Historical Period: Frontier Texas (1865-1900)
Historical Topic: Frontier Settlements
Species: Netleaf Hackberry (Celtis reticulata)
County: Hale
Public Access: No longer applicable; tree is dead
For decades, a quiet neighborhood park in Plainview was home to the last survivor of two hackberry groves which once dominated the landscape and served as landmarks to travelers on the high plains. Nearby, a spring flows to form Running Water Draw.
In 1887, E. L. Lowe and Z. T. Maxwell made their homes and established a town near the groves. The names “Hackberry Groves” and “Running Water Draw” were considered, but the men wanted something more descriptive of the area. Noting that the view in all directions was obstructed only by the two hackberry groves, they chose to name their town Plainview.
The hackberry trees eventually succumbed to old age and harsh climate, but they played a small part in Texas history by pointing the way to pioneers, who, like these trees, sank their roots deep in the soil of this, the “Oasis of the Plains.”