City of Borger

#throwbackthursday

John H. White arrived in Borger during the earliest days of the oil boom. Establishing his law office in Borger that same year, he became one of the town’s early professional figures. White’s work touched nearly every aspect of early civic life: land transactions, business agreements, disputes, estate matters, and the legal framework required to transform a boomtown into a functioning municipality. He was not only a practicing attorney but also an engaged civic participant. His name appears in early political records, and he later authored a published history of Borger, preserving the memory of those formative years while they were still fresh.

Later on, into this legacy was born Rosa Jane White on November 5, 1932, in Borger. Rosa graduated from Borger High School in 1950, representing the first generation to grow up entirely in the structured version of the town her father had helped stabilize. She pursued higher education, earning a degree from William Jewell College and later a Juris Doctor from the University of Texas School of Law, an achievement that was especially notable for a woman in the mid-20th century. After completing her legal education, Rosa returned home. She joined her father in practice, forming what became known as “White and White,” and later “White, White, and White” when her brother John White Jr. entered the firm. For more than fifty years, Rosa practiced law in the community, focusing primarily on tax and probate law.

But Rosa’s contributions extended well beyond her legal work. She became a driving force in preserving Borger’s history. In 1977, her and her brother John Jr. played a central role in establishing the Hutchinson County Museum, helping ensure that the artifacts, documents, and stories of the county’s early years would not be lost.

If John H. White helped Borger put down legal roots in its earliest days, his children helped the city remember where those roots began.

texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth20204/m1/27…

6 days ago | [YT] | 0

City of Borger

#ThrowbackThursday | Russell Graham

Russell Craig Graham was a product of the Texas Panhandle whose life reflected perseverance and humility. Raised here in Borger, he developed an early love for football and a work ethic that would carry him far beyond his hometown. Those who knew him remember not only his imposing physical presence (a commanding 6-foot-4 frame and 260 pounds that would serve him well on the football field), but also his quiet determination and steady character.

Russell’s athletic gifts blossomed at Borger High School, where he first made his mark on the gridiron. After graduating, Graham earned the opportunity to play collegiate football at Oklahoma State University, a chance that would become one of the defining chapters of his life. At OSU, Russell lettered for four seasons as an offensive lineman, a role that demanded toughness, discipline, and teamwork.

Graham earned respect through persistence rather than hype. He was known among teammates and coaches as reliable and selfless, willing to do the unglamorous work required in the trenches. His experience at OSU reinforced lessons that would later define his coaching philosophy: effort matters, preparation matters, and no role is too small when the team depends on it.

Following his collegiate career, Graham briefly pursued professional football, playing with the Michigan Panthers of the United States Football League in 1983 and later signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers. After only two years with the Steelers, he suffered an injury. Although his professional career was short, it stood as a testament to how far dedication and resilience could carry a young man from Borger. 
He then returned to OSU to finish his degree.

After his playing days, Russell returned to Texas and found his calling in education and coaching. He coached at Park High School, Caprice High School, before landing in Panhandle.

For nine years he served as assistant football coach at Panhandle High School, where he became a mentor to young athletes, guiding them not just in sport but in life.

His influence extended far beyond the sidelines; he was known as a teacher, leader, and friend who took a personal interest in the success of his students.

1 week ago | [YT] | 1

City of Borger

#ThrowbackThursday Judge John LaGrone

Judge John LaGrone grew up in Borger, attending elementary school, Austin Middle School, and Borger High School. It was at Borger High School where LaGrone helped lead the Bulldogs to an impressive 31-5 record, three district championships, and an appearance in the 1962 Class 4A State Championship game, where Borger fell just short against San Antonio Breckenridge, 30-26.

A standout on both sides of the ball, LaGrone earned two-time All-State honors as a defensive tackle and left tackle. Following graduation, he accepted a football scholarship to Southern Methodist University, where he continued to excel on the field and in the classroom. In 1968, LaGrone and the SMU Mustangs won the Southwest Conference and earned a trip to the Cotton Bowl.

LaGrone was recognized as an outstanding defensive player and earned All-American honors during his collegiate career. He also appeared on the cover of Texas Football magazine and was named an Academic All-American at SMU.

His football career continued professionally when he moved to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, to play for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. Over eight seasons, LaGrone established himself as one of the league’s premier defensive tackles, earning six Western All-Star selections and two CFL All-Star honors. In 1969, he was named the CFL’s Outstanding Lineman.

Even while playing professional football, LaGrone was preparing for the next chapter of his life. During the off-season, he attended Baylor University Law School and earned his law degree in 1972. That same year, on December 16, he married Jan Clark in Waco, Texas. LaGrone initially opened a law office in Athens, Texas, with a law school friend, but ultimately chose to return to professional football for two additional seasons before retiring in 1975.

