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. 💙

6 days ago (edited) | [YT] | 0

City of Borger

#ThrowbackThursday #100yearsofgrit #borgertx
Etta White
1879 - 1974

In the early decades of Borger’s history, one of its most enduring cultural legacies came not from the derricks or refineries, but from the smoke rising off an open barbecue pit. That legacy belongs to Etta White, an African American woman whose barbecue stand became a local institution and helped shape a regional barbecue style remembered long after her doors closed.

Born in Mineola, Texas, Etta arrived in Borger in the mid 1920s, a time when the young boomtown was rapidly transforming under the influence of the oil industry and a wave of new residents. Amid the chaos, White saw an opportunity to put down roots. Not long after settling in, she opened a barbecue restaurant that would soon become a gathering place for locals and visitors alike.

Originally called Whiteway Bar-B-Q, and later advertised as Etta White’s Barbecue Stand, the restaurant quickly gained a reputation for a distinctive style of smoked beef that stood apart from the brisket slices found in other parts of Texas. Instead, White’s barbecue was known for its chunky cuts and richly flavored sauce, a preparation that would influence later establishments and endure in the memories of residents decades after the stand closed.

For nearly four decades, from the 1930s through 1972, Etta White operated her barbecue stand, often standing at the stove herself, tending the pits, and serving customers. In a time and place where few African American women owned and operated their own business, particularly in a predominantly male industry, her success was remarkable.

Locals still recall the smell of her barbecue and the robust personality she brought to 
her work. Although not described as especially jovial, White’s presence was unmistakable: she was the heart of her restaurant, and her food spoke for itself.

A story that captures both Etta’s independence AND her confidence in her success involves her attempt to purchase a Cadillac from a local car dealer in 1970. After being ignored by the salesman, she drove to Amarillo and bought the car there with cash, then had the Amarillo dealer call the original Borger seller to let them know their customer service was terrible. 🤣

What do you remember about Etta’s BBQ?

1 week ago | [YT] | 0

City of Borger

#ThrowbackThursday #100yearsofgrit #borgertx 
The Dome

In the late 1950s, Borger and Hutchinson County were experiencing a period of economic strength in the years following World War II. As the community grew, so did the desire for a dedicated space for large gatherings, exhibitions, and civic celebrations. A bond election to build a traditional civic center failed, leaving local leaders looking for alternatives. In a twist of ingenuity, Borger Mayor L.D. Patton and Chamber of Commerce Manager Dave Moore saw a television commercial for a Kaiser Aluminum Dome — a prefab geodesic structure that promised durability at a lower cost.

Local supporters gathered 707 petition signatures and convinced the Hutchinson County Commissioners Court to hold a bond election on July 2, 1957, to fund the project. Despite record-high heat on election day, voters approved construction.
That same year, Borger became home to the first Kaiser Aluminum Dome in the continental United States. Construction finished in 1957, and the Dome quickly became a beloved part of the community — so much so that it was later incorporated into Borger’s official city seal.

For decades, the Dome served as the centerpiece of Borger’s community gatherings. Its vast open interior was ideal for events of all kinds: Magic Plains Oil Expo, World’s Largest Fish Fry, Hutchinson County Junior Livestock Show, Hutchinson County Oil Patch Extravaganza (HOPE), Local concerts, trade shows, and festivals.

By the early 21st century, the Dome remained beloved but had grown dated. The original aluminum shell lacked modern insulation, HVAC systems, and amenities expected of contemporary event venues. In December 2018, ownership of the Dome and its surrounding nine acres was formally transferred from Hutchinson County to the City of Borger, marking a turning point in its future. The city intended to restore and expand the facility for ongoing civic use.

In 2021, following a successful venue tax election to support the project, the city began a major renovation and expansion. The Dome was completely converted into the Dome Civic and Convention Center, transforming the iconic aluminum structure into a year-round, climate-controlled facility while preserving its historic character. 
Renovations were completed in June 2022. It features: A modern ballroom and multipurpose space, conference rooms and banquet facilities, catering kitchen and lobby areas, new entrances and improved accessibility.

Since then, the Dome has been used for birthdays, graduations, conferences, trainings, proms, weddings, celebrations of life, and so much more. During the 2024 wildfire emergencies in the Texas Panhandle, the Dome served as a Multi-Agency 
Resource Center and donation distribution hub, bringing together city staff, volunteers, state agencies, and donated supplies to help families impacted by disaster. This more than symbolic role showed the Dome’s importance not just as an event space, but as a place of community resilience.

