Lots of opinions out there.. what is yours? What separates the West from the rest?
What is the definitive boundary line for West Texas?
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Last: 4 days ago by Hewey Calloway
Being from Odessa, here's my opinion.
West Texas is Big Spring to Pecos. Anything west of Pecos is far west Texas ( Mexico ).
West Texas is Big Spring to Pecos. Anything west of Pecos is far west Texas ( Mexico ).
“If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” -Henry Ford
#FJB
#FJB
I have heard that one eminent Texas historian (Walter Prescott Webb) considered the 98th Meridian as the starting point for west Texas because rainfall tends to drop off significantly as you proceed west. Others say the Brazos River. The far west Texans will disagree. West Texas doesn't have to be sand and mesquite before it's west Texas.
It is better to light a flamethrower than to curse the darkness- Sir Terence Pratchett
“ III stooges si viveret et nos omnes ad quos etiam probabile est mittent custard pies”
“ III stooges si viveret et nos omnes ad quos etiam probabile est mittent custard pies”
It's an oversimplification, but US 277 is pretty dang close.
Or a similar oversimplification can be seen on Google maps. Zoom out until you can see the entire state on your screen. The light-tan is West Texas.
Obviously, there's an area that's up for debate along either of those lines, but if gun-to-your-head you had to choose, I think either of those would be pretty good.
For me in Abilene, I feel like it's truly on the border. The landscape/vegetation between the west (& north) and the east (& south) are noticeably different to me. Sweetwater and Anson are West Texas in my book; Buffalo Gap and Albany are not.
Or to think in commercial terms… if you live west of 35 and you've ever had to plan an overnight trip to DFW, Austin, or SA to go shopping (or have a list of things you need to get the next time you visit family) - you probably live in West Texas. If you never even bother going, you definitely live in West Texas. But if you can easily make it there and back on a Saturday, you probably don't.
Or a similar oversimplification can be seen on Google maps. Zoom out until you can see the entire state on your screen. The light-tan is West Texas.
Obviously, there's an area that's up for debate along either of those lines, but if gun-to-your-head you had to choose, I think either of those would be pretty good.
For me in Abilene, I feel like it's truly on the border. The landscape/vegetation between the west (& north) and the east (& south) are noticeably different to me. Sweetwater and Anson are West Texas in my book; Buffalo Gap and Albany are not.
Or to think in commercial terms… if you live west of 35 and you've ever had to plan an overnight trip to DFW, Austin, or SA to go shopping (or have a list of things you need to get the next time you visit family) - you probably live in West Texas. If you never even bother going, you definitely live in West Texas. But if you can easily make it there and back on a Saturday, you probably don't.
I hadn't thought about it, but 277 isn't a bad idea. Of course, when you're dealing with a pretty general term like that, it's difficult to have a definitive line. When I think of west Texas, I think of it as big ranch country, and there's no question they start getting bigger once you get west of 277. You're probably right that Albany is too far east geographically to be west Texas, but culturally it seems to fit.
A line from Swee****er down through San Angelo and on to Sonora would be the eastern boundary of west Texas.
Cross a line from Mentone down to Pecos, Ft. Stockton, and Sanderson puts one in far west Texas.
Cross a line from Mentone down to Pecos, Ft. Stockton, and Sanderson puts one in far west Texas.
SW AG80 said:
A line from Sweetwater down through San Angelo and on to Sonora would be the eastern boundary of west Texas.
Cross a line from Mentone down to Pecos, Ft. Stockton, and Sanderson puts one in far west Texas.
Agreed
LoneStarBQ
Fightin' Texas Aggie Band Class of 89
Midland, TX
Is there a northern boundary? Where it's no longer West Texas, but Panhandle/South Plains? Because in Lubbock they still say they're in West Texas.
The delineation of the northern boundary is just as tough. The people in the Panhandle are as genuine as west Texans.
But geographically there is a difference. Big Spring and Midland are definitely west Texas. But you get north of Big Spring, say Lamesa, and the topography becomes the South Plains. To me, Andrews is west Texas. Seminole is the South Plains because the topography changes.
But geographically there is a difference. Big Spring and Midland are definitely west Texas. But you get north of Big Spring, say Lamesa, and the topography becomes the South Plains. To me, Andrews is west Texas. Seminole is the South Plains because the topography changes.
