If you like wide open spaces, cowboys, the Old West and beautiful sunsets, YOU’LL LOVE OLDHAM COUNTY!!!
Located 30 miles west of Amarillo, Oldham County is larger than the state of Rhode Island and includes the communities of Vega, Adrian, Wildorado and Boys Ranch. The county population is 2,140 according to the Texas Almanac 2006-2007 – almost one square mile for every person and more cattle than people.
The area was once part of the famous XIT Ranch, the 3-million acre ranch granted in 1879 by the state of Texas to the Capital Land Syndicate in exchange for building the capitol in Austin.
Our county boasts beautiful landscapes and sunsets. The terrain is level prairie broken by the Canadian River and tributaries that form the “breaks” or “Caprock” with mainly ranch land to the north of I-40 and fertile farmland to the south.
We are home to Old Tascosa and Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch, where boys and girls now live and are educated in a Christ-centered community where Billy the Kid, Pat Garrett, Colonel Charles Goodnight, and Temple Houston (Sam Houston’s son) once rode in a wild cow town.
We are listed as one of the 7th sunniest areas of the United States. In fact, Vega is the Solar Capital of Texas with more solar heating systems per capita than any other town or city.
Oldham County hosts almost 50 miles of Historic Route 66. Adrian is the geo-mathematical “MidPoint” of Route 66 inspiring the town’s motto: “When You’re Here, You’re Half-Way There!” Travelers from around the world come to take their picture beneath the MidPoint sign, have a piece of ugly-crust pie at the MidPoint Café & Gift Shop, and tour the quaint historic shops in this small West Texas town. – County Judge Don Allred