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

City of Borger

#ThrowbackThursday
The Murder of Coke Buchanan (1874 - 1927)
March 19th, 1927: Borger Police Patrolman Richard “Coke” Buchanan was shot and killed while coming to the aid of a fellow Officer, Sam Neal, who was being beaten by several men. Sam had stopped a vehicle occupied by the infamous "Cotton Top Walker Gang." The five passengers exited the vehicle and began to beat the Patrolman. Patrolman Buchanan observed the incident from across the street and ran to assist the Patrolman. As he crossed the street the suspect opened fire, shooting 6 times, killing Patrolman Buchanan.

Patrolman Buchanan had been with the agency for two months and had just joined after serving 15 years with the Waco Police Department. He was survived by his five children.

The gang was led by the Kimes brother, who had murdered Deputy Perry Chuculate, of the Sequoyah County, Oklahoma, Sheriff's Office, on August 27, 1926. The two brothers were convicted of manslaughter in connection with Deputy Chuculate's murder and sentenced to 25 years in prison.

One of the brothers, Matthew Kimes, escaped from prison and continued his crime spree. During the following year... the escaped brother continued robbing banks with the Cotton Top Walker Gang, which was responsible for the murders of Patrolman Coke Buchanan, of the Borger, Texas Police Department, on March 19, 1927; Deputy D. P. Kenyon and Deputy Almer Terry, both of the Hutchinson County, Texas Sheriff's Department, on April 1, 1927; and Chief W. J. McAnnally of the Beggs, Oklahoma Police Department, on May 18, 1927. Matthew Kimes, one of the leaders of the gang, was arrested in Flagstaff, Arizona, on June 23, 1927.

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3 weeks ago | [YT] | 1

City of Borger

#ThrowbackThursday 
Gloom falls over dance halls of Borger as "Dallas" checks out:
(In an excerpt from “What were they thinking?” - Published by the Borger News Herald ~ Sunday, March 27th, 1927)

Another dance hall tragedy at the Palisades last night gave a softer note to dance hall activity in Borger. Music was just a wee bit softer, trumpets eliminated the customary blare, laughter subsided sufficiently, to be directed noticeable, and dances in general throughout all of the halls bore evidence that something had occurred to dampen the usual evening’s revelry.

For little Edna Schumaker, 19 years old, and just beginning to see the world with womanly eyes, was dead. A lift that had begun in an orphanage, then guarded by a reputable family, and of late - confined to a Borger dance hall, was checked out as it was just beginning to bloom. She was popularly known as “Dallas”, and her large brown eyes and smiling face were mighty attractions at the Palisades dance hall.

“Dallas” came to Borger last November and proceeded to see the outside world through dance hall portals. Night after night she danced, happy that she might be earning her own livelihood and dreaming of days to come when she might return to a place called home. She was alone in the world; her foster parents had died, and she was thrust upon the mercies of an element which to her were servants of enlightenment. Then in December, she was married but the matrimonial happiness was short lived and her husband left her. She continued to dance night after night and week after week until nine days ago when she became ill with pneumonia and complications of the disease. Friday night, after struggling at death’s door for hours, which to her seemed years, she died. And another tragedy was chalked on the Palisade dance hall slate of events.

“Dallas” began her life in an orphanage in Southern Texas and her early years, as far back as she could remember, were spent in the state institution. When she was seven years old, a wealthy Dallas family adopted the little girl whose bright eyes and beautiful dark hair had attracted them. Last June, her Stepfather died, and her Stepmother followed a few months afterward, leaving Edna again all alone in the world. Her only thought was to come to Borger where she has since spent her brief existence.

All dance halls in Borger joined hands momentarily to share the burial expense of the young dance hall maiden. Collections were taken at the various places after announcers had told dancers of the need for funds to provide a funeral for “Dallas”.

Fine Funeral for Dance Hall Girl:
(In an excerpt from “What were they thinking?” - Published by the Borger News Herald ~ Monday, March 28th, 1927)

“Dallas” is to have as fine a funeral service as can possibly be arranged.
Blackie Schumaker, husband of Edna, “Dallas” Schumaker, popular dance hall girl who died last Friday night, today announced that he is to take charge of funeral arrangements and is planning to do all in his power to pay last respects to his departed girl wife. The body of the dead dance hall girl lies in state at Field’s Funeral home, 914 South Main Street. Funeral service will be conducted at Field’s Tuesday morning at 10 o’clock and burial will be made at Amarillo.

1 month ago | [YT] | 0

City of Borger

#ThrowbackThursday
What was life really like in 1920's Borger?

"Well. The wind hits you first. Then the noise follows—the grind of trucks, the clang of metal, the low murmur of men chasing something buried deep beneath the earth."

