Why Stop in Gaines County???

Located on the southern edge of the South Plains of the Panhandle, the northern edge of the Permian Basin, and bumped up against the Texas/New Mexico state line, Gaines County is a mix of its Wild West and oil boom heritage and a future being built on cutting edge technology.
The two incorporated communities of Seminole and Seagraves have museums that provide colorful insight into the history of Gaines County, originally the homeland of the Comanche. The last great Comanche chief, Quanah Parker, was born near Cedar Lake in the northeast section of the county. The county was named for James Gaines, a delegate at the Constitutional Convention and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Gaines County was created in August 1876, surveyed in 1879, and organized in 1905.
Ranching and farming have always been mainstays of the economy. At one point, Seagraves was transshipping more cattle to the rest of the United States by rail than any other community in the state. While ranching has dropped off some, today Gaines County is consistently ranked No. 1 in cotton and peanut production in Texas. In the mid-1930s a new industry came to Gaines County: petroleum. This has become the major player in our economy. Gaines has consistently been the No. 1 oil-producing county in the state for several years.
Now Gaines County looks forward to a future based on the latest technologies. Conveniently located at a confluence of the Internet, Gaines is positioned to take advantage of its location and leverage technology for industries that may want to move where taxes are low, land is relatively inexpensive, and schools are outstanding.
County Judge Tom N. Keyes