Holmes, Alma
Mrs. Alma Holmes sketches the beginnings of Plainview and Floydada, Texas, giving names of early pioneers and offering an interpretation of town development. She also discusses the early colleges founded on the Plains and names some of their first faculty members.
General Interview Information
Interviewee Name: Alma Holmes
Additional Parties Recorded:
Date: February 2, 1956; July 13, 1983
Location: Lubbock and Duncanville, Texas
Interviewer: LWC History Roundtable, Richard Mason
Length: 2 hours, 10 minutes
Abstract
Tape 1, Side 1: Introduction of Mrs. Holmes author of Floydada history,
Invites audience to 50th anniversary of Floydada’s founding,
History of Floydada,
Nine Childress men went to establish town in
Lubbock (1890) but disliked terrain and mesquites,
Mrs. Carolyn B. Price from St. Louis Missouri
offered 4 sections to start a town in Floyd County,
W. T. Montgomery laid out town,
J. D. Starks built first house saloon,
Prairie fire Panhandle Indian scare mentioned,
Uncle Hank Smith dug public well,
Matador Ranch antipathy discussed,
County seat and cowboys’ role reviewed,
Llano Estacado Railroad Company and importance of
railroad to town development stressed,
Town fire from IOOF hall,
Amarillo, Plainview Southern Railroad and Santa Fe Railroad described,
Plainview’s early history recounted,
R. B. C. Howell drove a flock of sheep from
Breckinreidge to Plainview (1889),
Dr. J. H. Wayland (1901),
Floydada’s name origin speculated upon,
County seat contest mentioned,
Baker Mercantile Store named.
Tape 1, Side 2: Blank
Tape 2, Side 1: Central Plains Academy,
School at Della Plain,
Wayland Baptist College,
Seth Ward College,
Southern Presbyterian Academy,
Lockney Christian College.
Tape 2, Side 2: Blank
Tape 3, Side 1: Floyd County,
Texas—Irrigation,
Wells,
Subsidy from Chamber of Commerce,
Hilltop well,
Motivation for sinking a well,
Crops grown,
Wells (again),
Discussion of sales receipts,
Frequency of irrigation,
Promotion of vegetables,
Electricity,
Irrigation (again),
Effect of labor situation,
World War II,
Labor (again),
Migrant labor,
Mechanization,
Reluctance to irrigate.
Tape 3, Side 2: Hailstorms,
Ard Tie,
Electricity,
L. A. Marshall,
Promotion of fruits and vegetables,
Promotion of migrant labor,
Dairy operation (1930s),
Depression, Floyd County,
Post-war changes,
Increased costs of farming,
Cotton seed,
Fertilizer and herbicide,
Conservation,
Water,
Soil,
Dairy operation (again),
Ed Holmes,
Co-ops,
Depression (again).
Tape 4, Side 1: Depression (continued),
Farm foreclosures,
Diversified farming,
Depression (again),
Government programs,
World War II (again),
Labor,
Family background,
Parents,
C. W. Smith,
Settlement in Floyd County,
Annie Mickey Smith,
Father moves to Lockney Texas,
Lockney Christian College,
Mrs. Holmes,
Born: Floyd County (May 30 1907),
Irrigation well (again),
Selling water,
Swimming pool.
Tape 4, Side 2: Blank
Range Dates: 1889-1983
Bulk Dates: 1907-1950
Access Information
Original Recording Format:
Recording Format Notes:
Transcript:
Thank you for your interest in this oral history interview. Our oral history collection is available to patrons in the Southwest Collection's Reading Room, located on the campus of Texas Tech University. For reading room hours, visit our website. Please contact Reference Staff at least one week prior to your visit to ensure the oral history you are interested in will be available. Due to copyright issues, duplications of our oral histories can only be made for family members. If an oral history transcript has been made available online, the link will be provided on this page. More information on accessing our oral histories is located here. Preferred citation style can be found here.
