Field Guides
Muleshoe, Texas
(Bailey COUNTY)
High plains farming community with stunning sunsets and wide-open skies.
Highlights
Muleshoe is the only city of any size in Bailey County, which sits on the western edge of the Panhandle (bordering New Mexico) about halfway up the north/south state boundary. Chances are that if you find yourself in Muleshoe, you are (a) selling or servicing farm equipment, (b) passing through, or (c) both. That does not mean it is not a nice place; it is just more than a little bit out of the way.
Bailey County is much more pleasant than one might guess. The county is at a general elevation of around 4,000 feet, so the weather is cooler than that often associated with West Texas. The average July high daily temperature is a relatively mild 92 degrees with low humidity. While the area does not get much rain, a good groundwater supply makes things greener than most of West Texas. That weather pattern and those resources are why farming, rather than ranching, is the area’s lifeblood.
In addition to the relatively temperate climate, there is more to Bailey County wildlife than humans, cows, and rattlesnakes. The area is an important pit stop for migratory birds. Mule deer and quail provide hunting opportunities.
Still, it takes a combination of stubborn optimism, pragmatism, and self-reliance to build a life in remote West Texas. So it is only fitting that the town named itself for a mule and has become quasi-famous for its celebration of that heritage.
The Bailey County Courthouse
A. C. Butler designed the Bailey County Courthouse in the Classical-Revival style. W. M. Rice Construction Company of Dallas completed the building in 1925.
Things To See And Do
Stop number one has to be “Ol’ Pete,” the one and only National Mule Memorial. In the 1960s, Muleshoe wrestled the honor of hosting the national mule memorial from Fort Worth, a blow that Cowtown may now just be recovering from. It turned out that a bronze mule statute cost more than anyone bargained for. Displaying that trademark pragmatism, the organizers switched to a fiberglass mode. Ol’ Pete dominates the main drag now, welcoming travelers from his post next to the Chamber of Commerce. He has moved occasionally, most famously attending George W. Bush’s inauguration in Washington, D.C. There may have been a few pranks also.
Surprisingly, Muleshoe is home to quite a bit of biodiversity. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service operates the Muleshoe Wildlife Refuge. The more than 6,000-acre refuge has three saltwater lakes set among prairie grasses. The lakes attract a wide variety of migratory birds, particularly sandhill cranes. The peak season for the sandhill cranes is November-early February. Quail can be found year-round. The refuge also hosts a complex network of prairie dog towns, mule deer, fox, coyotes, and the occasional antelope.
Bailey County is a hunting destination because of the mule deer and quail. Coyote Lake Ranch operates private hunts; otherwise, you must find an available lease.
The Muleshoe Heritage Center is a fairly extensive mix of preserved buildings that gives visitors a taste of West Texas life in the early 20th century.
Food, Drinks, and Music (Eat Local!)
The Dinner Bell Restaurant is the best place to find traditional cafe fare and discover what will happen in Bailey County tomorrow. Leal’s in Muleshoe is the original home of a small chain of highly regarded Tex-Mex spots in West Texas. Like many Tex-Mex spots, the restaurant grew up as an offshoot of a tortilla factory. The Leal family hails from Mercedes, Texas, in the Rio Grande Valley, so they bring authenticity to this part of the world. Leal’s has competition for the Tex-Mex market from Taqueria Guadalajara, El Sazon de la Abuela, and La Estrella De Oro. Breakfast burritos have a big following at Kuka’s Burritos.
For a full bar and grill experience, there is Sports Cartel, a new, snazzy joint that looks like fun. Jett’s Fire Barbecue is a food truck with some good reviews. It is primarily catering, but you can check availability on their Instagram account.
Texas Ten was fascinated to find out that (a) there is nightlife in Muleshoe, (2) the preferred venue is OK West, and (3) they recently hosted Afroman. Rancho El Zacatecas is another frequent host of Tejano concerts. To be fair, West Texans do not think much of driving “a piece,” so Alpo’s Barn in Parmer County is within easy striking distance. Some big-name acts play in that “almost famous dance hall.”
