William H. Dodd

Dodd reported that by 1892 the town had "a population of possibly 150, who lived mostly in tents," along with his own store, two saloons, one Roy Bean's and one owned by Torres, and the railroad depot and refueling station. In 1884 the Langtry post office had opened and business had grown. Long after his death the Dodd family still held most of the town: in the early 1970s, living in San Antonio and Del Rio, they offered nearly all of it except the state's visitor center for sale. It apparently never sold.

What the plaque says

William H. Dodd Born in 1868, England native William H. Dodd settled in Val Verde County by 1894, establishing a ranch and general merchandise store. He also served as postmaster, operating the post office from his store, which occupied this site for many years. Dodd and his wife, Lula, also owned a rooming and boarding house and were both active in the Langtry community. She organized town festivals, and between 1892 and 1933, he served in many official positions, including Justice of the Peace and County Commissioner. Dodd also reportedly aided Mexican revolutionaries, providing them with arms and other supplies. Remembered fondly by much of Langtry, Dodd died in 1935, survived by Lula and their four children. (2003)

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Judge Roy Bean Visitor Center — 0.7 mi
  The state travel center at Langtry, built around the saloon where Roy Bean held court as justice of the peace for twenty years, in a town named for a railroad foreman.
• Pecos River Overlook — 14 mi
  A roadside pullout at the east end of the US-90 bridge, looking down into the gorge that made the Pecos a barrier for travelers and a byword for the edge of the law.
• Seminole Canyon State Park and Historic Site — 17 mi
  The state park west of Comstock where rangers lead visitors down to Fate Bell Shelter and its Pecos River-style paintings, some three to four thousand years old.
• Shumla Archaeological Research and Education Center — 24 mi
  The Comstock research center that documents the Lower Pecos murals, which it calls the oldest books in North America, and opens its headquarters to visitors four days a week.

More markers nearby

• Langtry — steps away
• The Torres Family — steps away
• Law West of The Pecos — steps away
• Langtry School — steps away