Texas Historical Marker #12294
Iowa Park Consolidated Independent School District. The first school building in Iowa Park was erected in 1888, soon after the town was platted. Iowa Park was in Wichita County Rural School District No. 7 until it became an independent school district in 1899. The school grew to four rooms but soon was inadequate for the growing student population. New brick structures were erected in 1901 and 1916. Superintendent W. R. Bradford sought accreditation for the district and achieved this goal in 1921. At that time there were 11 teachers and 495 students; by the 1925-1926 school year there were 25 teachers and 595 students. The new W. F. George High School, built in 1924, had 13 classrooms, a laboratory, office, library and an 800-seat auditorium. The 1916 structure became the Ward School for Elementary Students. Works Progress Administration funds made possible the erection of a new elementary school with a cafeteria in 1940. Five rural school districts consolidated with Iowa Park in 1941, and the campus grew with the student body. In 1960 Ethyle Kidwell Elementary was the first school to move off the original campus. W. R. Bradford Elementary opened in 1963. Iowa Park High School opened on a new campus in 1970, the same year Valley View schools joined with Iowa Park to form the Iowa Park Consolidated Independent School District. By the end of the 20th century, Iowa Park schools had expanded from one room to five campuses. With more than 2,000 students, the school district continues to provide a quality education. (1999) #12294
413 E. Cash, Iowa Park, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #05633
Van Dorn Trail. First important wagon road in Wichita County. Blazed by Brevet Major (later general) Earl Van Dorn in September 1858 with 200 men of the crack 2nd U.S. Cavalry. Just ahead of him went young L. S. "Sul" Ross (Governor of Texas 1887-91, and president of Texas A & M College, 1891-98) with 100 Indian scouts from the Brazos reservation. Loyal Tonkawa Chief Placido guided Ross and his party. After opening the trail, Van Dorn camped on Otter Creek, in present Oklahoma, for over a year. He routed the Comanches in a battle near Rush Springs (70 miles east), although he and Ross were wounded in the fighting. In 1859 Van Dorn won another decisive victory over the Comanches in Ford County, Kansas; famous persons in this battle were Kirby Smith (later a noted Confederate general) and Fitzhugh Lee (later governor of Virginia). They had recently ridden up the west branch of the trail. The 15-army wagons which brought supplies to the men leveled a trail much used by pioneer settlers who came afterward. The trail ran from Fort Belknap, near Newcastle, Texas, to Camp Radzminski on Otter Creek, north of Frederick, Oklahoma. At Van Dorn Crossing the road branched off to Montague County for supplies. (1969) #5633
FM 1206, about 4 miles from FM 368, Iowa Park, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #05531
Town of Iowa Park. One of many small towns that sprang up ahead of the railroads as they crossed Texas in the 1800s. Located on the Fort Worth and Denver City Line, this town was first named Daggett's Switch in 1885 for a prominent rancher and railroad official. F. W. & D. C. contractor Gen. G. M. Dodge (already famous as builder of the Union Pacific) spearheaded the founding of Iowa Park by actively promoting a town on land he owned here. Many people from the Midwest--especially Iowa--were recruited to settle the infant town. Land promoters D. C. and A. J. Kolp, from Iowa, drew up a plat which featured many parks, in 1888. After this first period of rapid growth, Iowa Park settled down to more than 20 years of prosperity based on a thriving farm economy. Lightning struck, however, in 1918 when oil was discovered on a farm south of here. Speculators flooded the city and land prices sky-rocketed. The Iowa Park Producing and Refining Company was chartered in 1921 and operated until 1932. The boom itself gradually exhausted the resources here and was over by 1925. In 1924 the Wichita Valley Agriculture Experiment Station was built and is still functioning. A steady farm economy prevails again today. #5531
SH 370, Iowa Park, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #05503
Tom Lloyd Burnett Home. Prominent cattleman and civic leader Tom Lloyd Burnet (b. 1871) had this house built in 1924. The colonial revival residence was designed by the Wichita Falls architectural firm of Voelcker and Dixon. After Burnett's death in 1938, the house became the residence of his cousin, rancher and civic leader Will Burnett, and his wife, Maggie (Denny). The Burnett home, an Iowa Park landmark, features a Dutch Gambril roof with a clipped gable. (Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1983.) #5503
400 W Alameda, Iowa Park, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #05502
Tom Lloyd Burnett. The son of noted rancher Burk Burnett, for whom the nearby town of Burkburnett (18 miles northeast) was named, Tom L. Burnett (b. 1871) became one of the leading area cattlemen. Trained on his father's 6666 (four sixes) Ranch, Tom later owned the local Triangle Ranch, as well as range land in Cottle and Foard counties. A prominent civic leader and philanthropist, he was known for his friendliness to Indians, including the famous Chief Quanah Parker. His support of area rodeos earned him the nickname, the "Rodeo King". Tom Burnett died in his residence at this site in 1938. #5502
400 block of West Alameda, Iowa Park, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #04914
Site of Wichita Valley Refinery and Texas Oklahoma Fair. Wichita County's first oil refinery was built in 1914 at Iowa Park by the Wichita Valley Refining Company. Established on a small scale, the company soon expanded and by 1918 owned 53 tank cars, had 12 miles of pipeline, and was producing 2,500 barrels of crude oil daily. The operation was sold in 1919 to Texhoma Refining Company. In 1922 the company was succeeded by the Walker Consolidated Producing and Refining Company, which improved plant and pipeline operations. Although functioning only until about 1926, the refinery was significant in the county's petroleum industry history. The Wichita County fair, which began in Wichita Falls in 1922, moved to this Iowa Park site in 1928. Promoted by the local newspaper publisher, the county fair became a popular annual event featuring agriculture, livestock, and industry of the Northwest Texas and Southern Oklahoma region. The six-day festival became the Texas-Oklahoma Fair and Southwest Oil Exposition. The fair closed in 1962 due to declining attendance and revenue and fires that destroyed several buildings. The property was later developed into a retail center. (1997) #4914
West Park Blvd. & N. Colorado St., Iowa Park, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #02647
Iowa Park Lodge No. 713, A.F. & A.M.. The town of Iowa Park was platted in 1888 on the route of the Fort Worth and Denver City Railroad. A Masonic Lodge was also being organized in Iowa Park, and in 1891 a warrant of dispensation was granted by the Grand Lodge of Texas, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. Iowa Park Lodge No. 713 received its charter in December 1891. A building owned by Kriedler and Windle served as the first lodge hall until 1892 when Birk Hall was secured as a meeting place. In 1896 the second floor of the First National Bank building was obtained for lodge meetings. The organization continued to meet in the bank building until 1969 when the lodge completed a building at 700 West Washington Street. Iowa Park Lodge members maintain a strong tradition of supporting community education, and have laid cornerstones for local public schools in 1901 and 1923. An award named for Republic of Texas President Mirabeau B. Lamar has been given annually to a deserving high school student. Many charitable causes have received assistance from the Iowa Park Masons, who continue to serve the community as they have for more than a century. (1997) #2647
700 W Washington, Iowa Park, TX, United States