arranged into four series:

Establishment Materials Application Materials Oversized Proposals and Legal Documents

Within these four series, the files are arranged in alphabetical order by the city/town name.

 Index Terms

The subject headings used by the Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library are derived from the Library of Congress and/or locally developed.

Subjects (Organizations) Texas Technological College--History Texas Technological College--Location Texas Technological College Locating Board Places Abilene (Tex.) Amarillo(Tex.) Ballinger (Tex.) Big Spring (Tex.) Brady (Tex.) Brownwood (Tex.) Buffalo Gap (Tex.) Cisco (Tex.) Claude (Tex.) Clyde (Tex.) Coleman (Tex.) Colorado City (Tex.) Crosbyton (Tex.) Floydada (Tex.) Haskell (Tex.) Lampasas (Tex.) Lubbock (Tex.) Memphis (Tex.) Menard (Tex.) Midland (Tex.) Miles (Tex.) Munday (Tex.) Paint Rock (Tex.) Plainview (Tex.) Post (Tex.) Quanah (Tex.) Snyder (Tex.) Spur (Tex.) Stamford (Tex.) Stanton (Tex.) Sweetwater (Tex.) Tulia (Tex.) Vernon (Tex.) Wilson (Tex.) Subjects Education, Higher--Texas, West--History Universities and colleges--Texas, West--History Acquisition

Collection accession #(s): 2003-0040-B

Gifts, 1969-2003

 Access Restrictions

Open for research

 Processed by

Lynn Whitfield, April 9, 2001. Revised on June 16, 2003.

 Preferred Citation

Texas Technological College Locating Board Records, 1923 and 1938, Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas

 Additional Sources Murrah, David. Texas Tech in Retrospect: An Open Invitation. Texas Techsan, August 1979. Murrah, David. Texas Tech in Retrospect: The Time Has Come. Texas Techsan, December 1979. Gabehart, Alan D. West Texas A&M: The Selection of a Location for Texas Technological College. Panhandle-Plains Historical Review, 1992. Wright, Hamilton. Big Step Forward in Education: Picking Texas Tech Site Was Big Event. Dallas Morning News, January 31, 1970. Johnson, T. E. ;Thousands Will Greet Committee at Edge of City; Program Tonight. Amarillo Daily News, August 3, 1923. Plainview Entertains `Tech' Locating Board; Claims Are Presented. Amarillo Daily News, August 3, 1923.

For related materials located in the Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library, see the following collections:

W. Hamilton Wright oral history interview [sound recording], 1975 Burke Mathes oral history interview [sound recording], 1975 Harry H. Hewlett oral history interview [sound recording], 1982 Clifford Bartlett Jones oral history interview [sound recording], 1968-1971 Texas Technological College Locating Board Photographs, 1923 Collection Inventory I. Establishment. 1 1 Instructions for submitting location proposal, 1923 1 2 Minutes of the first meeting of the Board of Directors of the Texas Technological College, held at Sweetwater, Texas, March 2, 1923. 1 3 Notebook with brief information on each applicant, 1923 1 4 R. C. Crane's rebuttal to Wright's “The Winning of the West Texas College,” 1926 1 5 Senate Bill No. 103 “To Establish the Texas Technological College”, 1923 II. Applications. Amarillo, Texas: 1 6 The 12 ¼ × 7 bound books entitled, “Brief for Amarillo on Location of Texas Technological College,” contain black and white photographs, statistics, maps and information on the town of Amarillo and what it has to offer should the Locating Board choose this as the site for building Texas Technological College. 1923 (2 copies) 1 7 Brief for Amarillo on Location of Texas Technological College,” 1923 (3 copies) Abilene, Texas (see also oversized section): 1 8 The application includes a newspaper clipping about the construction of Highway No. 30; correspondence to members of the Locating Board; and Appendix A- Abilene Brief (3 copies), 1923 1 9 The 11 ½ × 7 ¾ bound books entitled “Photographic Views, Abilene, Texas” contain black and white photographs with captions of various buildings, scenery and businesses in the Abilene area, 1923 (3 copies) 1 10 Technological College with attached blueprint drawings for a dormitory; and Site maps for the proposed location of the college (2 copies), 1923 1 11 Booklet entitled “Brief in Behalf of Abilene, Texas, to the Honorable Committee to Locate The Texas Technological College” (4 copies), 1923 Ballinger, Texas: 1 12 The application includes a signed resolution; a 9 × 11 ¾ bound book entitled, “Ballinger, Runnels County, Texas”, which images, statistics and maps (4 copies), 1923 Boerne, Texas: 1 13 Includes an “Application and Brief of Boerne, Texas for the Location of the Texas Technological College (4 copies); and a Supplementary Brief (3 copies), 1923 1 14 Includes “Exhibit No. 2- Three Proposed Sties and Costs for Texas,” (3 copies); and “Exhibit No. 6- Co-operative School,” (3 copies); “Exhibit No. 3 and 4,”; and two colored maps, 1923 1 15 Includes a blueprint labeled “Exhibit No. 1- Skeleton Map of Kendall County Showing Surrounding Counties, Southwest, Texas,” (3 copies); and a colored map Brady, Texas: 1 16 Includes a blueprint of Brady, Texas; and proposal bound book entitled, “Brady, Texas: Dedicated to the Interests of Texas School of Technology,” (4 copies), 1923 Brownwood, Texas: 1 17 The 8 ¼ × 10 ¼ bound proposal contains black and white photographs, statistics, and various information on the city of Brownwood and what it has to offer should the Locating Board choose this as the site for building Texas Technological College, 1923 1 18 Proposal (1 copy), 1923 1 19 Proposal (1 copy), 1923 1 20 Proposal (1 copy), 1923 Buffalo Gap, Texas: 1 21 Application in the form of 2 pages of correspondence (3 copies), 1923 Claude, Texas: 1 22 Application in the form of 1 page of correspondence (2 copies), 1923 Clyde, Texas: 1 23 Includes the “Brief and Application of Clyde for the Texas Technological College,” (3 copies); a western union telegram from the Locating Board; a site map; and a letter detailing the specifics of the proposal, 1923 Coleman, Texas: 2 1 The proposal includes a brief; 3 maps; a section entitled “Exhibit-Distribution of Population About Important Centers in Designated Section with Maps”; two blueprints; and 8 black and white photographs, 1923 2 2 Proposal (1 copy) and two loose maps, 1923 2 3 Proposal (1 copy) and two loose maps, 1923 Colorado, Texas: 2 4 Includes application brief (3 copies); correspondence regarding site for the proposed college; and a brief annendo showing plat and relief drawings of site offered for location of the college, 1923 Crosbyton, Texas: 2 5 Bound application and brief (3 copies), 1923 Floydada, Texas: 2 6 Includes application (3 copies); site map; and two blueprints, 1923 2 7 Brief (3 copies), 1923 2 8 Brief of Argument (4 copies), 1923 Haskell, Texas: 2 9 Proposal entitled “Haskell- the Strategic Location for the Texas Technological College,” includes 4 pages of black and white photographs, (2 copies), 1923 Lampasas, Texas: 2 10 Includes a location description; a brief (2 copies); and the cover of a third brief, 1923 Lubbock, Texas: 2 11 Proposal and site blueprint (2 copies), 1923 2 12 Proposal and site blueprint (3rd copy), 1923 Memphis, Texas: 2 13 Brief includes the application, information on the town, and black and white photographs (2 copies), 1923 2 14 Brief includes the application, information on the town, and black and white photographs (1 copy), 1923 Menard, Texas: 2 15 Brief (2 copies) and description of site location, 1923 Midland, Texas: 2 16 11 ¼ × 8 ¾ bound brief (3 copies), 1923 Miles, Texas: 2 17 Proposal includes an attached blueprint (3 copies, one missing the blueprint), 1923 Munday, Texas: 2 18 Includes resolution (3 copies, one with blueprint); correspondence; and application and brief (2 copies, one still in original envelope), 1923 2 19 Includes application and brief (2 copies), 1923 Paint Rock, Texas: 2 20 Includes explanation of site map (7 copies); application; and four maps, 1923 Post, Texas: 2 21 The 12 ½ × 9 ½ proposal includes a lining