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Ballinger, Texas

Ballinger was founded in 1886. It was established when the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway built a railway west from Brownwood. Runnels City, the original county seat, campaigned for selection as the new railroad terminal, but the future site of Ballinger, five miles to the south, offered a better water supply.

The 1.7-square-mile area was laid out in large lots, with a courthouse square and public park set aside for future use. Santa Fe officials offered free property to anyone who would move a home from Runnels City to Ballinger and to any church that would erect a building.

The town was named in honor of William Pitt Ballinger, a Galveston attorney and stockholder of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe.

Ballinger was incorporated in 1892.

In 1911, Ballinger opened the Ballinger Carnegie Library, built with funds donated by Andrew Carnegie. By 1975, the building was in disrepair. The Ballinger Bicentennial Committee organized a renovation effort, and the library was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Plainview, Texas

Plainview began when Z. T. Maxwell and Edwin Lowden Lowe established a post office in March 18, 1887. The town received its name due to the vast treeless plain surrounding it. On July 3, 1888, the town received a charter, and it became the county seat in August the same year, when Hale County was organized.

In 1906, the Pecos and Northern Texas Railway reached Plainview, initiating an agricultural boom in the region. The city incorporated in 1907, and by 1910, it had almost 3,000 residents, earning the nickname "Athens of West Texas." Central Plains College and Conservatory of Music, later renamed Seth Ward College, was founded in 1907, and Wayland Baptist College (now Wayland Baptist University) was established in 1909. The region, initially used for grazing, experienced a shift to irrigated farming after the arrival of the railway.

In 1969, country singer Jimmy Dean opened the Jimmy Dean Meat Company, and in 1971, Missouri Beef Packers established a large beef-processing plant.

Levelland, Texas

Levelland became the county seat upon its organization in 1921. Initially named Hockley City by Charles W. Post in 1912, development began in 1921, and the town was swiftly renamed for its local topography. The town's foundation was further solidified with the commencement of Santa Fe Railroad service in July 1925.

The 1950s oil boom led to the establishment of a refinery and gas plant.

Levelland experienced civic development, including the opening of a municipal park in 1951 through fundraising by civic clubs. Infrastructure improvements, an airfield, road systems, and a hospital, were undertaken around the same time. The town established a county library in the 1950s and the South Plains Museum in 1968. South Plains College, a two-year community college, opened in 1958.

Hart, Texas

Hart, Texas is named after T. W. Hart, who established his ranch headquarters in the area.

Hart became an organized town in 1925 after the Fort Worth and Denver South Plains Railway announced plans to establish a depot at the site. By 1926, the railway was completed, and a depot, was built. This led to the incorporation of Hart. In 1928, the business district was moved closer to the depot, and a six-room school was constructed.

Dimmitt, Texas

Dimmitt, Texas has a history dating back to March 1890 when the Bedford Town and Land Company purchased land and established the townsite. H. G. Bedford oversaw the sale of lots, and the town was named after his brother-in-law Rev. W.C. Dimmitt. The town faced competition for the county seat but was voted county seat on December 18, 1891.

By this time, Dimmitt had two stores, a post office, a hotel, a school, and a resident doctor. A wooden courthouse was completed in 1892, and was replaced by a brick structure after the original burned down in 1906. A brick school building was completed in 1910.

Despite a lack of a railroad in its early years, Dimmitt remained the county seat. In July 1928, the Fort Worth and Denver South Plains Railway extended to Dimmitt, leading to Dimmitt's incorporation. The 1930s saw the founding of a hospital and a county library, and a new county courthouse replaced the earlier red-brick building in 1938.

Denver City, Texas

Denver City traces its origins to the development of the Wasson oil pool. Oil leasing activities in the area trace back to 1927, gaining momentum with a significant strike in 1935. In 1939, C. S. Ameen and Ben Eggink founded the town, combining "Denver" from Denver Productions, where Ameen's friend worked, with "City" to express confidence in its future.

Incorporated on March 26, 1940, Denver City swiftly organized its governance with a mayor and city council. The city established the Denver City Volunteer Fire Department, ordering a fire truck, and forming utility services, such as a water company and gas company.

Crosbyton, Texas

Crosbyton was named after General Land Office commissioner Stephen Crosby.

In 1902, the C. B. Livestock Company purchased 90,000 acres. By 1912, a 10,000-acre demonstration farm, managed by Judge L. Gough, showcased the area's potential for cotton cultivation, leading to significant land sales from 1907 to 1915.

The town's foundation began in 1908 when the C. B. Livestock Company surveyed a townsite, subsequently opening Crosbyton for settlement. The Crosbyton post office was established in July 1908. The Crosbyton Inn, a three-story hotel, was erected the same year.

