Mobeetie, Texas – Panhandle Mother City
“Mobeetie was patronized by outlaws, thieves, cut-throats, and buffalo hunters, with a large percentage of prostitutes. Taking it all, I think it was the hardest place I ever saw on the frontier except Cheyenne, Wyoming.”
– Charles Goodnight of the Goodnight/Loving Trail
Nestled in the windswept plains of the Texas Panhandle, a place teeming with history and whispered tales, lies Mobeetie. Long before its current quietude, and even before it was nearly a ghost town, this region was a dynamic frontier settlement. This article delves into the rich past of Mobeetie, exploring its origins, its boomtown days, and its eventual transformation into the sleepy community it is today.
The story of Mobeetie begins long before the arrival of white settlers. The vast, open plains were once the domain of the Apache Indians. For centuries, they roamed these lands, living off the bounty of the prairie. However, their reign was challenged in the 18th century by the arrival of the Kiowa and Comanche tribes. These powerful nomadic groups, skilled horsemen and fierce warriors, pushed the Apache out, claiming the Panhandle as their own hunting grounds. The Kiowa and Comanche held sway until the Red River War of 1874, a conflict that marked a turning point in the region’s history. The defeat of the Native American tribes in this war opened the door for white settlement, forever altering the landscape and the destiny of the land.
The spring of 1874 witnessed the arrival of a new breed of pioneers: buffalo hunters. Drawn by the vast herds of bison that roamed the plains, these men migrated south from Kansas, establishing a crude camp near Sweetwater Creek. This initial settlement, known as Hidetown, was located approximately two miles southeast of where Old Mobeetie now stands. It was a rough-and-tumble place, driven by the relentless pursuit of buffalo hides, a commodity in high demand in the eastern markets.
Recognizing the need for order and control in this burgeoning frontier, the United States government established Fort Cantonment in 1875. Situated about two miles northeast of Hidetown, the fort’s primary mission was to keep the Native American tribes on their reservations in Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma) and to establish law and order in the increasingly volatile region. Major H.C. Bankhead and the 4th Cavalry, accompanied by several infantry companies, arrived on June 5, 1875, to establish the new military outpost. The initial structures of Fort Cantonment were rudimentary, constructed from sharpened cottonwood posts driven into the ground at close intervals, reinforced with poles across the top. Larger logs served as ceiling beams, layered with brush and weeds for insulation. The entire structure was then covered with adobe, packed tightly into the spaces between the posts. While these picket buildings were quickly replaced by more substantial board structures, some remained in use until 1890, a testament to the fort’s early days.
The presence of Fort Cantonment spurred rapid development in nearby Hidetown, which soon adopted the name Sweetwater City. Three entrepreneurs from Dodge City, Kansas – Charles Rath, Bob Wright, and Lee Reynolds – quickly seized the opportunity. They established a trading post, supplying provisions to the growing settlement in exchange for buffalo hides. Sweetwater City flourished, its population swelling to approximately 150 people. These Dodge City men claimed to have purchased over 150,000 buffalo hides during their time in Sweetwater, a staggering figure that underscores the scale of the buffalo hunting industry.
Among the notable figures who passed through Sweetwater was William "Billy" L. R. Dixon, a celebrated hero of the Second Battle of Adobe Walls in 1874. Dixon worked as a wagon master for Lee Reynolds, managing a bull train that consisted of ten 7-oxen teams, each pulling three wagons. His task was to transport provisions into Sweetwater and haul loads of valuable buffalo hides back to Dodge City, playing a crucial role in the settlement’s supply chain.
By the summer of 1875, Sweetwater had evolved into a bustling frontier town, catering primarily to the soldiers stationed at Fort Cantonment. The town boasted a Chinese laundry, a restaurant, a dance hall, and, of course, several saloons. Like many settlements of the Old West, Sweetwater was home to a diverse and often volatile population, including bullwhackers, outlaws, buffalo hunters, and gamblers.
The town’s restaurant was operated by Tom O’Loughlin and his wife, Ellen, who was reputed to be the only "virtuous" woman in the settlement. The remaining women were dance hall girls and saloon girls, numbering around 15 in total. These women worked in the numerous saloons that lined the streets of Sweetwater, establishments with colorful names such as the Pink Pussy Cat Paradise, the Buffalo Chip Mint, and the White Elephant. The Ring Town Saloon, located approximately 2 ½ miles northwest of Sweetwater, catered exclusively to black men, primarily the Buffalo Soldiers stationed at the fort.
