Scurry County has been home to two county capitols. The current temple of justice was completed in 1911 in a Texas Renaissance style as designed by Lang & Witchell. The original tower was removed during a remodeling project in 1950. Further changes were made in 1972, essentially burying the 1911 building in granite and giving the courthouse a Modern appearance.
The county was established by the Texas Legislature in 1876 from lands formerly assigned to Bexar County; in 1880, there were 102 residents living in the area.
Scurry County was attached to Mitchell County for judicial purposes until 1884, when it was organized. The county was named for Confederate General William R. Scurry.
Snyder became a town site in 1882 and the county seat in 1884. Snyder was named for early settler W.H. Snyder. Upon arriving in the area, Snyder operated a trading post that eventually became known as Robber’s Roost.
Scurry County is located below the Caprock in the crosshairs of the Panhandle and West Texas. Snyder sits about 80 miles southeast of Lubbock and about 85 miles northwest of Abilene.
The first large ranch in the area was established in 1877 by Tom and Jim Nunn, who drove longhorns from South Texas to land along tributaries of the Clear Fork of the Brazos River.
The area’s history is chronicled in the Scurry County Museum, located on the campus of Western Texas College.
Other snapshots into the past are detailed on Historical Markers, including one describing the Scurry County Jail of 1912: “In 1911, the Commissioners Court of Scurry County presented plans for a new jail, since the two previous jail houses (built in 1884 and 1886) had proven insufficient for the county’s needs. Land at this site was purchased with bond money, and the brick building was completed using local labor in 1912. The first floor housed the jailer and his family, while the prisoners’ cells and a hospital occupied the second and third stories. A trapdoor was included for use as a hanging gallows. This jail served the citizens of Scurry County for over 60 years.”
The county is home to a historic golf course that has served as a cornerstone of the community for a century. The course, founded in 1924, was donated to the county over 10 years ago.
“The course is a destination for many and brings vital sales tax dollars to Snyder and Scurry County,” observed County Judge Dan Hicks. The majority of those who play at the course go to area restaurants or stores after playing, supporting local businesses. The course is also the home facility for three independent school districts, Snyder ISD, Hermleigh ISD, and Borden ISD.
In fact, Scurry County is in a unique position in that the county provides most of the quality-of-life programs. For example, the county owns the golf course, youth center, senior center, parks, pool and splash pad, library, airport, and EMS.