
Pampa Laid Out In 1902
After Russell Benedict returned to New York from his visit to inspect White Deer Lands and adjacent territory in November, 1901, he worked out in his New York office a detailed plat of the townsite of Pampa . He sent the plat to George Tyng and requested Tyng to get James L. Gray of Panhandle to make a survey of the site.

Eloise Lane

Eloise Lane
Gray certified his survey in February, 1902, and it was filed and recorded in Roberts County on April 14, 1902. ( Gray County was attached to Roberts County on that date.)
The town was laid out parallel to the railroad; therefore streets run northwest-southeast and avenues run northeast-southwest. However, streets are known as north-south and avenues as east-west.
The original site of 38 blocks was bounded by Atchison on the south, Wynne on the east, Browning on the north and West on the west.
From West Street going east, streets are named:
Gray – for Peter W. Gray, prominent Texas legislator
Somerville – for David Somerville, manager of the Matadors who were leasing from White Deer Lands
Frost – for an official in the New York law office attending to White Deer Lands
Russell – for Russell Benedict, assistant to Foster in New York office
Cuyler (main Street) – for Cornelius C. Cuyler, trustee for White Deer Lands
Ballard – for an official in the New York office
Gillespie – for an early cattleman (? J.L. Gillespie of Carson County )
Houston – for Sam Houston, Texas hero
Starkweather – for the superintendent of the Southern Kansas Railroad
Wynne – for J.S. Wynne, early pioneer who was a good friend of George Tyng
From the railroad going north, avenues are named:
Atchison – for a founder of the Atchison , Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company
Foster – for Frederic de Peyster Foster, trustee for White Deer Lands
Kingsmill – for Andrew Kingsmill,, London banker who represented the bond holders of White Deer Lands
Francis – for Francis Tyng, youngest of the three sons of George Tyng
Browning for J.N. Browning, District Judge
Street numbers begin at the intersection of Cuyler Street and Foster Avenue with even numbers on the right and uneven numbers on the left. (Cuyler and Foster were trustees for the British bond holders because, at that time, aliens could not own land in Texas ).
The first sale of town lots in Pampa was to Thomas Lane by contract No.1 for two lots at a cost of $60 on May 24, 1902. Lane, who had previously built a house at this location, had asked to buy the land, but the company did not want to sell lots until it had decided to establish a town.
The second transaction involved the sale of 12 business lots on 25 foot frontage to the Johnson Mercantile Company of Canadian at $125.
In an envelope postmarked June 2, 1937, at Victoria , Texas , Dr. George McAlpine Tyng, middle son of George Tyng, sent a map to J.S. Wynne with this notation:
Mr. J.S. Wynne from Geo. McA. Tyng:
This map shows the first lots sold in Pampa , Tx. and the red ink writing is that of George Tyng, my father.”
On May 21, 1970. Wynne’s daughter, Beryl Wynne (Mrs. De Lea) Vicars, donated the map to the White Deer Land Museum .
The map shows:
Block 3 – Lots 1, 2, 3, 4 – White Deer Lands
Block 5 – Lots 7, 8-Crawford
Block 6 – Lots 13, 14, 15, 16 – stable
03/20/00Lot 17 – Whatley
03/20/00Lots 23, 24 – Thomas Lane
Block 12 – Lot 1 and part of Lot 2 – Stroope
Lot 4 well
03/20/00Lots 11, 12 – Kingsmill
Block 13 – Lots 1, 2 – Stroope
03/20/00Lots 19, 20 – Meers
Block 15 – Lots 13 through 24 – Johnson Mercantile Company
Block 16 – Lots 20 through 24 – White Deer Lands
Block 22 – Reserved (for courthouse)
Block 29 – Reserved (for school)
Albert Square (present location of Pampa ‘s city hall and fire station) was named for Albert de Peyster Foster, brother of Frederic.
The intended use for the reserved spaces south of Block 3 and of Albert Square is not known.
Over 200 Articles, written by Eloise Lane, were published in the Pampa News. These articles may be accessed by clicking on each section below. A list of articles will be revealed that are linked to a page containing the text of the article.
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Articles 1-20
- Origin Of The "White Deer" Name
- The Log House On White Deer Creek
- Obtaining The Land
- The Lands Organized
- Cattle Brands Tell Story
- Ghosts And All
- Southern Kansas Railroad
- Fire Guard Dam
- When The Railroad Came
- The Sutton RR Station
- Post Office At Pampa
- The Bell Family
- J.C. Short
- Pampa 1892-1902
- Pampa Laid Out In 1902
- Crystal Palace Founded
- Gray County Organization
- Organization - Continued
- Gray County - Lefors
- McLean - The Largest Town
Articles 21-40
- Gouge Eye
- The "Mother Road"
- German Family Reunion
- Desks From Hopkins
- Grandview School Begins
- The Oil Money
- History Wall Painted
- Boydston Or Boydstun?
