Historical Marker
Coke County
Robert Lee, Coke County · Texas
Erected 1936
From about 1700 to the 1870s Comanches (Numunuu) ranged this country, the Handbook of Texas says, contending with Tonkawas to the east and Lipan Apaches to the west. J. J. Austin set up ranch headquarters near Sanco in 1875, and Pate Francher settled in 1877 after driving a herd in for John Austin and Joe McConnel. In 1890 the new county had 163 farms and ranches, 2,059 people, 13,806 cattle and only about 4,000 improved acres. By 1900 it had 480 farms and ranches, more than 46,000 cattle and about 17,500 sheep.
What the plaque says
Formed from Tom Green county. Created March 13, 1889, Organized April 23, 1889. Named in honor of Richard Coke 1829-1896. Governor of Texas 1874-1876, member of United States Senate 1878 - 1896. County seat, Hayrick, 1889 Robert Lee, since 1890.
Where it stands
31.90805, -100.45344 · Directions
Worth the stop nearby
- Fort Chadbourne — 15 miAn 1852 infantry post and Butterfield stage station on a Coke County ranch, its fallen stone buildings rebuilt since 1999 by the descendant of the family that has ranched the land since 1877.
More markers nearby
- Locklin Bartholomew Murray — 1.4 mi
- Robert Lee Cemetery — 1.5 mi
- Fence-Cutting War — 2.2 mi
- Richard Coke — 2.2 mi