The Crosby County Historical Commission is one of the most productive organizations in the three county cities. The Commission has been awarded the Distinguished Service Award from the State of Texas Historical Commission for 49 years. For over fifty years the Commission has manned projects that preserve, educate, and celebrate Crosby County history.
The Historical Commission’s most recent project was the Crosby County Courthouse 100. The event was held on a beautiful fall day in September. The original plan of a simple ceremony grew into a county event with one of the best county turnouts in years. It included a parade worthy of a 100th birthday, a food vendor’s alley, an historical re-enactment on the Court House steps where an actual shooting took place, storytelling in the courtroom, the speaking of names to honor the men and women that made the Courthouse run over the years, a Sweet Adeline’s quartet singing songs from 100 years ago, an oral history of the Court House, the San Jose Catholic Church Praise Team concert, and a closing farewell ceremony at the Crosby County Veteran’s Memorial. It was truly a Birthday Bash for a Grand Old Lady complete with cake and ice cream.
The County Historical Commission projects over the years have included:
The Commission restored the Emma Cemetery after it was covered with dust under the supervision of Commission member Robert Lockwood.- The Commission applied for and installed over forty Historical Markers in Crosby County through the years.
- The Commission published the Crosby County History book in 1977 that is a great starting point for any research on Crosby County.
- Commission members Edna and Nell Cherry, Grace Ashley, and Bettye Odom teamed with the Roots Web state coordinator, Linda Hughes to complete a comprehensive list of grave sites in Crosby County.
- Commission members in Lorenzo, Ralls, and Crosbyton poured labor into their hometown cemeteries.
- The Crosby County Historical Commission has received 49 consecutive Distinguished Service Awards from the Texas Historical Commission, in Austin.
- Publication of several books, “ Gone, but not Forgotten”, Crosby County History Book, 1886-1977”, “Sun Rising on the West”, Aunt Hank’s Rockhouse Cookbook”, “Estacado”,
- Other book include “McNeill’s SR Ranch”, “A History of Black Families, Crosby County, Texas, 1921-2011”.
- rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txcrosby. This site was established to keep the site updated with burial names and locations.
- CCHC participated in the creation of the Crosby County Veterans Memorial which was completed in 2006, and names are updated periodically.
To become a member a citizen of Crosby County need only express a desire to serve on the Commission and be approved by the County Commissioner’s Court every two years. Consider bringing your energy and ideas to keep the Commission fueled for preserving the past for the next fifty years.
