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White Deer Land Museum

116 S. Cuyler

Pampa, TX 79065

Second office of White Deer Lands in Pampa

When the Francklyn Land and Cattle Company was organized in 1882, a log cabin on White Deer Creek near the Canadian River served as its headquarters. After British bondholders foreclosed on the Francklyn company in 1886, the log house became the first office for White Deer Lands.

For a short time the second office of White Deer Lands was a log cabin near a lake in the southwestern part of the present town of White Deer.

The third office of White Deer Lands was in a farmhouse about two miles southeast of the present town of White Deer.

In September 1891 George Tyng, manager of White Deer Lands from 1886 until 1903, began the construction of buildings at Sutton (Pampa) in preparation for moving the company to that location, The move was made about the time the Southern Kansas Railroad changed the name of "Sutton" to "Pampa.

The first office of the White Deer Land Company in Pampa was in a two-room frame house at 318 West Atchison.

In October, 1906, the White Deer Land Company constructed its second office building in Pampa at 124 South Cuyler. The building was constructed by R.C. Dessieux of Panhandle for $1, 404.35.

M.K. Brown, C.P. Buckler and A.H. Doucette had their own private golf course which extended from the railroad tracks to the "draw" (Red Deer Creek). Brown had the only set of clubs which the three men used in turn.

The school term of 1906-1907 opened in September at 513 East francis in the original one-room schoolhouse which had been extended to three rooms. There were 150 pupils, and the teachers were Mr. and Mrs. John V. Thomas and Miss Julia Martin.

In 1906 Orren W. "Hoodie" Harrah, son of Joseph Wilson Harrah, had Pampa's first barber shop in a 16 foot square building in the 101 block of South Cuyler.

Bess Crow Atchinson started the first beauty parlor. People exclaimed "What woman would go away from home to have her hair washed!" The women of Pampa did not go to the beauty parlor, and it had to close for lack of customers.

When Beryl Wynne Vicars related this story to the Pampa Genealogical Society in 1964, she laughingly remarked, "Now WHO would wash her hair AT HOME? ... Times have changed."

After the White deer Land Company constructed its third office building in Pampa at 116 South Cuyler (present museum) in 1916, the corner at Cuyler and Atchison was occupied for many years by a Magnolia filling station.

One of the proprietors of the filling station was J.S. Carter, father of Lucy Line and grandfather of Virginia Brook. J.S. and Nannie Carter lived at 321 East Kingsmill in a house said to be the fifth house built in Pampa.

From 1963 until 1970, a building at 124 South Cuyler was occupied by White's Super Service. From 1975 until 1982, the building was occupied by United Parcel Service. The building was used as the Car Clinic office in 1986-1987.

The Pampa City Directory for 1988 lists 124 South Cuyler as the address of the White Deer Land Museum Annex.