Following his retirement from football, John and Jan returned to Borger and made his hometown their permanent home. LaGrone joined John Morrison’s law practice and went on to serve as an assistant Hutchinson County Attorney and later as County Attorney. In 1990, he was elected District Judge of the 316th District Court in Hutchinson County, a position he held for nearly 25 years.

LaGrone’s remarkable athletic career has earned recognition on both sides of the border. He was inducted into the Southern Methodist University Sports Hall of Fame in 1981, the Panhandle Sports Hall of Fame in 1993, and the Texas High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2003. In 2009, his name was added to the Edmonton Commonwealth Stadium Ring of Honor.

#100yearsofgrit #BorgerTX

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3 weeks ago | [YT] | 2

City of Borger

#ThrowbackThursday | Building Borger, One 2x4 at a time

For more than 75 years, Morton Lumber has been helping shape Borger, one project at a time.

The story began in 1950, when Frank Morton founded Morton Lumber. Following his passing in 1968, two longtime employees, Bill Carson and Bill Whitworth, purchased the business and continued its legacy. In 1972, Whitworth sold his share to Carson, who remained owner until 1981, when Robert and Marilyn Archer took the reins.
At the time, Morton Lumber operated from 211 N. Cedar Street, across from Borger High School. In 1997, the business relocated to South Cedar Street, where it remained for more than two decades before moving to its current home at 1404 W. Wilson in 2018.

What started as a business with just seven employees in 1981 has grown into a team of nearly 50 employees today, serving homeowners, contractors, and businesses throughout the region.

But the Archer family's impact extends far beyond lumber. As passionate supporters of Borger, they have continually invested in our community through multiple local businesses, job creation, civic involvement, and countless acts of generosity. Their commitment to Borger has helped strengthen not only our economy, but the fabric of our community itself.

Businesses like Morton Lumber remind us that Borger's story is written by families who believe in this community, invest in its future, and continue building something that lasts.

Do you remember the original Morton Lumber on North Cedar? 👀

1 month ago | [YT] | 1

City of Borger

#ThrowbackThursday | The Story of Gladys Walters

Long before online shopping and big-box stores, Borger's downtown boutiques were built on something far more personal: relationships. When Gladys Walters arrived in Borger in the early 1940s, she didn't own a business. She began her career in retail, learning that success wasn't measured by what you sold, but by how you treated people.

Her philosophy was simple:
"If you don't like meeting and getting along with people, retailing is not for you."

Those words, shared with Borger High School students during Career Day, reflected the way Gladys approached every customer.

After working at Dean's Department Store and later becoming the beloved bridal consultant at Bentley's Dress Shop, Gladys spent years helping brides find the perfect gown and becoming part of countless family milestones. Then, in 1966, she took a leap of faith.

Partnering with Juanita Weddington, she opened Gladys' Dress Shop at 518 N. Main Street. Although the storefront was new, Gladys herself was already a familiar and trusted face throughout Borger. The store wasn't named after a fashion label or a trend. It was named after Gladys. Because people weren't just shopping for clothes. They were shopping with someone they knew, trusted, and considered a friend.

Over the years, Gladys became much more than a business owner. She volunteered, supported civic organizations, hosted community events, and invested in the people who made Borger home. By the early 1970s, advertisements for Gladys' Dress Shop proudly featured the team behind the business: Gladys Walters, Juanita Weddington, Helen Watson, Verna Mae Webb, and Zonelle Myers, thanking the community for its continued support.

💙 Do you remember shopping at Gladys' Dress Shop? We'd love to hear your memories in the comments!

#100yearsofgrit

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1 month ago | [YT] | 0

City of Borger

#ThrowbackThursday Black History in Borger

Borger's story wasn't built by a few people. It was built by generations of individuals from all walks of life. As we celebrate our Centennial, we're honoring the people whose contributions, though sometimes overlooked, helped create the community we know and love. Our community has come a long way in the last 100 years. While we celebrate the unity we share today, it's important to remember two things:
1) Our past wasn't always defined by inclusion.
2) Representation is important.

