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Town's Tale |
 Indians have camped
for eons past in the valley that is now referred to as Quitaque Peaks.
Buffalo once roamed through the valley and along the creek. The
name Quitaque arose from an old tribal story. When General
Mackenzie and his cavalry raiders were pursuing Bull Bear and his band
of Antelope (Kwahadi or the Quahada) Apaches, the wily Indian chief used
a clever ruse to throw General Mackenzie and his men off trail. As
the Indians were driving hundreds of horses, Bull Bear commanded his
braves to strew fresh horse manure in the opposite direction. Not
only was Mackenzie misled, but he named that part of the High Plains.
"Welcome to Quitaque, "kitty quay". Some
pronounce it "kit-ta-kway". But whatever
the pronunciation, it's still the same great town of 432.Mexicans later moved into the Quitaque Valley and lived in dugouts in the sides of what is now known as the Caprock Canyons. Traces of their culture remained until 1891. In 1877, George Baker moved into the Quitaque Valley area and became the first white man to settle and build the first above-ground house. He established the Hat Ranch, which was bought in 1880 by Charles Goodnight and John Adair, creating the F Ranch Headquarters of the JA Ranch. In 1907 the town was surveyed and established, only to wait 20 years to be incorporated, when P.P. Rumph was elected Mayor. 1928 brought the Fort Worth to South Plains Railway, and on April 14, 1949 the first street light were illuminated. |
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