Toyah, Texas – Dying Along the Railroad
Toyah, Texas, a name that echoes through the vast expanse of Reeves County, stands as a poignant testament to time’s relentless march. Once the oldest and a bustling hub along the Texas & Pacific Railroad, today Toyah exists as a sparsely populated ghost town. Its landscape is dotted with numerous abandoned buildings, each standing in varying states of decay, silently narrating tales of a vibrant past.
The Genesis: A Trading Post by Flowing Waters
The story of Toyah begins as a humble trading post, a vital lifeline for the sprawling ranches that characterized the area. The town’s very name is derived from an Indian word signifying "flowing water," a tribute to the artesian springs that once nourished this arid land. These springs were not merely sources of water; they were the lifeblood that attracted settlers and laid the foundation for a community.
In 1879, W. T. Youngblood, a man of vision and enterprise, arrived with his family from Midland, marking a pivotal moment in Toyah’s history. Traveling in a covered wagon, Youngblood brought with him a stock of general merchandise, the seeds of commerce that would soon blossom. He established a tent store, a temporary haven from which he would venture out as a peddler, traversing the vast distances between local ranches to sell his wares. Through perseverance and hard work, Youngblood saved enough to construct a one-room adobe store, a sturdy structure that quickly became a gathering place for the area’s ranchers, a hub of social and economic activity.
The Railroad Era: A Boomtown Emerges
The year 1880 marked a turning point for Toyah, as the Texas and Pacific Railway began laying tracks through Reeves County. The arrival of the railroad was a transformative event, bringing an influx of people and ushering in an era of unprecedented growth. Section houses, a roundhouse, and workshops were constructed, transforming Toyah into a significant railway center.
In 1881, the first train steamed into Toyah, forever altering the town’s trajectory. A post office was established, solidifying Toyah’s place on the map, and the Overland Stage Company commenced regular runs to Fort Davis and Fort Stockton, connecting Toyah to the wider world. By October 20, 1881, Toyah was a town of tents, saloons, and restaurants, a bustling frontier settlement teeming with life and opportunity. Water, a precious commodity in this arid region, was hauled from Monahans and sold by the barrel, highlighting the challenges and resourcefulness of the early settlers.
Toyah soon became a crucial shipping point for local ranchers, facilitating the transport of cattle to distant markets. In 1882, the burgeoning cattle industry and the presence of numerous ranches drew the attention of Charles Siringo, a renowned cowboy-detective, who arrived in Toyah to track down and apprehend rustlers, adding a touch of Wild West intrigue to the town’s narrative.
Growth and Development: Building a Community
As Toyah prospered, the Youngblood Trading Post expanded, evolving into a mercantile and a hotel, catering to the growing needs of the community. Additional space, living quarters, a lobby, and a dining room were added, transforming the simple adobe store into a multi-functional establishment. By 1886, Toyah boasted the A. M. Fields Hotel, along with numerous saloons and restaurants, solidifying its status as a thriving town.
Lawlessness and Order: A Town on the Edge
The early years of Toyah, like many other settlements in the American West, were characterized by lawlessness and violence. In 1885, Texas Ranger Captain James T. Gillespie established a camp for Company E at Toyah, seeking to bring order to the unruly town.
An incident that occurred on the evening of August 18, 1885, vividly illustrates the challenges faced by law enforcement in Toyah. Reeves County Sheriff J. T. Morris, known for his fondness for alcohol and his abrasive behavior, arrived in Toyah on the train from Pecos. Already intoxicated, the sheriff allegedly intended to kill a man named Jep Clayton. Upon his arrival, he demanded that the Texas Rangers provide him with mules and a buggy. When Captain Gillespie refused, Morris launched into a tirade of abusive remarks, declaring, "I run Pecos and damned if I don’t run Toyah."
Morris stormed off, brandishing his cocked six-shooter, and made his way to the Favorite Saloon. There, he continued to drink and harass the other patrons, prompting someone to notify the Rangers. Captain Gillespie dispatched Ranger Sergeant Cartwright, Corporal William S. Hughes, and Privates Frank W. DeJarnette and Thomas P. Nigh to arrest and disarm the sheriff, with instructions to avoid harming him if possible.
