The Ozark Trail at Tampico

In 1913, William Hope "Coin" Harvey, who operated a resort in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, founded the Ozark Trail Association as a private highway organization. Several Texas and New Mexico counties joined the effort, and the line went diagonally from St. Louis, Missouri to Santa Fe, New Mexico. As part of Harvey's plan, stops along the way featured white obelisks denoting, in the official Ozark Trail green lettering, town names, as well as directions and distances to other towns. The central Ozark route passed across Wellington, Texas, and a second southern route was built through the communities of Childress, Estelline, Tampico, Turkey, Quitaque, Silverton, Tulia, Nazareth and Dimmitt. J.E. Swepston of Tulia, elected Ozark Trail Association president in 1920, was instrumental in having the striking road markers placed in this area. At the time, Hall County had more than 1,000 farms and ranches, and ranchland continued to be divided into farms as more settlers arrived in the area. In 1924, however, with a government initiative to enact a national road-numbering system, the Ozark Trails and other private highways were abandoned or absorbed into the national road system. Adjacent to the Tampico marker was a service station and general store. In 1929, the Tampico oilfield started a short-lived boom in the community, which supported a school. After the oil supply proved minimal, the school consolidated into the Turkey school district. The obelisk, designated a State Archeological Landmark in 1999, remains as a tie to both the early efforts to increase automotive travel and to the community of Tampico. (2006)

The Ozark Trail at Tampico is a historical marker in Turkey, Hall County, dedicated in 2005. It is one of 10 historical markers documented in Hall County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 17 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 34.4730, -100.7786 near Turkey. The nearest cataloged historic site is Dreamland Cemetery (cemetery), about 8.4 miles away. Others within a short drive include First Methodist Church of Turkey, Turkey High School, and Hotel Turkey.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5507013818. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.