Chillicothe

History

Chillicothe is on U.S. Route 287 (US 287), Farm to Market Road 91, Farm to Market Road 2006, and the Fort Worth and Denver and Santa Fe railroads in eastern Hardeman County. It was founded in the early 1880s and developed rapidly after the construction of the Fort Worth and Denver City Railway in 1887. The community, named by A. E. Jones for his hometown in Missouri, grew up on Wanderer's Creek near the headquarters of W. H. Worsham's R2 Ranch in the 1870s. The post office was established in 1883 with Charles E. Jones as postmaster. A fire destroyed the town in 1890, and citizens rebuilt south of the rail line rather than north. Pioneers include Sam L. Crossley, who became the first mayor in 1903, J. J. Britt, J. A. Shires, and W. L. Ledbetter. Wheat elevators were constructed in 1892–1893, and the town was incorporated in 1907 with a population of 800. Additional rail service from the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway began in 1908. Chillicothe is called the Iris Village because of the many irises gracing the town. The population was 1,610 in 1930 and has been declining ever since. Chillicothe has a hospital, a newspaper, and other businesses. The Chillicothe Hospital officially closed effective July 22, 2019 after 70 years of service.

Geography

Chillicothe is located in eastern Hardeman County and US 287 runs through the center of town, leading southeast to Vernon and west to Quanah, the Hardeman county seat. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land. Wanderers Creek runs past the western side of the city, flowing north towards the Red River at the Oklahoma state line. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Chillicothe has a semi-arid climate, abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps.

Race & ethnicity