The main dance hall was owned by Bill Thompson, the brother of the notorious Ben Thompson, a gunman from Austin, Texas, who met his end in San Antonio. The presence of such characters added to the town’s reputation as a wild and unpredictable place.
In 1875, Bat Masterson, who had served as a scout for Colonel Nelson A. Miles during the Red River War, arrived in Sweetwater. He worked as a faro dealer in Henry Fleming’s Saloon. An argument over a card game and a dance hall girl named Mollie Brennan erupted between Masterson and Sergeant Melvin A. King. The dispute escalated into a gunfight, resulting in King’s death.
During the melee, King’s shot struck Mollie Brennan, killing her, before hitting Masterson in the pelvis. This injury left Masterson with a permanent limp. In 1876, Masterson returned to Dodge City, Kansas, where he served as a lawman for many years. Other notable figures who visited Sweetwater during this tumultuous period included Patrick F. Garrett and Poker Alice, further solidifying the town’s place in Western lore.
On February 21, 1876, Fort Cantonment was officially renamed Fort Elliott by General Order No. 3 of the Division of Missouri. By this time, the fort comprised officer’s quarters, barracks for six companies of enlisted men, a headquarters building, a hospital, laundress’ quarters, storehouses, and cavalry stables, all constructed of lumber.
Most of the supplies needed for Fort Elliott were transported from Dodge City, Kansas. However, civilians who settled near the post produced food, finding a ready market for their goods at the fort, contributing to the economic growth of the surrounding area.
On April 12, 1876, Wheeler County was created out of Clay County Territory and named in honor of Supreme Court Justice Royal T. Wheeler.
In 1878, Sweetwater was discovered to be located on the Military Reserve, necessitating its relocation. The town moved two miles northwest to section 45, a move that proved beneficial due to its closer proximity to Fort Elliott.
Wheeler County was officially organized in 1879 following a petition signed by 150 qualified voters, and Sweetwater was selected as the county seat. The settlement then applied for its own post office under the name Sweetwater. However, the name was rejected because another town in Texas already bore that name. A suggestion was made to ask the local Indians for the name of Sweetwater in their language.
The word they gave was Mobeetie, which became the town’s new name. Years later, it was revealed by a Comanche that Mobeetie did not actually mean "sweet water" but rather "buffalo dung."
By 1880, Fort Elliott was procuring hay, lumber, shoes, saddles, wagon wheels, clothing, and staple foods from local producers. These early entrepreneurs constituted the first manufacturers in the Texas Panhandle, signaling a shift towards a more diversified economy.
Throughout the 1880s, Mobeetie thrived as the commercial hub of much of the Panhandle, connected to Tascosa in the west by a mail route. Rath’s mercantile store catered to area ranches, while Fort Elliott continued to drive the local economy. Mobeetie’s main street expanded to include livery stables, wagon yards, a barbershop, a drugstore, a blacksmith shop, two hotels, numerous boarding houses, and an ever-increasing number of saloons.
In 1880, the first courthouse in the Texas Panhandle was built in Mobeetie by Irish stonemasons who quarried the stone from the Emanuel Dubbs homestead, located nine miles east of town. Just one year later, Mobeetie became the judicial center of the 35th District, which encompassed 15 counties. Several lawyers established their practices in the town, including Temple Houston, son of Sam Houston, who served as district attorney before being elected to the state Senate.
Despite the growing presence of law and order, Mobeetie continued to attract its share of gamblers, rustlers, and prostitutes. However, Captain George W. Arrington and his Texas Ranger Company played a significant role in deterring the lawless element. Arrington was elected county sheriff in 1882 and resided in the two-story stone jail, which still stands today. The Texas Panhandle, the region’s first newspaper, began publication in the same year. By 1886, Mobeetie’s population had reached approximately 300.
In 1888, just eight years after its construction, the stone courthouse was condemned due to structural flaws. The Irish stonemasons had failed to incorporate metal pins to hold the stones together. A wooden structure across the square from the county jail replaced the courthouse.