Lubbock is South Plainsdefinitely not west Texas, in my book.Ag98inTexas said:
Is there a northern boundary? Where it's no longer West Texas, but Panhandle/South Plains? Because in Lubbock they still say they're in West Texas.
Fort Stockton native here. Sterling City to Barnhart to Ozona to Comstock. Everything east of there is I don't know what but it's not west Texas. Not to me any way. North of Midland is something else too. Just my opinion.
You folks don't think Abilene is west Texas? I was raised in that area and in the 1950s, folks definitely identified as being in west Texas. Wiki defines the eastern edge as Eastland, Erath and Brown counties. Which is how Walter Prescott Webb defined it.
It is better to light a flamethrower than to curse the darkness- Sir Terence Pratchett
“ III stooges si viveret et nos omnes ad quos etiam probabile est mittent custard pies”
“ III stooges si viveret et nos omnes ad quos etiam probabile est mittent custard pies”
Agree.UTExan said:
You folks don't think Abilene is west Texas? I was raised in that area and in the 1950s, folks definitely identified as being in west Texas. Wiki defines the eastern edge as Eastland, Erath and Brown counties. Which is how Walter Prescott Webb defined it.
Abilene isn't West Texas.UTExan said:
You folks don't think Abilene is west Texas? I was raised in that area and in the 1950s, folks definitely identified as being in west Texas. Wiki defines the eastern edge as Eastland, Erath and Brown counties. Which is how Walter Prescott Webb defined it.
I live in Alpine, and even San Angelo isn't talked about being in West Texas.
The guy from Ft. Stockton agrees with you !!
TXAGGIE10 said:Abilene isn't West Texas.UTExan said:
You folks don't think Abilene is west Texas? I was raised in that area and in the 1950s, folks definitely identified as being in west Texas. Wiki defines the eastern edge as Eastland, Erath and Brown counties. Which is how Walter Prescott Webb defined it.
I live in Alpine, and even San Angelo isn't talked about being in West Texas.
That's Far West Texas.
It is better to light a flamethrower than to curse the darkness- Sir Terence Pratchett
“ III stooges si viveret et nos omnes ad quos etiam probabile est mittent custard pies”
“ III stooges si viveret et nos omnes ad quos etiam probabile est mittent custard pies”
Here we go, this should settle things once and for all! Especially for Austin.
“If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” -Henry Ford
#FJB
#FJB
UTExan said:TXAGGIE10 said:Abilene isn't West Texas.UTExan said:
You folks don't think Abilene is west Texas? I was raised in that area and in the 1950s, folks definitely identified as being in west Texas. Wiki defines the eastern edge as Eastland, Erath and Brown counties. Which is how Walter Prescott Webb defined it.
I live in Alpine, and even San Angelo isn't talked about being in West Texas.
That's Far West Texas.
If this (Erath County) is considered west Texas, I can't take them seriously.
Trans-Pecos. Nobody says far west Texas out here. Must be an east Texas thing....j/k
Txgunrnnr said:
Here we go, this should settle things once and for all! Especially for Austin.
Looks like El Paso is actually southwestern New Mexico.
It is better to light a flamethrower than to curse the darkness- Sir Terence Pratchett
“ III stooges si viveret et nos omnes ad quos etiam probabile est mittent custard pies”
“ III stooges si viveret et nos omnes ad quos etiam probabile est mittent custard pies”
I'd place it a little east of 277. I'd actually go with Highway 83 South from Abilene, and I might argue for 283 down to 87. Not too far North of Abilene you start getting into North Texas.wildcat08 said:
I hadn't thought about it, but 277 isn't a bad idea. Of course, when you're dealing with a pretty general term like that, it's difficult to have a definitive line. When I think of west Texas, I think of it as big ranch country, and there's no question they start getting bigger once you get west of 277. You're probably right that Albany is too far east geographically to be west Texas, but culturally it seems to fit.
In other words. I consider Eden as being in West Texas. I consider Brady as being in Central Texas. We can argue over Melvin.
I'll buy that.jrdaustin said:I'd place it a little east of 277. I'd actually go with Highway 83 South from Abilene, and I might argue for 283 down to 87. Not too far North of Abilene you start getting into North Texas.wildcat08 said:
I hadn't thought about it, but 277 isn't a bad idea. Of course, when you're dealing with a pretty general term like that, it's difficult to have a definitive line. When I think of west Texas, I think of it as big ranch country, and there's no question they start getting bigger once you get west of 277. You're probably right that Albany is too far east geographically to be west Texas, but culturally it seems to fit.