of “Garza Sheeting” from the Postex Cotton Mills, numerous scenic black and white photographs, and various information and statistics on Post, Texas, (2 copies), 1923 2 22 Proposal (copies 3 and 4), 1923 2 23 Photocopy of proposal, 1923; correspondence and supplemental brief, 1923; and letter (1938) and black and white photograph of mineral display. Quanah, Texas: 2 24 Includes correspondence; site map; and brief (2 copies), 1923 2 25 Brief (1 copy), 1923 Seymour, Texas: 2 26 Application and brief with attached blueprint (2 copies), 1923 Snyder, Texas: 2 27 Includes minutes from City Council meeting; application; correspondence; site map; and a 9 × 12 book entitled “Snyder and Scurry County Presenting Advantages for the Location of the Texas Technological College”, 1923 3 1 The 11 ½ × 9 leather bound proposal includes black and white photographs, maps, and various information on the town of Snyder, Texas, 1923 3 2 11 ½ × 9 leather bound proposal (1 copy) 3 3 11 ½ × 9 leather bound proposal (1 copy) 3 4 11 ½ × 9 leather bound proposal (1 copy) Spur, Texas: 3 5 Includes correspondence; booklet entitled “Spur, Texas: Its Advantages as a Location for the Texas Technological College”, colored site blueprint; and booklet entitled “Spur Farm Lands: The Homeseeker's Opportunity” along with its matching envelope, 1923 3 6 11 × 9 bound proposal includes color tinted photographs (1 copy), 1923 3 7 11 × 9 bound proposal includes color tinted photographs (1 copy), 1923 3 8 11 × 9 bound proposal includes color tinted photographs (1 copy), 1923 3 9 11 × 9 bound proposal includes color tinted photographs (1 copy), 1923 Stamford, Texas: 3 10 12 ¼ × 9 ½ bound proposal includes numerous black and white photographs and information on the town of Stamford, Texas (1 copy), 1923 3 11 12 ¼ × 9 ½ bound proposal (1 copy), 1923 3 12 12 ¼ × 9 ½ bound proposal (1 copy, with original envelope), 1923 3 13 12 ¼ × 9 ½ bound proposal (copy 3), 1923 Stanton, Texas: 3 14 Brief, 1923 Tulia, Texas: 3 15 Brief (4 copies), 1923 3 16 Includes site map; application (2 copies); and site location information (7 copies), 1923 Vernon, Texas: 3 17 Includes brief (2 copies); site drawing; application (2 copies); and supplemental brief, 1923 Wilson, Texas: 3 18 Includes brief (4 copies) and blueprints (2 copies), 1923 III. Oversized Proposals. Abilene, Texas: 4 1 Site maps (2 sets), 1923 Big Springs, Texas: 4 2 11 ½ × 14 ½ bound proposal includes colored maps, black and white photographs, some of which are folded panoramics (1 copy), 1923 4 3 11 ¾ × 14 ½ bound proposal (1 copy), 1923 4 4 11 ¾ × 14 ½ bound proposal (1 copy), 1923 Crisco, Texas: 5 1 14 × 9 ¾ bound brief (3 copies, one missing the black outer cover), 1923 5 2 14 × 9 ¾ bound brief (2 copies), 1923 Lubbock, Texas: 5 3 14 × 10 bound brief and 12 × 9 bound brief, 1923 Panhandle-Plains Country, Texas: 5 4 14 × 10 ¼ bound brief (2 copies, one missing the colored map), 1923 Plainview, Texas: 6 1 14 × 10 ¼ bound brief (2 copies, with black covers); correspondence regarding elimination of railroad crossing on Sixth Street; and site location information, 1923 6 2 14 × 10 ¼ bound brief (3 copies, with green covers), 1923 San Angelo, Texas: 6 3 14 ¾ × 10 ½ bound brief includes various information on the town of San Angelo as well as numerous black and white photographs (2 copies), 1923 7 1 Supplementary materials: Exhibit Items A-I, K-O, 1923 7 2 Includes San Angelo Fair Booklet; site alternative and black and white photograph of Glenmore Farm Irrigation and Power Dam; and site blueprint, 1923 7 3 Supplementary materials: Supplementing the San Angelo Brief and Exhibit Items A-I, K-O, 1923 Sweetwater, Texas: 7 4 14 × 10 ¼ bound brief (2 copies), 1923 7 5 14 × 10 ¼ bound brief (2 copies), 1923 IV. Legal Documents. The following persons sold property to the State of Texas for the location of Texas Technological College. Details pertaining to the location of the land is explained in detail in the warranty deeds, which are photocopies from the Martin Stationary Company in Dallas, Texas. 8 1 Contracts to Purchase Land for Texas Technological College, 1923 8 2 Surveyor's Report, 1923 8 3 Tax Receipts, 1923 8 4 Warranty Deeds to Purchase Land for Texas Technological College, 1923 1 Alexander, J. E. and wife, Ellen S. Alexander were paid $4,000 (2 copies). 2 Alexander, Joab L., now a widower, was paid $7,000 (2 copies). 3 Allen, Olive Curran (nee Olive Bevington), now a widow, was paid $3,000. (2 copies). 4 Boerner, F. W. and wife, Ora Boerner, were paid $20,000 (2 copies). 5 Bryan, J. H. and wife, Gertrude J. Bryan, and Sam C. Arnett and wife, Ford H. Arnett, were paid $47,000 (2 copies). 6 Carruth, W. R. and wife, Mattie Carruth, were paid $6,000 (2 copies). 7 Copp, J. E. and wife, Jane Copp, were paid $4,000 (2 copies). 8 Hankins, J. H. and wife, Nell Hankins, were paid $2,100 (2 copies). 9 Jackson, A. W. and wife, Ollie A. Jackson, and J. B. Jackson were paid $24,240 (2 copies). 10 Lawson, J. T. and wife, Rose (?) Lawson, were paid $7,000 (2 copies). 11 Montgomery, L. C. and wife, J. R. Montgomery, were paid $150 (2 copies). 12 Niblick, Christena, a widow, was paid $32,000 (2 copies). 13 Overton, M. C. and wife, Nannie (?) J. Overton, were paid $1.00 (2 copies). 14 Peebler, O. F. and wife, Mayme L. Peebler, were paid $2,000 (2 copies). 15 Robards, J. C. and wife, Pearl Robards, were paid $25,000 (2 copies). 16 Rush, G. A., a widower, was paid $40,950 (2 copies). 17 Spikes, Fred and wife, Lillie E. Spikes, were paid $1,250 (2 copies). 18 Thorp, Ed and wife, Lottie Thorp, were paid $750 (2 copies). 19 Wall, Elmo and wife, Lillie Wall, were paid $387.22 (2 copies).