Plemons, Texas
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name = Plemons, Texas
|settlement_type = Ghost town
|nickname =
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|pushpin_map = Texas
|pushpin_label = Plemons
|pushpin_image=Relief map of Texas.png
|pushpin_label_position = bottom
|pushpin_map_caption = Location within the state of Texas
|pushpin_mapsize =
|image_map =
|map_caption = Location within Hutchinson County
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|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = United States
|subdivision_type1 = State
|subdivision_name1 = Texas
|subdivision_type2 = Counties
|subdivision_name2 = Hutchinson
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|unit_pref = Imperial
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|population_as_of = 2010
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|timezone = Central (CST)
|utc_offset = -6
|timezone_DST = CDT
|utc_offset_DST = -5
|elevation_m =
|elevation_ft = 2740
|coordinates = {{coord|35|48|03|N|101|18|33|W|region:US-TX|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type = ZIP Code
|postal_code =
|area_code = 806
|blank_name = FIPS code
|blank_info = 48{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}
|blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
|blank1_info = 1380381{{GNIS|1380381}}
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Plemons is a ghost town in Hutchinson County, in the U.S. state of Texas. It is located 10 miles southeast of Stinnett, and {{convert|8|mi}} northeast of Borger, on Plemons Road, just north of the junction of County Road R.
Establishment
In 1898, Oklahoma rancher James Andrew Whittenburg filed on four sections of land in Hutchinson County, where he built a dugout shelter near the Canadian River. He used the acreage as the family homestead. In 1901, Whittenburg donated acreage from the homestead land for the establishment of a town.{{cite web |last=Anderson |first=H. Allen |title=THSA-James Andrew Whittenburg |url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fwh72 |work=Handbook of Texas Online |publisher=Texas State Historical Association |access-date=March 1, 2011}} When Barney Plemons filed for land there, the town was named for him. Plemons became the county seat in 1901 when Hutchinson County was organized. E. E. Akers built the courthouse.{{cite web |last=Anderson |first=H. Allen |title=TSHA-Plemons, Texas |url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hrp44 |work=Handbook of Texas Online |publisher=Texas State Historical Association |access-date=March 1, 2011}}
Economy
Mattie Sams was appointed the first postmaster when Plemons received its post office on May 29, 1901. The post office was in operation until 1952.{{cite web|title=Hutchinson County Post Offices|url=http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txpost/hutchinson.html|publisher=Jim Wheat|accessdate=1 March 2011}}
The first decade of its existence, Plemons had 15 families. Billy Dixon moved to Plemons from Adobe Walls and operated a boarding house. Dixon became the first county sheriff.{{cite web|title=Escape-Plemons, Tx|url=http://www.texasescapes.com/TexasPanhandleTowns/Plemons-Texas.htm|work=Texas Escapes|publisher=Texas Escapes – Blueprints For Travel, LLC|accessdate=1 March 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609120733/http://www.texasescapes.com/TexasPanhandleTowns/Plemons-Texas.htm|archive-date=9 June 2011|url-status=dead}} The Plemons economy realized modest benefit from nearby Turkey Track ranch and Tar Box ranch.{{cite web|last=Anderson|first=H. Allen|title=Turkey Track Ranch|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/apt08|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|accessdate=1 March 2011}}
New county seat
The Amarillo branch of the Rock Island and Gulf Railway bypassed Plemons, routing {{convert|10|mi}} to the north. Stinnett was then developed to be a shipping point for the railroad. In 1926, the county seat of government was moved to Stinnett. Plemons began to decline after that, despite a brief spurt during the oil boom. Today, Plemons is considered a ghost town.
Education
The area was served by the Plemons Independent School District until July 1, 1987, when it merged into the Plemons-Stinnett-Phillips Consolidated Independent School District.{{cite web|url=https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/Consolidations%20and%20Annexations%20thru%202017-18.pdf|title=CONSOLIDATIONS, ANNEXATIONS AND NAME CHANGES FOR TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS|publisher=Texas Education Agency|date=2018-09-10|accessdate=2019-10-30}}
Plemons Cemetery
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark Marker number 12096 was designated for the Plemons Cemetery.{{cite web|title=THC-Plemons Cemetery|url=http://atlas.thc.state.tx.us/viewform.asp?atlas_num=5233012096&site_name=Plemons+Cemetery&class=5000|work=Recorded Texas Historic Landmark|publisher=Texas Historical Commission|accessdate=1 March 2011}} The first burial is believed to have been Mrs. E. E. Akers, date unknown. The last burial was Charles Ray Sessions in 1953. The local Boy Scouts troop spearheaded preservation efforts of the cemetery.{{cite web |title=Plemons Cemetery |url=https://texashistoricalmarkers.weebly.com/plemons-cemetery.html |website=Texas Historical Markers |access-date=25 May 2021}}
Notable person
- Billy Dixon (1850–1913) lived in Plemons from 1902 to 1906. He was awarded the Medal of Honor on November 4, 1874, for gallantry in action on September 12, 1874. In 1916, Dixon's was one of 900 medals withdrawn as "unwarranted". The U.S. Army Board of Correction of Records restored the medal in 1989.{{cite web|title=Medal of Honor Recipients-Indian Wars Period|url=http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/indianwars.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20090423105411/http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/indianwars.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 23, 2009|publisher=United States Army Center of Military Intelligence|accessdate=1 March 2011}}
Climate
According to the Köppen climate classification, Plemons has a semiarid climate, BSk on climate maps.[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=611714&cityname=Plemons%2C+Texas%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Plemons, Texas]
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Hutchinson County, Texas}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Plemons, Texas}}
Category:Geography of Hutchinson County, Texas
Category:Ghost towns in the Texas Panhandle
Category:Populated places established in 1901