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The Runnels County Historical Survey Com mittee has announced the three Ranch Tours that will be conducted begin ning on Sunday, Septem ber 8. The touring group will meet at 2 p.m. on the parking area of the County Court House. Arnold Albcorn of Talpa, is chairman, and will be assisted by Neuman Smith as, co-chairman, for planning and narrating history of the visiting ranches. Neuman Smith will conduct the first tour on September 8. It will be conducted in an area of six miles driving distance and will include some of the best known ranches of West Texas. Refreshments will be served by the Survey Committee on the tour. The first stop will be an Old Barn on the Charles Waller place. The barn was built about 1882. It was not only used for the ranch, but was a stop for freighters from Abilene to Runnels City and later to Ballinger. A unique thing about the barn is the large timbers used in the frame of the barn and the large timbers being put together with wooden pegs. The barn is in good state of repairs after more than 90 years of continuous use. The house on the Charles Waller farm was built in 1897 and has been in continuous use for 77 years. Much of the house is built of cyprus wood. The second stop will be the Old Holliday House located on the A. N. Wiley Farm. The large two story house was built in the 1890's and was bought by J. R. Holliday in 1899. The walls of the house are one by twelve with weather board siding. The house has one fireplace on the first floor and also one on the second floor. The wood in the house is cyprus. The yard fence is built of pale cyprus. The house has been vacant for some 10 years. The third stop will be at Hatchel. The 1909, with the coming of the Abilene Southern Railroad to Ballinger, a town lot sale was held and a small town sprang up overnight. The first Hatchel Store and (Continued on Page 3)
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Ballinger Ledger
Ballinger, Texas, US
Thu, Aug 29, 1974
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USA 06 Jul 2026
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