In other words. I consider Eden as being in West Texas. I consider Brady as being in Central Texas. We can argue over Melvin.
I've had this same discussion may times over the years.
In my opinion if you draw a line from Wichita Falls to Brownwood to Del Rio that is a pretty good boundary.
In my opinion if you draw a line from Wichita Falls to Brownwood to Del Rio that is a pretty good boundary.
Always heard that Zane Grey said the west begain at the 100th meridian...
That is just east of Angelo, where I am from... Look at east of Angelo vs. the west side of Tom Green Co. Farming and all east. Oil and ranching west of town...
My .02
That is just east of Angelo, where I am from... Look at east of Angelo vs. the west side of Tom Green Co. Farming and all east. Oil and ranching west of town...
My .02
I think a "dust storm" standard is correct. If you get dust storms, consider yourself West Texas, cause that's what you're getting.
It is better to light a flamethrower than to curse the darkness- Sir Terence Pratchett
“ III stooges si viveret et nos omnes ad quos etiam probabile est mittent custard pies”
“ III stooges si viveret et nos omnes ad quos etiam probabile est mittent custard pies”
You have to drive 2 hours west to get to west Texas from Brownwood.
I have always thought of the 100th meridian as the line.EMc77 said:
Always heard that Zane Grey said the west begain at the 100th meridian...
That is just east of Angelo, where I am from... Look at east of Angelo vs. the west side of Tom Green Co. Farming and all east. Oil and ranching west of town...
My .02
Evidently West Texas A&M way up in Canyon is badly misnamed ...wildcat08 said:Lubbock is South Plainsdefinitely not west Texas, in my book.Ag98inTexas said:
Is there a northern boundary? Where it's no longer West Texas, but Panhandle/South Plains? Because in Lubbock they still say they're in West Texas.
For my 2 cents, draw a line from Childress to Abilene and a line from Abilene to Junction. All the area to the west of that is West Texas ...
Someone mentioned anything west of the Brazos River. But where on the Brazos River? It empties into the gulf at Freeport, which is due south of Houston. Wharton is west of the Brazos, but it's certainly not in West Texas.
Lampasas used to have a sign I've mentioned before: "Gateway to West Texas".
I still like Texas historian Walter Prescott Webb's definition of the 98th Meridian being the dividing line.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Prescott_Webb
I still like Texas historian Walter Prescott Webb's definition of the 98th Meridian being the dividing line.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Prescott_Webb
It is better to light a flamethrower than to curse the darkness- Sir Terence Pratchett
“ III stooges si viveret et nos omnes ad quos etiam probabile est mittent custard pies”
“ III stooges si viveret et nos omnes ad quos etiam probabile est mittent custard pies”
Okay, WT board, what say you apropos of the eclipse path: is Eagle Pass considered to be West Texas or not?
No fudging about to say it is south Texas.
No fudging about to say it is south Texas.
It is better to light a flamethrower than to curse the darkness- Sir Terence Pratchett
“ III stooges si viveret et nos omnes ad quos etiam probabile est mittent custard pies”
“ III stooges si viveret et nos omnes ad quos etiam probabile est mittent custard pies”
Looks like Eagle Pass is right at the 100th Meridian, so other than being STX, it is just on the eastern edge of west Texas!
Abilene south to Del Rio. Abilene to Lubbock. Pecos to Marathon.
The Permian Basin in Texas shows 90% of what I would call West Texas.
Add big Brewster county in the south, and maybe take 2 rows of the counties at the top
As mentioned above, 277 would be a solid East -West Boundary that would end up with Northern boundary in San Angelo, and then making a line straight over to Midland/Odessa and on to NM. I'm pretty sure most folks would accept that. But then again you always have the people who argue that Lubbock is West Texas, and it damn sure isn't. Of course I'm from West of The Pecos, so I think anything on the other side of the river is questionable.
Anything north of Snyder and Lamesa and Seminole is The Plains. I do consider Abilene to be the furthest point east of West Texas.fuzzyfan said:
Abilene south to Del Rio. Abilene to Lubbock. Pecos to Marathon.
I'm from Abilene and always considered it to be west Texas. But ever since then I graduated high school I kept moving east, so it's still west Texas to me. Just the start of it.
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