We'll start with telling you about Elle Henderson. The 1910 census recorded Elle as an 80 year old black servant living in the Alhambra Community (Southeastern Hutchinson County), who later died that same year. Records suggest she was the first black resident in Hutchinson County and the first black resident to be buried here as well. Elle likely came in December of 1900 with the Moore Family, who owned and operated a ranch.
hutchinsoncountymuseum.org/stories/

Then, just two years after Borger's founding, the 1928 scholastic census recorded five African American students representing two families living in the city. The 1928-1929 scholastic census recorded even more. This led to a need for a "colored" school. Census reports the following names:
Maudell Murphy (DOB 1/20/1916) Parent/Guardian: Almata Murphy
Zephaniah Wildcatt (DOB 4/12/1916) Parent/Guardian: Covell Wildcatt
Awagahs Wildcatt (DOB 7/27/1918)
Lemeul Wildcatt (DOB 3/14/1919)
Wyoming Wildcatt (DOB 10/11/1920)
Junior Gardnor (DOB 7/24/1920) Parent/Guardian: Fras Cies Crisp
Tiny May McCowan (DOB 7/12/1920) Parent/Guardian: Essie Mae McCowan
Julia Bird Perkins (DOB 3/7/1916) Parent/Guardian: Anna Boyd
Samma Lee Evans (DOB 8/20/1917) Parent/Guardian: Anna Boyd
Junius Carter (DOB 3/20/1914) Parent/Guardian: Lonnie Jackson
Tena Dickson (DOB 6/28/1915) Parent/Guardian: Genoa Dickson
James Dickson (DOB 7/31/1919) Parent/Guardian: Genoa Dickson

Though the Black community was small at this time, they were determined to build something lasting for future generations. The first classroom wasn't a school at all. It was Bethel Baptist Church, located on Borger's west side (has since been relocated). There, Mrs. Tallie Anderson Smith became the first teacher for Black children in Borger, teaching six grade levels in a single classroom. For nearly fifteen years, she educated students who otherwise had few educational opportunities during segregation. As the community grew, so did the need for a permanent school. In 1931, Borger Independent School District opened Booker T. Washington School in a one-room frame building at Brain and 11th Streets. Named after the renowned educator Booker T. Washington, the school quickly became much more than a place to learn. By 1936, the school served as many as 50 students, all still taught by a single teacher. Then, in 1946, two educators arrived who would forever change the school's future. R. G. Cofield became principal, while his wife, Maye Della (Honey) Cofield, joined the faculty as a teacher. (Re-read our prior throwback for their story)

Under their leadership:
The faculty expanded from two teachers to seven. A new brick school building was constructed. Former barracks from Pampa Army Airfield were relocated and converted into classrooms and a gymnasium. The school expanded to serve students through twelfth grade. (Keep in mind that in Texas during segregation, Black students were not necessarily limited by state law to a certain grade level HOWEVER, many school districts did not provide education beyond the elementary grades for segregated schools because of the cost.

In 1949, John L. Miles became the school's first graduate. Students proudly called themselves the Dragons and Dragonettes, building a reputation for excellence in basketball and other athletics. Long before integration, Booker T. Washington School gave students a place where they could compete, celebrate achievements, and create lifelong friendships.

After the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954, public schools across the nation began the process of desegregation. Borger followed quickly. In the spring of 1956, the school board voted to integrate grades seven through twelve. Older Black students began attending Sam Houston Junior High and Borger High School, while Booker T. Washington continued as an elementary campus for a few more years. By 1964, the school officially closed its doors.

But Black History goes much further than just education... Think of all the entrepreneurs and business owners, like Etta White. She was building a business at a time when doing so as a Black woman required extraordinary resilience.

The realities of segregation meant Black owned businesses often operated separately from white owned establishments. City directories even identified Black-owned businesses with a "C" designation, marking them as "Colored-owned." While those labels reflected the inequalities of the era, they also reveal something else: despite those barriers, Black entrepreneurs established successful businesses that earned loyal customers across the community. White Way Bar-B-Q wasn't the only example. Borger's Black community supported churches, beauty shops, cafés, boarding houses, funeral services, and neighborhood businesses that became gathering places where families celebrated milestones, shared news, and strengthened community ties. Many of these establishments operated along or near the neighborhoods where Black residents lived because segregation limited where businesses could locate and where customers could freely gather.

These are all just a few of the many important stories... there are many more that haven't been told. Borger's history isn't complete without telling these stories... and we'd love to hear yours.

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1 month ago | [YT] | 1

City of Borger

#ThrowbackThursday Sadie McBride

When most people think about Borger in 1926, they picture oil derricks, roughnecks, dusty streets, and a town growing faster than anyone could keep up with. But behind the headlines of the boom was a woman who believed Borger needed something just as important as oil. It needed culture. And it needed education. Her name was Sadie McBride.

As the society editor for the Borger Daily Herald, Sadie chronicled weddings, social gatherings, civic events, and the lives of everyday citizens. At a time when newspapers were filled with stories of oil discoveries, fires, and crime, she recognized that Borger's story wasn't just about boomtown chaos. It was also about the families who were planting roots and building a community.

