The following images depict life in Childress County, Texas from 1850 to 1950 including  Arlie, Cee Vee, Childress, Carey, Tell and Kirkland

In the 1920s four well-dressed men posed in front of a period car in Childress Texas

A Childress County Texas farmer poses on top of farm equipment in this photo probably in the 1930s

Cute picture of a little boy and his toddler sister standing on the running board of the family car in Childress Texas

A man and his wife posed with their little one in front of their car in Childress Texas in the 1930s

In the 1930s J.M. Grady sat on his running board to pose for this crystal clear photo of his car and one wheeled trailer containing his planing mill in Childress Texas

Drug Store Soda Fountain in 1943

A soldier at the drug store soda fountain in Childress Texas enjoys a drink with the soda jerk standing ready to serve behind the counter in 1943

A dozen men working on the street with a machine puffing out smoke in Childress Texas in the 1920s.

Four cars parked in front of the Childress County Courthouse in this 1960s postcard

Much more than just a hand drawn map, it includes wonderful drawings of the buildings and street names as they were in 1890

In 1934 a farm family posed on their farm near Childress Texas. Sadly they lost their farm to the dust bowl and depression shortly after this photo was taken.

Downtown Childress in Early 1930s

Amazing photo of downtown Childress Texas in the early 1930s

Busy day in downtown Childress Texas in this postcard from the 1950s shows Ira's Cafe, Harp Drugs, the Coffee Sop, Monagram store and more

Twenty seven cowboys break for dinner on the OX ranch in 1886. Headquartered about six miles from the current location of Childress Texas. The OX ranch covered the southern part of Childress County and extended south into Hardeman, Cottle, and Motley counties

Huge crystal clear photo of the Childress Texas High School band in 1939

In 1940 a beautiful young woman named Kathryn McNabb posed dressed all in white for this photo showing her style and personality in Childress Texas.

A man struggles to light his cigarette in a wind in Carey Texas in 1938

On October 12, 1943 six WASP's (Women Air Service Pilots) were receiving ground training to become pilots in Childress Texas. The WASP's flew every plane the Army Air Forces possessed and every type of mission a male pilot flew during WWII except combat.

The Young Men's Christian Association in Childress Texas as it appeared in 1907 in a photo postcard titled "The Denver Road"

In 1917 J.J. Pigott, a Childress Texas dealer in hardware, automobiles, stoves and more produced a window display for his hardware store from items he sold at his store. The photo was featured in Hardware Dealers' Magazine in preparation for World War One. The article describes items he used for this patriotic window display and how he did it.

In 1940 a beautiful young woman posed for this photo in Childress Texas. Does anyone recognize her?

Busy day in Childress Texas with vitage cars in this very nice photo from 1930s

Slow day in Childress Texas in the 1890s on Main Street, looking north showing a horse-drawn wagon making its way down the wide dirt street.

In the 1940s an unnamed man posed with his car in front of Todd's Service station in Childress Texas

On March 06, 1907 a woman named Beula wrote to a friend named Reuben on this picture postcard that depicted a local hotel and the City National Bank in Childress.

Loading Bombs in Childress WW2

During a dress rehearsal soldiers were photographed loading bombs in Childress Texas during World War 2

Great old photo of Main Street in Childress Texas in 1950 showing Main Drugs, Gate City Ice Cream, First National Bank and more

Drug Store in Kirkland Texas in 1908

Interior view of a drug store in Kirkland Texas in 1908 showing two customers and two soda jerks standing ready to serve up more CocaCola for 5 cents

In 1910 three men and four women posed for this wonderful old photo in Childress Texas. Beaulah Creufs is identified in the center holding what appears to be a tamborine in one hand and brochures in the other.

Very busy day in downtown Childress Texas in the 1950s

Very nice old photo of buildings that lined Commerce Street in Childress in 1920 including a visual gas pump on the street

Huge highly-detailed photograph of the interior of Joe E. Woodard's store in Childress Texas in 1925. Joe is in the black hat on the right. In addition to operating his store he also played banjo in a band with his brothers and they often traveled up to two days by wagon to play in barn dances in the Panhandle

In 1938 a migrant farmer's wife stands in a field in somewhere in Childress County Texas shielding her eyes from the intense West Texas sun

Sometime between 1915 and 1930 an unknown photographer captured this beautiful photo to the YMCA in Childress Texas

In 1915 a very dapper looking J. G. Rush posed for this portrait in Childress Texas

Photo of the Hotel Denver in Childress Texas with horses tied to hitching posts and a lone cowboy with very tall boots walking down the middle of the street

Beautiful old photo of the First Methodist Episcopal Church in Childress Texas in 1908

On October 24, 1919 an unknown photographer took this photo of a horse drawn buggy pulled up in front of the White Rose Cafe in Childress Texas.

This rare image of the back office of the Childress Texas railroad depot from the 1890s shows a lot going on behind the ticket counter . . .

In 1908 three workers at a cotton gin in Childress Texas climbed on top of bales of cotton while one remained on his bale loading wagon to pose for this rare old photograph.

Sometime in the late 1890s twenty four railroad office workers posed on and around a steam locomotive in Childress Texas

Sometime in the early 1900s a mother and son posed in their carriage for this photo. The Childress County Courthouse can be seen in the background.

In 1920, 22 volunteer fireman posed with their fire truck in front of the fire station in Childress Texas

In 1926 a photographer captured this image of 1st Street in Childress Texas with Model Ts lining the street as a mule-drawn wagon lumbers down the middle of the dirt street

In November of 1909, Main Street in Childress was filled with horse-drawn freight wagons hauling bales of cotton . . . view full size

In 1914, D.L. Smith fell ill before he could harvest his crop. 19 of his neighbors showed up with their mules and equipment to harvest his crop for him. Mark Hanna from Childress captured the event on film. This tradition of farmers helping sick neighbors and widows with the harvest is one that is practiced today in small farming communities across Texas. . . . see this amazing composite photo full size

Confederate Veterans in Childress Texas in 1920s

Sometime in the 1920's a group of Confederate veterans gathered in Childress Texas and posed for this group photo . . . see full size

Two years after this photo was taken Carey was home to 25 families and had a post office, a school, a cotton gin, three churches, and a general store . . . See the image full size

In 1938 the wife of an Childress County migrant worker posed in her doorway for this highly detailed image that shows both desperation and hope in her face

. . . Look closer

Abandoned Cafe in Carey Texas in 1937

. . . zoom in

Childress County farmer reads letter on the post office porch . . . zoom in

A four-horse team plows a field with rows that seem to reach to the horizon in Childress County Texas in 1938 . . . zoom in on this large photo

Tractor operator stops his early tractor and two row planter to pause for picture in Childress County Texas in 1938 . . . zoom in on this highly detailed photo

The Postmaster of Carey Texas relaxes to smoke his pipe at a local filling station in 1938.

Resources:

West Texas History & Memories (Face Book Group)

Early Life in Texas County by County

Books about Texas People and Places

Famous People from Texas County by County