
Pampa Was Incorporated in 1912
There has been confusion about when the town of Pampa was incorporated possibly because the city vehicles show a year that is incorrect. Although 1902 is an important year in the early history of Pampa, it is not the year of incorporation.

Eloise Lane

Eloise Lane
The town of Pampa was incorporated in 1912. Perhaps it is appropriate to review some of the events in the early history of Pampa that occurred in years 1982, 1902 and 1212. On April 15, 1892, George Tyng wrote to Frederic Foster: `~A couple of months ago, the Railway Co. changed the name of their siding from Sutton to `PAMPA’.” (Tyng was the manager of the White Deer Lands that had given land for the station and Foster was a trustee for the British bondholders of the White Deer Lands.) Pampa was first known as a station named Glasgow on a map of the Santa Fe Route in 1888.
Because of confusion with Glasgow, Kansas, the name of the station was soon changed to Sutton. Three years later there was confusion with Sutton County in southwest Texas and railroad officials asked Tyng to choose a new name for the station. Tyng’s first suggestions were unsatisfactory then he thought of how the grassy plains of this area resemble the pampas of Argentina and said to a friend, “We will take the `s’ off and call it `Pampa’.” The railroad officials approved this suggestion. Then Tyng began to circulate a petition for a post office, and ~n October 29, 1892, the United States Post Office Department established a post office at Pampa with Thomas H. Lane as postmaster. The application for the post office stated that there were 24 inhabitants in the village and that the post office was to serve a population of 43 and new settlers coming.
At the beginning of 1902, unorganized Gray County was attached tp Roberts County for judicial purposes. On April 14, 1902, Roberts County Commissioners Court approved the plat for the original town of Pampa. The town site consisted of 38 blocks bounded by Atchison Avenue on the south, Starkweather Street on the east, Browning Avenue on the north and West Street on the west. The sale of town lots began in May. Also on April 14, 1902, 152 qualified voters in unorganized Gray County filed for petition to hold an election for organizing the county. On May 21, 1902, the petition was granted. On February 17, 1912, an election for incorporation of the town of Pampa was held at the school house (red brick building at 309 N. Cuyler).
The result was 34 votes for incorporation and 28 against. On March 5, 1912, the first election was held. On June 23, 1919, the classification of Pampa as “town” was changed to “city”. At that time Pampa had 860 inhabitants. (This information is in an article appearing in “The Pampa News” on March 9, 1933. It is the eight article in a series of thirteen, “The Queen City of the Plains”, prepared by the News and quoting some of Pampas early city records.)
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