The Rangers found Morris in the saloon, cursing and waving his pistol. When Cartwright ordered Morris to surrender his weapon, the sheriff fired at him, narrowly missing. He then fired a second shot, striking Private Nigh and killing him instantly. The Rangers returned fire, hitting the sheriff five times in the chest. Sam Lane, the proprietor of the saloon, was also wounded in the crossfire. Morris succumbed to his injuries shortly after being taken to the Field Hotel. Private Thomas P. Nigh was buried by the Rangers at Toyah, but his grave has since been lost.
Education and Progress: Building for the Future
Despite the violence that occasionally gripped Toyah, the community continued to grow and develop. In 1894, the first public school was established, a one-room building with one teacher and five grades. Within a few years, the school had expanded to accommodate 42 students and two teachers, demonstrating the town’s commitment to education.
Feuds and Vendettas: The Dark Side of the West
In 1896, another violent incident shook Toyah. George A. "Bud" Frazer, a former Texas Ranger and Reeves County Sheriff, was visiting family in Toyah when he was targeted by "Killin’ Jim Miller, who had served as the Pecos City Marshal. Frazer and Miller had been embroiled in a bloody feud for several years.
On the morning of September 14th, as Bud Frazer was playing cards with friends in a saloon, Miller burst through the door and fired both barrels of his shotgun, fatally wounding Frazer. When Bud’s distraught sister approached Miller with a gun, he threatened to shoot her as well. Miller was later acquitted of Frazer’s murder, his defense being that he had done no worse than Frazer. However, Miller, who had led a life of crime and violence, eventually met his end when he was hanged by vigilantes in Ada, Oklahoma, on April 6, 1909.
Racial Intolerance: A Stain on Toyah’s History
On October 25, 1906, a horrifying act of racial violence occurred in Toyah. A black man named "Slab" Pitts was hanged by a mob of cowboys for the crime of marrying a white woman. Pitts had recently arrived in Toyah from Roswell, New Mexico, where he had served time in jail for violating the Edmunds Act, an Anti-Polygamy law.
Toyah had a long history of racial intolerance, having barred African Americans from living within an 180-mile radius of the town. The lynching of Slab Pitts stands as a dark chapter in Toyah’s history, a stark reminder of the racial prejudice that plagued the American West.
Peak and Decline: The Slow Fade
By 1910, Toyah had reached its peak population of 1,052, boasting four churches, four stores, two banks, two hotels, two lumber yards, and a drugstore. In 1912, a large brick school building was constructed, serving as both an elementary and high school.
However, Toyah’s fortunes soon began to decline. The town lost its shipping business to Toyahvale, a new point on the railroad line that was closer to the ranches. The discovery of shallow oil fields in the area provided a temporary boost, but the onset of the Great Depression in the 1930s dealt a severe blow to Toyah’s economy. By 1930, the town’s population had dwindled to 553.
Despite the decline, Toyah incorporated in 1933, and the number of businesses rose to 20. However, the population continued to shrink, and the bank closed in the late 1930s, followed by the Hart Grocery in the early 1940s. By 1950, Toyah’s population had fallen to 409, and by 1980, it had plummeted to just 165.
The Elements Take Their Toll: Nature’s Assault
Over the years, floods and high winds wreaked havoc on Toyah’s buildings. In April 2004, a severe storm dumped eight inches of rain in just two hours, causing the dike that protected the town to give way, flooding nearly every building. The Toyah school district was eventually consolidated with the Pecos school district, further diminishing Toyah’s identity.
Today, Toyah stands as a ghost town, its abandoned buildings serving as silent witnesses to a bygone era. The town’s story is a complex tapestry of boom and bust, violence and progress, hope and despair. Toyah, Texas, a town that once thrived along the railroad, now fades into the West Texas landscape, its legends echoing through the empty streets.