In 1889, the Texas Panhandle newspaper was renamed the Wheeler County Texan. In the same year, a rock schoolhouse, which also served as a union church and community center, was built, replacing an earlier wooden structure. The community center hosted dances and horse races during holidays, providing entertainment for the small town.
By 1890, Fort Elliott was deemed no longer necessary for defending settlers from Native Americans, and the post was abandoned. An inventory taken in August of 1890 revealed that the fort consisted of 13 sets of officer’s quarters, four barracks, two offices, a hospital, chapel, library, guardhouse, seven storehouses, and several other outbuildings.
The army moved out permanently in October 1890. Before the closure of Fort Elliott, Mobeetie had a population of 400.
The abandonment of Fort Elliott triggered an immediate decline in Mobeetie’s population. The town made several attempts to secure a railroad connection, but all efforts proved unsuccessful. In the early 1890s, a religious revival swept through the area, resulting in 300 conversions in 1893. Baptist and Methodist churches were subsequently constructed, and all of the town’s saloons were closed, marking a significant shift in the town’s character.
On May 1, 1898, a tornado struck Mobeetie, claiming seven lives and destroying numerous buildings that were never rebuilt, further contributing to the town’s decline.
By 1900, the ranching industry began to give way to farming, leading to a substantial increase in cultivation. Despite this shift, Mobeetie’s population dwindled to approximately 128 people, and the Wheeler County Texan newspaper ceased publication.
In 1902, the Rock Island Railroad was built westward across the Panhandle from Oklahoma to Amarillo. The towns of Crossroads, Lela, Shamrock, Norrick, and Benonine experienced growth, while Mobeetie struggled to compete.
Another setback occurred in 1907 when a controversial election resulted in the county seat being moved to Wheeler, located 12 miles southeast of Mobeetie. In 1908, the wooden courthouse was relocated to Wheeler. Despite these challenges, Mobeetie persevered, maintaining a school, a bank, a lumberyard, and various other businesses. By 1910, Mobeetie’s population had slightly increased to 250.
In 1916, the county initiated the construction of a highway across the southern part of Wheeler County, which would later become US Highway 66. A road also connected Shamrock to Wheeler and Mobeetie.
In 1923, the first gas well was drilled near Shamrock, and a year later, the first producing oil well was drilled in the county. By the end of the 1920s, the southwestern part of the county was dotted with oil and gas wells, tank batteries, and pipelines.
In 1929, the area finally obtained its long-awaited railroad connection when the Panhandle and Santa Fe Railway constructed its line from Pampa, Texas, to Clinton, Oklahoma, just north of Mobeetie, missing the town by two miles. The post office and most of the businesses relocated closer to the railroad, leading to the birth of "New Mobeetie," which incorporated "Old Mobeetie" as part of the new city. Most of the remaining residents moved closer to the railroad, leaving the stone jail and a few other abandoned homes in Old Mobeetie.
The railroad and the area’s increased agricultural activity boosted the population to 500 by 1940. However, forty years later, in 1980, the population had declined to less than 300 due to improved highways and proximity to Pampa and other Panhandle towns.
In 1984, Mobeetie had nine businesses, a bank, a post office, three churches, and modern school facilities for 12 grades. Although a few people still resided at the old townsite, most houses were abandoned and deteriorating.
Today, only one bank, the post office, the elementary school (formed from three other small towns near Mobeetie), and a diner along Texas Highway 152 remain in this almost forgotten town. "New Mobeetie" is also near a ghost town, with only about 100 residents.
The old county jail in "Old Mobeetie" has been transformed into a museum after serving as a private residence and a VFW Hall. The museum showcases artifacts from both Mobeetie and Fort Elliott. The site also features a crude flagpole and an outdoor jail cell, the only remnants of Fort Elliott. The museum and several outbuildings are open year-round from 1:00-5:00 p.m. daily except Wednesdays, manned by volunteers, with donations gratefully accepted.
Considered the "Mother City" of the Panhandle, Mobeetie is located 20 miles east of Pampa, Texas, on State Highway 152 in northwest Wheeler County.
©Kathy Weiser/Legends of America, updated March 2025.
Also See:
- Billy Dixon – Texas Plains Pioneer
- Fort Elliott, Texas
- Ghost Towns of Texas
- Mobeetie, Texas Photo Gallery
- Texas Main Page
- Texas Photo Print Galleries
See Sources.