Picture it for a second:
It’s 1926, and Borger has appeared almost overnight. You step into town (if you can call it that) and the ground vibrates beneath your boots.
It's noisy as all get out.
Roads are all dirt.
Tents stretch in rows, snapping in the Panhandle wind.
Rough wooden structures lean just a little too far, built fast with more urgency than precision.
Signs go up as quickly as the walls: cafés, supply stores, boarding houses, saloons.
Careful which cafe you eat at, your odds of getting food poisoning are high.
By midday, the town roars. Engines rumble. Hammers strike. Voices cut through the air.
Deals are made in passing. Money moves fast. It's earned hard and lost just as quickly.
The air smells like crude oil and sweat.
Dust settles into everything... your clothes, your skin, the back of your throat. You don’t fight it. You learn to live with it.

The average life expectancy hovers around 54 to 57 years. In places like Borger, where oilfield accidents are common and safety is still catching up to ambition, it can be even shorter. The leading causes of death aren’t distant or abstract, they’re close and familiar. Heart disease and stroke claim many. Pneumonia and influenza still linger in the shadow of the 1918 pandemic. Tuberculosis quietly takes its toll. Even Scarlet Fever and Diphtheria are still problematic. And here, in the boomtown, industrial accidents like burns, explosions, broken bodies... are part of the cost of chasing opportunity.

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1 month ago | [YT] | 1

City of Borger

#ThrowbackThursday
"Rock House Near Borger Scene of Thriller Sunday" - April 25th, 1927

Taking part in a sensational whiskey raid and canyon chase that outrivaled the most high-powered movie thriller or adventure story, state rangers Sunday unearthed a situation that filled them with horror and at the same time rung their heartstrings.

The scene of the battle Sunday afternoon was a place known as the "rock house". An old rock building hidden among low vegetation in a canyon about 8 miles east of Borger, forming an ideal picture.

Six rangers, under the leadership of Captain Bill Sterling, surrounded the hut and with high powered riffles, began to close in. Suspecting a whiskey still to which they had been tipped off previously, suddenly a man dashed from the house, broke through the ranger guard, and began to climb to the top of a bluff overhanging the narrow ravine.

Riffles spat almost instantaneously against the side of the hill in an effort to frighten the runner into surrendering. But the man kept on swiftly and cautiously marking his way to the top of the hedge. Then one ranger made a break for the hill and, while his companions continued to shell the hill with bullets be reached a point where he cornered the fleeing man, forcing him to throw up his hands and stop his flight.

But the outstanding event of the story came when the rangers, leading the man back to the hut, discovered a 10-year-old boy jumping up and down with excitement, clapping his hands with glee, and calling for a riffle that he might join in on the chase. Beside the lad was an elderly woman, her face worked to a hideous frow. Tobacco juice ran down her chin as she began to shout oaths at the officers, they said, condemning them for disturbing the secrecy of their distillery and for breaking the tranquility of the sleeping ravine.

In the interior of the hut rangers said, they found a whiskey still of large capacity and two more a short distance away. The equipment was broken up while the man and woman and the youth looked on.

All through the procedure, Captain Sterling noticed the delight exhibited by the small boy whose eyes shone with a peculiar glint, leading the captain to open a conversation with the lad.

Billy Ainsworth was his name, the boy said, at first timid at the thought of confiding with an officer. Then, when he was assured that he would be given every care, the lad broke down in tears and told his pitiful story.

Billy was raised in an orphanage at Amarillo. He could but faintly recall a mother, but his father was unknown to him. His life at the orphanage was as happy as such a place could afford, he said, but all happiness was scuffed out when the moonshiner and his wife came to Amarillo to adopt him less than a month ago.

Living in secrecy in the deserted canyon with the moonshiner and his wife, the lad was taught to make whiskey and his life threatened if he ever dared to disclose the plant.

Day after day, the boy quietly went about the business he was then learning, much against his will, and youthful judgement, bravely bearing the cruelty of the gruff moonshiner and his wife, he said.

The appearance of officers, seizing the distillery and capturing the moonshiner, who, incidentally, the rangers said was later discovered to be a notorious Oklahoma outlaw in hiding because of the many charges facing him, once more brought happiness and sunshine into the little fellow's life, bringing about an unusual climax.

Today, Billy Aimsworth has a temporary home with Captain Sterling and his force of hardy rangers at the Marland Hotel. Someday, he is going to grow up and be a ranger, too, he says, but in the meanwhile, he hopes through the aid of his officer friends to find a home in which he may reach that stage of manhood.

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1 month ago | [YT] | 1

City of Borger

#ThrowbackThursday - How Cofield Park & Community Center came to be:

To tell this story, we have to start with Booker T. Washington School & R.G. Cofield.

Just two years after Borger’s founding, a 1928 scholastic census recorded five African American students in the community. Their education began at Bethel Baptist Church on the west side of town, where Mrs. Tallie Anderson Smith taught six grades in a single space. As the community grew, the school relocated to the north side of Borger. By 1931, Borger ISD established its first formal school for Black students which was a one room frame building at Brain and 11th Streets—named Booker T. Washington School (in honor of the renowned educator).

