Field Guides
Baird, Texas
(Callahan COUNTY)
Ranch roads, red soil, and the simple rhythm of rural West Texas.
Highlights
It is amazing what you can find if you are willing to journey just a few miles off the interstate. Baird, the county seat of Callahan County, is a perfect example. Downtown Baird lies just 14 miles south of I-20, which carries every car between Fort Worth and El Paso. Abilene is 20 miles to the west, so those needing a stop generally opt for the much bigger city.
Downtown Baird is charming and well-kept. The shopping district eschews the usual county square format for a main street that runs into the county courthouse. The Texas legislature once named Baird “The Antique Capital of West Texas” but the number of quality antique stores has declined. Still, there are boutiques and stores to peruse. In addition to shopping, there is a fascinating museum and one of Texas’s better high school football stadiums.
Elsewhere in the County are the small towns of Cross Plains and Clyde. Clyde is even closer to Abilene and has the feel of a bedroom community. Cross Plains is more “true rural.”
Callahan County is not action-packed, but an afternoon there would be well worth the time spent.
The County Courthouse
As befitting a county well known for preservation, the Callahan County courthouse dates back quite a stretch. Baird became the county seat in 1883. The town built a close replica of the Tom Green (San Angelo) courthouse. The builders of the new Callahan County Courthouse may or may not have used the San Angelo plans without compensating the architect.
By 1900, the county must have wanted a unique design. That year, the commissioners authorized a new building to be built using the original structure’s bricks. In 1929, the county decided the third time was a charm, opting for the current structure. In 2020, the County received a substantial grant for Courthouse renovation. That project is almost complete, allowing the County the luxury of a modern inside courthouse in the shell of a perfectly preserved 1929 model.
The style is “Transitional Classic Revival.” Texas Ten put the phrase in quotes because we had to look it up, and it made sense after we did. Transitional means that while the building’s roots are classic, there are modern touches. The most striking thing about the Callahan County Courthouse is its imposing size; the building overlooks and anchors the town. Clean lines fit the area’s ethos; there is no nonsense here. The Courthouse has mature trees on the lawn, but they do not choke the view of the building.
All in all, a strong effort.
Things To See And Do
Another preservation effort provides a fitting counterweight to the Courthouse described in its own section. On the other end of Market Street, Baird’s commercial thoroughfare, is the Texas & Pacific Depot. Like the courthouse, the depot has enjoyed a spot-on, professional renovation. The depot now serves as a museum documenting the railroad’s importance in Baird, Texas, and the country. If you need to be reminded or if you are traveling with children who need to learn, the T&P Depot in Baird is a great place to stop.
Between the depot and the Courthouse, you do not have to squint too hard to see what an old train town looked like. The other thing to see in Baird is the high-school football stadium, the Bears’ Den. Texas Ten overromanticizes Friday Night Lights, but the entry to the Bears Den is just about perfect.
Outside of Baird, there are three places of interest. Fans of Conan the Barbarian may want to stop by the Robert Howard Museum in Cross Plains, a small homage to the character’s originator. Fans of Americana definitely want to stop at Woody’s Classic Car and Baseball Museum, also in Cross Plains. As you can see from the linked website, this is a top-notch operation. We are not sure if they serve apple pie. Close to Clyde is the Pleasant Harvest Strawberry Farm. In season, you can pick your own berries; nothing better than an ultra-fresh strawberry?
Callahan County is popular for whitetail deer hunting, and there are rumors of exotics. With the right timing, hogs, turkeys, quail, and dove can also be had. The best fishing is on Lake Clyde, where some large catfish are lurking. At 374 acres, Lake Clyde allows for boating and good camping. Lake Baird and Lake T& P are smaller spots that offer variety. Lake Baird and Lake Clyde can lose water levels during droughts.
Food, Drinks, And Music (Eat Local!)
Baird has few local offerings but high quality. Railhead Tavern and Circa 1880 are full-service, varied menus concentrating on elevated American cuisine in lovely settings. Quicker bites are available in the pizza category at Darner Pizza Co.
There is nightlife in Baird! The B & C Patio is a venue/bar with regular entertainment and a chill atmosphere.
