Wolf Creek Heritage Museum Notes

By Virginia Scott
for The Hansford County Reporter-Statesman

The Hansford County Reporter-Statesman/STPNS

February 27, 2008

SPEARMAN, Texas (STPNS) -- I am learning how to research our county through the official United States Censuses. Last week, I summarized the 1880 census with a population of 60. The next available census is the 1900 census. Our county had grown to a population of 300. All were identified as white and the occupations had shifted to farmer/stockman and ranchers. There were also an influx of Swedes coming out of Kansas.

Another update, LaVaun took the list of early settlers that I wrote about a couple of weeks ago and researched them in the Panhandle Interstate Newspaper. She found them all. The articles report that all seemed to be solid citizens and assisted in the building of Lipscomb County by running for sheriff and commissioner. Two served on juries for murder trials. If you have our newspaper book, you will enjoy reading about these gents, they ranged from rustler to carpenter to storekeeper.

This week is President's Day holiday with George Washington's birthday on Thursday. One of the reasons we recognize and celebrate George's birthday beside the fact that he was our first official president is that he organized and built the "White House." He held a contest for the architectural design of a "President's Palace." Thomas Jefferson submitted his own design anonymously, signed only as "A.Z." The winner was an Irish architect named James Hoban who won $500, a piece of land, and of course the honor.

The Americans called the house the "President's House" because the word "palace" reminded them of the monarchy that they recently broke away from. The official name was the "Executive Mansion" from 1818-1902. The name the "White House" is unclear as to its origin. Some say that people began calling it the White House after being painted white after it had been burned by the British in 1812. Others stated that George Washington named it after his wife's house in the state of Virginia.

Unfortunately, George never got to live in it. He died on December 14, 1799 one year before the White House was completed.

Enjoy the week.

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