Wentworth

Wentworth's rival was the work of Charles G. Adams, a rancher and merchant from Fort McKavett who settled two miles north of Winkler's Well about 1885, the Handbook of Texas says. He named the site Sonora in 1887 after a family servant from Sonora, Mexico, and offered free lots. In 1890, when it was chosen county seat, Sonora had eighteen houses, three stores, two livery stables, two hotels, a combined schoolhouse and Masonic lodge and fourteen tents. Mike Murphy began the weekly Devil's River News that year; by 1990 it was the county's oldest continuously operating business.

What the plaque says

Situated in 1880's at water well of A. J. Winkler, who platted townsite, gave title bond, and named place for Fort Terrett area rancher P. H. Wentworth. The residents occupied tents and picket homes. Principal building was two-story school, church, and hall of Dee Ora Lodge No. 715, A.F. & A.M. Town had a post office Aug. 1890 - Aug. 1891. Postmaster was Thomas Stevenson, uncle of a future Texas governor. Losing 1891 county seat election to Sonora, Wentworth citizens moved away. Lodge hall, relocated late 1891 in Sonora, served as school and community building until 1938. (1972)

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Caverns of Sonora — 8.5 mi
  A show cave on a Sutton County ranch, opened in 1960 by cavers who wanted to stop the damage, and dense with helictites that grow sideways in every direction.

More markers nearby

• Site of Sonora Town Well — 3.6 mi
• Colonel John S. Sutton — 3.6 mi
• Sutton County — 6.0 mi
• Substation No. 14 — 19 mi