Friday, April 6, 2018

Looking at small tidbits of Loving County, Texas history.

This news article will take a look back at some small tidbits of the history of Loving County, Texas.

Prehistorically the area of Loving County had many springs that supported drinkable water to wildlife and nomadic hunters. Antonio de Espejo was said to have visited the area in 1583 and crossed the Pecos River into present day Loving County.

From 1837 to 1874, the area of modern day Loving County was part of Bexar County. John Pope surveyed the area in 1854 for a railroad company and returned in the year of 1855 to start a camp in northwestern Loving County and establish artesian wells in the area, but the venture was unsuccessful and was abandoned in 1861. In 1874 it was separated from Bexar County and became a part of Tom Green County. Oil was discovered  Loving County in 1921.

Loving County is named for Oliver Loving who a cattle rancher and pioneer of the cattle drive. Oliver Loving, along with Charles Goodnight, developed the Goodnight-Loving Trail in the vicinity of the county.

Loving County is served by the Wink Independent School District. Mentone’s school district (Mentone ISD aka Mentone Independent School District) was closed and consolidated into Wink ISD in 1972 as student enrollment had fallen to just two pupils. Mentone had an elementary school until 1972.

Today as of 2018, Loving County has no other incorporated communities as its county seat and only community is Mentone.

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