In 1910, Crosbyton secured the county seat designation after winning a vote against Emma. The Crosbyton-South Plains Railroad commenced operations on April 10, 1911.

The town's first hospital opened in 1947, and in 1975, the Crosbyton Municipal Airport was dedicated. In 1976, Texas Tech University built a 65-foot diameter solar dish, the world's largest at the time, to harvest solar power.

Recognizing the town's heritage, Zina Lamar established the Crosby County Pioneer Memorial Museum in 1958. This facility serves as a community center and museum, preserving artifacts of area pioneers.

Brownfield, Texas

In 1903, town promoters W. G. Hardin and A. F. Small purchased the county's central lot, platted the site, and named the town after the Brownfield ranching family. To boost chances of becoming the county seat, they granted a lot to every county voter.

The town's early years saw the construction of essential structures, including the courthouse, school, and churches. Hill's Hotel became the first business, housing the inaugural post office. On June 28, 1904, Brownfield secured the county seat designation, narrowly defeating Gomez in an election. The Brownfield State Bank opened in 1905, serving multiple counties and parts of eastern New Mexico.

Brownfield was incorporated in 1920. Oil wells became operational in 1941, diversifying the town's economic landscape.

Massena, New York

Native Americans have lived in the region for over 9,000 years. Archaeological studies reveal a vibrant pre-Columbian era marked by extensive hunting, fishing, gathering, and sophisticated trading networks.

Massena was established in 1792 by Anable Faucher. The settlement was initially called Nikentsiake by the Mohawk Indians, translating to "where the fish live."

In the 1800s, Massena gained prominence as a health retreat, drawing people to the medicinal benefits of sulphur mineral springs along the Racquette River. Once known as Kanaswastakeras to the Iroquois, these springs fueled a booming economy, leading to the establishment of grand homes and hotels.

In 1900, the construction of a hydroelectric facility, connecting the Grasse River and St. Lawrence River, attracted the Pittsburgh Reduction Company (later Alcoa). This influx of industry workers transformed former health retreat hotels into housing for the burgeoning workforce.

In the 1950s, the New York Power Authority was established, leading to the creation of the St. Lawrence-Franklin D. Roosevelt Power Project. Spanning the St. Lawrence River, the hydropower plant was capable of generating over 900,000 kilowatts of electricity. Simultaneously, the 1950s witnessed the development of the St. Lawrence Seaway, a monumental American-Canadian navigational project. This system of locks and gates facilitated the movement of boats through the river, connecting the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. With the completion of the Seaway and Power Project, Massena experienced a significant expansion at the Alcoa plant, solidifying its status as the oldest continuously operating aluminum production facility in the Western Hemisphere.

The 1980s saw the establishment of the St. Lawrence Centre Mall and St. Lawrence strip mall complex, fostering a regional retail hub, attracting Canadian shoppers.

Northfield, Vermont History

Rewrite

Northfield, Vermont, was settled between 1785 and the 1820s by Yankees from Connecticut, Massachusetts, and older Vermont towns. The period saw the development of four distinct villages: South Village, Center Village, Factory Village, and Northfield Falls. South Village, with numerous small businesses, became the first to have a distinct identity. Center Village followed, where the first post office, town clerk’s office, and churches were established, coming to serve as Northfield's social and political center. Factory Village (now the village of Northfield), named for the woolen mill, developed next. Lastly, Northfield Falls thrived by the late 1820s.

Initially centered around farming and barter, Northfield's economic activities diversified. Potash production thrived until about 1814, after which Elijah Paine's woolen mill became a major employer. Wool prices declined in the 1840s, but Charles Paine, Elijah Paine's son and president of the Vermont Central Railroad constructed the railroad through town and established its headquarters in Northfield. Hundreds worked for the line. In 1852, the railroad changed ownership and gradually moved to St. Albans, causing the town's population to decline.

The arrival of the railroad in the 1840s transformed Factory Village into the local hub. Residents began to demand improved infrastructure and services, and petitioned the legislature to establish a separate Village of Northfield. This led to the incorporation of the Village of Northfield on November 14, 1855.

Slate quarrying provided a temporary economic boost in the 1860s and 1870s. Norwich University relocated to Northfield in 1886. In 1889, the first granite shed was built. More were constructed, and by the outbreak of World War I, over 525 people were employed in the granite sheds. Later, the granite industry faced challenges, leading to closures, and by 1954, only the Rock of Ages plant was left. The last plant, Cetrangolo Finishing Works, was closed in 1999.