In early 1927, only months after Borger's founding, a traveling representative from the Berle's Twentieth Century Self-Culture Company visited town, offering subscriptions to a monthly book program. For many people, it was simply a sales pitch. For Sadie McBride, it was an opportunity.

She gathered several of her friends to discuss the idea. Together, they decided they wanted more than just books delivered to their homes. They wanted to create a place where learning, literature, and lifelong friendships could flourish in the middle of one of America's wildest boomtowns. Later that year, they officially organized the Twentieth Century Club of Borger.

It may not have sounded revolutionary, but in 1927 Borger, it certainly was.

Imagine trying to build a book club in a town where:
Thousands of people were arriving every week.
Streets were still dirt.
Buildings were going up almost overnight.
Crime and vice often dominated national headlines.
The population had exploded to more than 45,000 in less than a year.

Yet amid all of that, Sadie and a handful of determined women believed the community deserved libraries, literature, and opportunities to learn.

Their vision quickly grew.

The Twentieth Century Club became a Federated Woman's Club and, in 1928, opened a subscription library on Main Street. Residents could borrow books, expanding educational opportunities in a town that had been built almost overnight. Building a library wasn't easy. Books cost money, and Borger was still a young city. So the women got creative. They organized fundraisers that reflected the personality of the town. Moviegoers could exchange books for theater tickets, and even women's basketball games became fundraising events to help purchase more books for the growing collection. Every dollar raised meant another book on the shelf and another opportunity for someone to discover a new story.

But Sadie McBride and the Twentieth Century Club weren't finished. In 1937, club members began advocating for a county library in nearby Stinnett. Their efforts helped secure a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project, resulting in the construction of a beautiful native adobe brick branch library in 1938. Decades later, the club also helped establish another branch library in Fritch in 1967, extending access to books and education across Hutchinson County.

Today, it's easy to take libraries for granted. But nearly a century ago, every shelf, every book, and every reading room existed because citizens like Sadie McBride believed their community deserved more than survival. They believed it deserved opportunity.

1 month ago | [YT] | 1

City of Borger

#ThrowbackThursday El Reno Ice Co.

Imagine it's the summer of 1927. The Texas Panhandle sun is blazing. Air conditioning doesn't exist. Refrigerators are still a luxury, and the nearest cold drink is only as good as the last block of ice delivered to your door.

In a town that sprung up overnight, one business quickly became one of the most important in Borger. The El Reno Ice Company.

As Borger's population exploded during the oil boom, thousands of roughnecks, merchants, families, and entrepreneurs poured into town almost overnight. Every one of them needed ice. It kept food from spoiling, preserved meat, cooled drinking water, and made the brutal Panhandle summers a little more bearable.
Without ice, daily life simply didn't work.

Established in 1927, just months after Borger's founding, the El Reno Ice Company became one of the city's essential businesses. The original plant was constructed from sheet metal, reflecting the hurried pace of a boomtown where permanent buildings often came later. It wouldn't receive its familiar brick exterior until 1940, after Borger had settled into a more permanent community.

Back then, there were no refrigerated delivery trucks. Instead, blocks of ice were loaded onto horse drawn wagons and delivered throughout Borger. Drivers traveled neighborhood to neighborhood, stopping at homes, restaurants, grocery stores, cafés, meat markets, and boarding houses. Families would place an ice card in the window to let the driver know how many pounds they needed that day.
Each delivery was part of a routine that many older generations still remember.

As Borger continued to grow through the 1930s and 1940s, so did the ice company. The plant became a familiar landmark, supplying both residents and businesses through decades of change. While refrigerators eventually replaced daily ice deliveries, the building remained a recognizable piece of Borger's industrial history.

Nearly a century later, the old icehouse warehouse still stands on Whittenburg Street. As does its original store front on Main Street.

The next time you toss a bag of ice into your cooler or grab a cold drink from the refrigerator, remember that there was once a time when someone from the El Reno Ice Company had to deliver that same convenience to your door, one heavy block at a time.

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2 months ago | [YT] | 1

City of Borger

#ThrowbackThursday
J.A. Robinson & Sons

In the early days of the oil boom, getting materials across the Texas Panhandle was no simple task. Long before eighteen wheelers dominated the highways, oilfield equipment moved at the pace of a team of horses. That's exactly how J.A. Robinson got his start.

In 1921, James Albert "J.A." Robinson was farming near Pawnee, Oklahoma, when he began hauling drilling equipment to nearby wildcat oil wells using horse drawn wagons. For a day's work, a team of horses earned about $7, while the driver took home $3.50. It wasn't glamorous work, but it paid the bills and introduced the Robinson family to an industry that would define their future.