Where To Drop A Dime (Shop Local!)
Grit and Grace Boutique is the go-to if you are looking for something special.
Special Places to Lay Your Head (Stay Local!)
There is nothing historic or quaint in your future if you are spending the night in Muleshoe. The local hotels are inexpensive and unevenly reviewed.
For the Professional Traveller (Campgrounds and RV Parks)
Ray and Donna West Free RV Park
Longhorn Estates (575) 571-6180
Martinez RV Parks (575) 329-2709
Sudan RV Park (806) 729-3946
Special Events
The Bailey County Stock Show takes center stage every January.
Muleshoe hosts an active July 4th celebration and Christmas parade.
Fore! (Golf Courses)
The Muleshoe Country Club is a nine-hole track with different tee boxes for each hole for a full 18-hole experience. The course features mature elm trees and has been there since 1953. Despite the Country Club name, it is a semi-private operation that anyone can play.
Getting to Bailey County
If you are driving, chances are you are driving a long way. Muleshoe is right on the New Mexico border, halfway up the panhandle. Muleshoe lies almost five hours north-northwest from the state’s geographic center in Brady, Texas.
Muleshoe is at the intersection of SH 214 and SH 70, bracketed by I-40 to the north and I-20 to the south. Remote is an apt description.
Flying to Muleshoe means Lubbock or Amarillo for a larger airport. Lubbock is about an hour to the southeast, and Amarillo at least an hour and a half to the northeast. American, Southwest, and United service both Lubbock and Amarillo. The nearest airports for smaller craft are in Clovis and Portales, New Mexico, each about 40 miles to the west.
History
Bailey County was named in 1876 to honor Alamo hero Peter J. Bailey. Bailey County did not formally form until 1901, after dividing some of the 3 million acres of XIT Ranch land. The 1900 census only counted four people living in Bailey County, but it snowballed once small tracts of land were sold to farmers and dubbed “poor farms” by cowboys in this area. After the Santa Fe Railroad extended its tracks through the area, a county seat election was held in 1919, naming Muleshoe as Bailey County’s permanent seat.
As more ranch land was divided and promoted to Midwestern farmers by land developers, the county grew. With their vision and efforts, these developers brought prospective buyers to Bailey County by train, further encouraging development. The first irrigation well was dug in 1909; by 1910, the population had increased to 312. Drought later that same year drove many settlers away, but by the 1920s and 1930s, groundwater was discovered, and new farming developments dotted Bailey County.
Farming and ranching dominated the landscape of this county, with wheat, corn, and forage crops grown by new farmers until a gin was purchased for the county in 1923, at which point cotton became the county’s leading crop. Despite the difficulties brought about by the Great Depression and World War II, Bailey’s population and economic stability grew, a testament to its residents’ resilience and hard work. By the 1990s, 160,000 acres of irrigated farmland contributed to Bailey’s income, among the country’s leading counties in agricultural income.
As with most small Texas counties, Bailey’s political trends were consistent with others in that they supported Democratic candidates from 1924 to 1948. By 1952, political sympathies began to shift in favor of Republicans. If it were not for Lyndon Johnson’s candidacy in 1964 and Jimmy Carter’s in 1976, Bailey County would throw most of its votes in favor of whoever the Republican candidate was.
According to the 2020 US Census, Bailey County had a population of 6,672. 65.1 % of the population is Hispanic, 31.7 % is white and non-hispanic, 3.5% is Native American, and 3.2% is black. 15.3 % of the population hold bachelor’s degrees or higher.
Award-winning Young Adult novelist Paula Paul grew up in Bailey County along with Western movie actors Dee Cooper and Lee Horsley, who all called Bailey County home. Recently, two brothers who starred on the gridiron for the Muleshoe Mules have found remarkable success in the college game. With their fast-paced aerial attacks, Lincoln Riley, the head coach at USC and before that at Oklahoma, and his younger brother, Garret, the offensive coordinator at Clemson, give a lie to the image of mules as plodding slow creatures.
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