- Ontario???
- Laketon - Early Farming
- Laketon - Continued
- First Couple To Marry
- Hoover
- Water Well Drilling
- Kingsmills Visit Pampa
- George Tyng Left
- Tragedy In Utah
- T.D. Hobart - Manager
- M.K. Brown Arrives
- Rider Livery Stable
Articles 41-60
- The Pioneer Cottage
- Pampa's First Doctor
- Doctor Makes House Calls
- A Red Cross Nurse
- Pampa's First School
- Hobart Went To London
- Cemetery Began In 1904
- First Business District
- C.P. Buckler Arrives
- Five Barrett Brothers
- Influence Of The Santa Fe
- Trains Still Roll
- John V. Thomass - Teacher
- Cattle-loading Center
- Rolla J. Sailor & Arrowheads
- A.H. Doucette Arrives
- Lands Are Advertised
- The Holland Hotel
- Wheat Left Pampa
- First National Bank Begins
Articles 61-80
- Pampa News Begins
- First Denominational Church
- 2nd Office Of WD Lands
- J.N. Duncan Arrives
- Nels Walberg Sells…
- Dormer Simms
- Fourth Of July Celebrations
- Pampa's First Cars
- Pampa In 1907-08
- J.S. Wynne Family Arrives
- Gray Count State Bank
- Baptist Church Organized (Under Construction)
- Joe & Lizzie Bowers
- Threatened By Prairie Fire
- Library Began In 1907
- J.R. Henry
- Sir Gordan & Lady Cunard
- Three Vicars Brothers
- Dodd Grain And Produce
- December 29, 1991
Articles 81-100
- D.C. Davis Family
- Long Christmas Celebration
- First Christian Church
- Facts About Pampa
- Buster Brown
- The Last Hanging
- Bones Hooks
- The "Red Brick" Is No More
- The Purviances Family
- The Dr. E. von Brunow Park
- Boards Of First Headquarters
- Mary Jane Purvis
- Cook - Adams Addition
- Nativity Scenes
- Clyde Carruth
- The Mine Tragedies
- Additions To Pampa
- Third Family In Pampa
- Frank Dittmeyer
- Bricklayer Indian Jim
Articles 101-120
- A.A. Tiemann
- First Movies And Lights
- Pampa Incorporated
- Mark And Sara Fletcher
- Annie Baker Daniels
- Pampa's Business District
- Birthday Tea Of 1919
- Former Pampa Minister
- John Mack Patton
- The First Brass Band
- Early Graduating Class
- "How We Met"
- F.P. Greever Is Assassinated
- George Tyng's Father
- L.H. & Lula Greene
- John & Lena McKamy
- Robert & Mary Yeager
- "Dear Old PHS"
- Supt. Believed In People
- William A. & Ruth Green
Articles 121-140
- Jason A and Alice Poole
- Wayside School
- Pampa Football Begins
- The Pampa School Building
- Rev. C. E. Lancaster
- Panhandle Lumber Co.
- Will Wilks & Mora Hughey
- An Unusual Valentine
- Charles A. Tignor
- O. A. Barrett
- Poppies In Flanders Fields
- Barnard & Williams Families
- 4th of July Celebrations
- Cuyler Street Underpass
- The King Family
- Kretmeier and Baer Families
- Stephen B. Oates
- Phebe Worley
- Organization of Gray County
- First Courthouse
Articles 141-160
- Pampa Laid Out in 1902
- Pampa in 1902
- W. R. Kaufman
- The Pampa Country Club
- Living In Pampa in 1902
- Pampa Buildings of 1902
- May Foreman Carr
- Scaffers - Early Residents
- Nita Luna
- Former Sub Debs Reminisce
- PHS In 1932
- PHS Appreciated
- The Forth Worth and Denver
- From Pampa to Childress
- The Origination Of "Taps"
- The Warners
- J. C. Studer
- Floyd, John and Otto
- Our American Flag
- Stories and Memories
Articles 161-180
- Museum in Pampa?
- The Franklin Farm
- The Franklin Family
- Beryl Wayne Vicars
- Historian Made Cookies
- The Pioneer Cottage
- The Orginial Swastika
- Library Clerk
- Women's Clothing Store
- Jon and Pat McConal
- Whitey Walker Gang
- How Rudolph Began
- Gwendolen Avenue
- Jerry Kerbow
- Two Paintings
- Second Part - Paintings
- Bones Hooks
- Original Nativity Figures
- Why "V" Instead of "U"
- Pampa Incorporated