By 1923, J.A. could see that horsepower was giving way to horsepower of a different kind. The family sold their horses and farm equipment, purchased a 1919 Ford Model T truck, and moved to Oklahoma's booming Three Sands Oil Field. It was a gamble, but one that paid off. That single truck became the beginning of J.A. Robinson Trucking Contractors.

Then came Borger... When oil was booming in Hutchinson County in 1926, opportunity was calling once again. Because there wasn't yet a bridge across the Canadian River, the Robinson family first based their operation in Spearman, hauling equipment into the new oil field. Once the Santa Fe Railroad reached Borger and transportation improved, they relocated permanently, establishing their truck yard at 607 South Main Street.

At the time, the company owned just four trucks. Those four trucks helped haul the equipment that built one of the largest oil booms in American history. As Borger exploded from open prairie into a city of more than 45,000 people in just months, Robinson trucks became a familiar sight, moving drilling rigs, casing, pipe, tanks, generators, and heavy equipment across the Panhandle. Every new well depended on someone getting the equipment there, and often, that someone was J.A. Robinson.

The company continued growing throughout the 1930s. By 1942, J.A. officially turned the business over to his five sons, and the company became J.A. Robinson & Sons Trucking Company.

Together, Leon, Forrest, Maurice ("Babe"), Paul, and Claude Robinson expanded the family business into one of the region's premier heavy haul contractors. What started with one used Model T truck eventually grew into a fleet of approximately 55 trucks and heavy-haul rigs, serving oil fields across Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Kansas, and neighboring states. The company maintained operations in both Borger and Perryton, hauling everything from drilling rigs and production equipment to oversized industrial loads that kept the energy industry moving.

But the Robinson family's legacy wasn't measured only in miles traveled. J.A. Robinson also served as Mayor of Borger from 1932 to 1935, helping guide Borger during the difficult years of the Great Depression. Later, his son Claude Robinson would continue that tradition of public service, serving on the Borger City Commission before becoming a Hutchinson County Commissioner.

Even during World War II, when two of the Robinson brothers left to serve in the military, the family business continued operating, transporting equipment that supported both the oil industry and wartime manufacturing efforts.

Looking back, it's remarkable how much changed in just one generation. The Robinson family went from hauling equipment with horse teams... to purchasing a single used truck... to building a trucking company with more than fifty trucks serving five states...
all while helping build one of America's greatest oil communities.

Do you have memories of J.A. Robinson & Sons, photographs of their trucks, or stories about the Robinson family? We'd love to preserve them as part of Borger's history. Share them with us in the comments!

texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth20204/m1/30…

2 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 1

City of Borger

#ThrowbackThursday
Remembering Coach "Jeep" Webb

Some people leave footprints. Others leave entire pathways for future generations to follow.

Born on December 27, 1929, in Cooper, Texas, E.J. "Jeep" Webb became one of the most influential figures in Panhandle athletics. After graduating from Tulia High School in 1949 and playing football at West Texas A&M, he dedicated his life to education, coaching, and creating opportunities for young athletes.

In the 1960s, Coach Webb helped pioneer girls' athletics in the Texas Panhandle, launching girls' basketball programs in Canyon before bringing that same vision to Borger. Here, he established girls' basketball, track, and cross-country programs, opening doors for generations of student-athletes. His impact reached far beyond the finish line, but his girls' cross-country teams also achieved remarkable success, earning state runner-up honors in 1991 and 1992.

Coach Webb wore many hats throughout his career: teacher, coach, athletic leader, bus driver, mentor, and friend. Whether on the sidelines, in the classroom, or behind the wheel of a bus, he was known for his encouraging smile, warm hugs, and unwavering belief in the potential of every student he met.

In 2011, his lifelong contributions to athletics were recognized with induction into the Texas Girls Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

And what about that unforgettable nickname?

When asked where "Jeep" came from, Coach Webb laughed as he recalled two coworkers at a bowling alley in Silverton who insisted his initials, E.J., needed a real name. Around the same time, the "Popeye" comics featured a character named Eugene the Jeep, and the nickname stuck. Even when he moved to Tulia, he couldn't shake it.

"That's all most people know me by now," he once said.

Today, Coach Webb's legacy continues through the annual Jeep Webb Classic Cross Country Meet, hosted by Borger ISD in his honor. It's a fitting tribute to a man who spent a lifetime helping others go farther than they ever thought possible.

Thank you, Coach Webb, for the miles you paved and the lives you changed. 💙

2 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 1