Let's go to Stiles, TX!

This is a story about true cities, though the trip is a combination of various trips.

Heading north on TX 137, just west of where it splits off from Ranch Road 33, one passes this mileage sign. Let's go check out Stiles!



Stiles is located on TX 137, north of Big Lake. Continuing the 6 miles to Stiles, one comes across the road to the old cemetery.


Pulling to the side of the road, you will see the historical marker the state planted about the cemetery in 1970.


Seeing as there is a road to the cemetery, it is only a mile, and the cemetery is on county land, let's go check it out.

Turning west onto the cemetery road, you will find a dirt road and lots of oil wells. Proceed until you come to a junction.


Following the sign, turn right and continue to the cemetery.





William Branch is the only veteran of the Spanish American War buried in the cemetery


I have no idea what the story is, but this was certainly a tough 8 days for the Moody family. Three daughters died, on August 12th, 16th, and 20th. The cause of death are listed on the USGenWeb Project website.


Looking toward the North East from the cemetery, one notices this old building. Let's go check it out!


Go back out the way you came, and continue north on TX 137. After the road turns to the west, you will see a historical marker on the left.


So the building is the original courthouse! Nope. That is actually the 1911 courthouse. The original one was a frame courthouse. It was replaced with a new one in 1911 with stone quarried near by.

You can get a pretty good view of the courthouse from the highway.



Let's go check it out. Continue down TX 137 until you see the sign telling you to turn south to the courthouse.


The road loops around the courthouse. Feel free to park and walk around the structure. It is fenced off.

The building was struck by arson in January of 1999.

The courthouse skeleton and the cemetery are all that remain of the town of Stiles. You can read more about the fire at western-ghost-towns.com

So what happened to Stiles? Well, the railroad went through Big Lake instead of Stiles and oil was discovered in Big Lake. So in 1925, the county seat moved to Big Lake. Let's head south on TX 137 to Big Lake.

The flowers are pretty.


Big Lake is known for the big lake that is south of town. It is a playa lake and has been used for thousands of years by animals and humans. A while back the Texas Archeological Research Laboratory conducted a study on a bison kill site in the Big Lake.

The new courthouse, built in 1927, was built in Big Lake, at East 3rd and North Plaza avenue. With the lack of a railroad and losing the county seat, Stiles became a ghost town.