By 1936, the school served as many as fifty students with just one teacher, reflecting both the need and the limitations of the time. In 1946, R.G. Cofield and his wife, Maye Della “Honey” Cofield arrived with a mission to strengthen educational opportunities for Black children. R.G. became principal of Booker T. Washington School, and Maye Della joined as a teacher.

When the Cofield's arrived, the school had only two teachers. Under R.G.’s leadership, the faculty grew to seven, expanding both curriculum and opportunity. Facilities improved as well, including the construction of a new brick building. In a resourceful move, two surplus barracks from Pampa Air Force Base were repurposed into classrooms and a gymnasium.

The school eventually expanded to serve all twelve grades, and in 1949, Booker T. Washington celebrated its first graduating class, with John L. Miles as its first graduate. Students, known as the Dragons and Dragonettes, excelled not only in the classroom but in athletics, particularly basketball.

Following the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision, desegregation began to take shape. In 1956, Borger ISD integrated grades seven through twelve. Booker T. Washington transitioned into an elementary school, with older students attending Sam Houston Junior High and Borger High School. By 1964, the school closed, and many of its teachers moved on to other opportunities.

Though the building is gone, its legacy remains. Booker T. Washington School stands as a powerful chapter in Borger’s history. At the heart of that story is R.G. Cofield, whose leadership helped shape generations of students. In a time of inequality and limited resources, he built something lasting... proof that even in the most challenging circumstances, progress is possible when a community refuses to stand still.

R.G. Cofield wasn’t just an educator; he was a builder of opportunity during a time when access was limited. His work at Booker T. Washington School helped shape generations of students and anchor a sense of community on Borger’s north side. Naming Cofield Park and the Cofield Community Center in that same area serves as a lasting tribute to that influence. Where the school once stood as a place for growth, learning, and connection, those spaces now continue that mission in a new form.

1 month ago | [YT] | 0

City of Borger

#ThrowbackThursday - The Sands Motel & Restaurant

Borger’s Sands Motel sat in a sweet spot along Cedar Street, catching a steady stream of oilfield crews, traveling salesmen, refinery workers, and families crossing the Panhandle. As post–World War II road travel surged, the appetite for convenient roadside lodging rose right alongside it.

The Sands Motel, located on the corner of 10th and Cedar Street, emerged during the mid-20th century motel boom of the early 1960s — a period when streamlined architecture, neon signage, and easy car access were hallmarks of modern convenience. Positioned along one of Borger’s primary travel corridors, the Sands offered something new for its time: parking directly outside your room, air-conditioned comfort, and a place to rest without navigating downtown congestion.

Built by Charles E. and Hazel Whittington, the Sands featured a low slung, two story building arranged in a L shape around a central parking area. Its name “Sands” evoked the West Texas landscape itself, tying the property to the wide open plains that surrounded Borger. The motel offered air conditioning, television, a pool, and a dang good meal.

#100yearsofgrit

2 months ago | [YT] | 0

City of Borger

#ThrowbackThursday "The McIlroy Brothers"

In the early days of the Panhandle oil story, opportunity didn’t come with certainty, it came with risk.

In December 1918, a group of folks had discovered oil near the Masterson Area which sent a ripple of excitement across the Panhandle region. Among those paying attention were the McIlroy brothers. They had no background in oil, no roadmap to follow, just belief in what might be possible. In early 1919, they formed the Dixon Creek Oil Company and set their sights on Hutchinson County.

They secured leases on the Smith Ranch and drilled their first well: The Smith-Capers No. 1. By June of 1922, that well produced only thirty barrels a day—a modest return by any measure. For many, that might have been the end of the story. But not for the McIlroys...

They pressed on, incorporating the company in 1924 to raise additional funding to drill. With support from key investors like Henry and Millard Nobles, they stayed the course. In March 1925, their persistence paid off when the Dixon Creek - Smith No. 1, began producing around 400 barrels a day. By December, a second well on the same lease surged to 3,000 barrels a day. Progress...

Looking to push production even further, Tex McIlroy made a quick decision. He opted to deepen the original Smith No. 1 well, instead of relocating. On January 11, 1926, after drilling just two more feet, the well erupted, producing 10,000 barrels a day!

That single moment didn’t just change the trajectory of a company; it changed the fate of an entire region. The gusher had ignited an oil boom that would transform the Panhandle.

Once Ace Borger got wind of this, he rode on horseback all the way from Oklahoma to lay eyes on the "gusher" himself. He knew that building a city was no longer just a possibility. It was inevitable. He immediately purchased 240 acres from John Frank Weatherly, at $50 an acre for a total of $12,000.

Two months later, on March 8th, 1926 - lots went up for sale in the townsite of "Borger". And we all know what happened next... #100yearsofgrit

2 months ago | [YT] | 0