NOTLA COMMUNITY IN OCHILTREE COUNTY RECEIVES OFFICIAL TEXAS HISTORICAL MARKER
Official Dedication Ceremony to be held in Perryton, Texas, July 21, 2024 Perryton, TX - The Texas Historical Commission (THC) has recognized the Notla Community in the southeastern quadrant of Ochiltree County in the Texas Panhandle as a significant part of Texas history by awarding it an Official Texas Historical Marker. The designation honors the Notla Community as an important and educational part of local history.
The Official Texas Historical Marker for the Notla Community is located at the site of remnants of the Notla Schoolhouse where the two-sided stile steps are still visible. It is 26 miles southeast of Perryton, Texas, on Texas Farm Market FM 281 near the intersection of FM 281 and Ochiltree County Rd 26. A dedication ceremony to commemorate the event will be held Sunday,
July 21, at Museum of the Plains, 1200 N. Main Street in Perryton, Texas. Registration begins at 1:30 p.m. The program will begin at 2:00 p.m.
John Erickson, local celebrated author of the “Hank the Cowdog” books and others on the history of the area, will open the ceremony. Doug Wilkens, Museum of the Plains Board Member and Member of the Texas Historical Commission, will present on the archaeological history of southeastern Ochiltree County. Then Honorable Judge Charles Kelly will complete the program with the formal dedication of the Notla Community Texas Historical Marker.
Following the dedication, the floor will open for guests to share their memories and memorabilia of the Notla Community. The Ochiltree County Historical Commission welcomes the public to share in and witness this exciting historical event.
“The Official Texas Historical Marker program helps bring attention to the community treasures and the importance of their preservation,” said Mark Wolfe, executive director of the THC. “Awareness and education are among the best ways to guarantee the preservation of our state’s history. This designation is a tool that will increase public awareness of important cultural resources,” Wolfe said.
In 1889, the first Commissioners of Ochiltree County designated the 49 most southeastern sections of land in the county - as Common School District No. 1. The area began to develop in 1901 when R.E. Wamble and wife Emma became the first settlers.
By 1905, W. F. Taylor and wife, Helen, moved to the area and donated land for a school. The first school, established in 1908, was called Ridge. About 1907, Frank B. Gerhart and wife, Georgia, opened a freight wagon station. Being half-way between the towns of Ochiltree and Glazier, Texas, it became widely known as Half Way House. Mr. Ulysses T. “Bud” Westerfield helped operate the enterprise.
Several more families had moved into the area by 1920. These included Frank & Lucy Hamilton, W. R. & Beulah Norris, W.M. & Luna Good, and Mr. John J. Morrisey. Frank & Lucy Hamilton opened a general store and made application for a post office to be named Alton.
An Alton, Texas, post office already existed. The postal service suggested spelling Alton backwards.
Thus, Notla, Texas, became official. The post office opened in 1921.
By 1923, the population had increased. The decision was made to move the Ridge Schoolhouse to a more central location. During the move, a breakdown occurred near the Hamilton home. Thence the damaged Ridge Schoolhouse sat and became the Notla post office. A new school house, built on land donated by R.E. Wamble, became known as the Notla Schoolhouse. It remained operational until about 1939-1940 when it merged with the Perryton School District.
From 1920’s to 1960’s, the Notla Schoolhouse was a vital part of the highly active social culture which included residents of Wolf Creek and parts of Lipscomb and Hemphill counties. It was the venue for a plethora of events: Sunday School & Church, square dances, every holiday festivity, potluck suppers, card & domino parties and many others. It was also home to many events of the Notla Home Demonstration Club and Notla Lads and Lassies 4-H Club until it burned in 1966. For almost seven decades, the Notla Community thrived and the Notla Schoolhouse was an iconic landmark and hub of a community lifestyle that rarely exists today.
“It is vital that as we move forward, we do not forget our past. Not only will the Texas Historical Marker provide awareness in the community of our fascinating history, but it will become a building block for the promotion of local tourism,” said Stacy Brown, Director of Museum of the Plains.
There are three types of Texas Historical Markers. Subject markers are posted solely for public education awareness and awarded more frequently than the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark (RTHL), which is a legal designation for historic structures and comes with a measure of protection. Unlike subject markers, the RTHL must also meet a third criterion - architectural integrity. Historic Texas Cemetery (HTC) markers identify cemeteries which have obtained the HTC designation and whose histories have been researched in detail.
Texas has the largest marker program in the United States with approximately 15,000 markers. Seventeen states have used the Texas program as a model. The THC reviews more than 300 marker applications each year.
