Page Contents for Dalhart, Texas

Statistics & Facts

Location

Weather & Climate

History & History-related items

City Attractions

Economy

Government

Chamber of Commerce.

Schools.

Miscellany

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Statistics & Facts

The Texas state capital is Austin.
The population of Dalhart is approximately 7,438 (2000), 7930 (2010).
The approximate number of families is 2,807 (1990), 2957 (2010).
The amount of land area in Dalhart is 9.327 sq. kilometers.
The amount of surface water is 0 sq kilometers.
The distance from Dalhart to Washington DC is 1459 miles.
The distance to the Texas state capital is 484 miles. (as the crow flies)
Dalhart is positioned 36.06 degrees north of the equator and 102.51 degrees west of the prime meridian.
Dalhart elevation is 3,985 feet above sea level.
Dalhart average annual precipitation is 18 inches peryear.
Dalhart average annual snowfall is 10-12 inches per year.
Dalhart average temperature is 55 degrees F.

Location

in the northwest corner of the Texas panhandle. Dalhart is 46 miles from Clayton (NM), 85 miles from Amarillo and 71 miles from Guymon (OK)
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Climate

mild. The average high in the summer is 85 degrees with the high in the winter being about 55 average. The last frost is usually by April 22 and the first frost ordinarily comes by October 17.
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History & History Related Items

Dalhart was first platted in 1901 by W.J. Blair and Charles W. Thornton of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway. Their lines crossed the lines of the Fort Worth and Denver City line. The juncture was briefly known as Twist Junction. One of the railroad supervisors, J.H. Conlen made an old boxcar into a section house at this place. The small settlement later became known as Denrock, which was a merging of the two railroad names. The local newspaper was subsequently named the Denrock Sun, but the Post Office department opposed the name. At that time, the names of both counties were combined to form Delhart and so the name was assigned. The Dalhart Town company was formed on 11 June 1901 by Ora D. Atkinson and others. The town was incorporated on 6 May 1902 and as a city on 6 April 1904. On 21 February 1903, it was voted as the new Dallam County seat. The XIT Ranch and others, including the W.P. Soash Land Company helped the city to flourish.
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Attractions

The official website for Dalhart

XIT Ranch
During the late 1800's, this was the world's largest ranch under fence with three million acres. A Chicago company was granted the land in exchange for the building of the state capitol. The ranch was 200 miles from north to south and 27 miles from east to west. The ranch had 3,000 miles of barbed wire fencing. Initially there were over 110,000 head of cattle. The XIT Ranch has now been divided into many smaller parcels, though some still have 100,000 acres or more.

Xit Rodeo and Reunion
A three day festival held the first Thursday, Friday, and Saturday in August each year.
The Rodeo & Reunion hosts the world's largest free barbecue, a great parade, nightly dances, a PRCA rodeo, amateur rodeo events, performances by well-known artists and much more. It began in 1936 and has continued since that time, getting better every year.

Dallam-Hartley Counties Historical Museum-
108 East 5th Street
Dalhart, TX
Open Monday - Saturday
Many exhibits may be seen here including completely furnished rooms of a frontier home, clothing, firearms, antiques and Indian artifacts plus much more.

Empty Saddle Monument
This monument was inspired by Mrs. John Marsh when she requested a horse with an empty saddle be in the annual XIT Reunion parade in memory of her husband, a former XIT cowboy, who was traveling to Dalhart when he died. A local artist, Bobby Dycke, designed the monument, which was built in 1940, to be symbolic of all those who died in the settling of the area. It is located at the north end of the Highway 87 underpass at Dalhart.

Lake Rita Blanca State Park
Phone: 806-488-2227
1,668 acres are in this park including Lake Rita Blanca. Rita Blanca means Little White River and was named by the Spanish sheep herders during the 1800's.
Features of the park include: hiking, biking, horseback riding and more. Many forms of wildlife inhabit the park, including large numbers of migratory birds.

The XIT Museum
108 E. Fifth Street
Dalhart, Texas
Phone: 806-244-5390
Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday
Visit many historical exhibits, farming and ranching displays and photos of both county histories. The museum has an art gallery which displays local and visiting artist's works.

More information on Dalhart.

Here is a Community website for Dalhart.
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Economy & Industry

primarily agriculture with cattle, corn and wheat.
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Dalhart City Government

Dalhart has a council/manager form of government. There is a nine-member city council. The manager is appointed by the council.

Dalhart is situated in two counties, Dallam and Hartley, but it serves as the county seat of Dallam county.

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Dalhart Municipal Airport
This airport was a former Army Air Base. The runways are 75 feet wide. One runway is 6,399 feet long while the other is 5,420 feet long. It operates during daylight hours only. The airport is owned by the city
Phone: 806-249-5521

Dalhart Chamber

The Dalhart Area Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 967
Dalhart, Texas 79022
Phone: 806-244-5646
Email

Dalhart Organizations

The Dalhart Area Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 967
Dalhart, Texas 79022
Phone: 806-244-5646
Email

Dalhart Schools

The Dalhart Independent School District
Phone: 806-244-7810 Dalhart

Miscellany

The population of Dalhart was:
1912 - 3,500
1950 - 5,899
1980 - 6,854
1990 - 6,246
2000 - 7,438