Nearby, Clyde has Cafe 79510, an excellent place for breakfast and lunch. If you deserve a treat, Jolly’s Scoops will soothe the soul and the throat with magical ice cream locations. Also, Jolly’s is a diner so you can have a “balanced meal.” Pizza House is a longtime local favorite. Butterman’s Grill is the stop for a quick but good burger. Local Tex-Mex is in Clyde at El Mercado and La Tejanita Burritos & Bakery.
Cross Plains has a premier country-style diner with Jean’s Feedbarn. Variety is in Cross Plains with Bubba’s Smokehouse for Barbecue and Cajun and Mexico City Cafe for the enchilada loverz.
Texas Ten was sad to learn that Don Luis Cafe had gone out of business. The Tex-Mex and Cuban entries were both excellent.
Where To Drop A Dime (Shop Local!)
Baird is great for carnivores. Fresh beef from Railhead Market will make you look like a grilling genius. Robertson’s Hams on I-20 at exit 307 is one of five outposts of the popular Texas chain that sells smoked meats, jerky, and makes a great ham sandwich. Downtown Baird also features gift shops and boutiques like Needful Things, The Stem and Jasmine’s Boutique, and River and Ryatt Boutique. And who doesn’t like an ironically named candy store, Grumpy’s Lollipops?
In Clyde, the Feathered Star is high-quality quilting, and Lil’ Red Wagon Boutique can outfit Texas women with a sassy Western flair.
Texas 36 Apparel in Cross Plains is several cuts above your usual country boutique in quality and style. The same can be said for Hardwick’s Nursery and Farmer’s Market, one of two locations (the other is in Early) that will give that refined rustic feel to your house, yard, and kitchen.
If you are interested in a hunting experience or a guide in the area but have no lease, try First Shot Outfitters or Fleming Day Hunts.
Special Places To Lay Your Head (Stay Local!)
No great hotel, but a smattering of charming, rustic spots for short-term rentals are available. Depending on your needs, the Bella Plain Inn, the Callahan Divine, the Magical Treehouse or Ryders Treehouse, the Barn at Wayward Crossing, or our favorite, the Bella Plain Caboose, will make you feel at home in or around Baird.
For The Professional Traveller (Campgrounds and RV Parks)
Lonestar RV Park Lake Clyde Park (Campground, RV, and Cabins)
Special Events
The livestock show takes center stage in January of each year. Throughout the year, a variety of rodeo events are held at the Callahan County Sheriff’s Posse Arena. All of Cross Plains and then some turn out for Summer Bash in late May. In Clyde, the Festival by the Lake in late August is the party of the year.
Fore! (Golf Courses)
Baird (maybe surprisingly) features a charming and manageable full course at Shady Oaks. Not to be confused with Ben Hogan’s home course, Shady Oaks CC in Fort Worth, but maybe Baird will produce a future great like Dublin produced Hogan.
Shady Oaks Golf Course
3542 County Road 268
Baird, TX 79504
(325) 854-1757
Getting To Callahan County
Baird and Callahan County are almost precisely in the center of Texas on the east/west axis and just slightly north of center on the north/south axis. Brady, the state’s geographic center, is just an hour and 30 minutes due south. Drivetime from other Texas cities can be found here. Baird is only a mile or two south of I-20 from Fort Worth to all points west, more specifically, in between the exits for Eastland and Abilene. The closest North/South interstate is far away, running through Fort Earth. State Highway 283, however, takes you right into Baird.
Major carriers will land you in Dallas (Love Field) or in between Dallas and Fort Worth (DFW), with drives of more than an hour and a half to get you to Baird. American Airlines services Abilene Regional Airport, so you do not necessarily have to rent a car at DFW to get there. Baird has no municipal airport; the closest one is Coleman Municipal Airport. Abilene also has an Executive Airpark close to Callahan County. There are two small private fields in Callahan County, Owen Field and Ross Planes Airport.
History
The area now called Callahan County was Comanche territory until the 1870s. Even still, European involvement began in 1840, as the Chihuahua Expedition led by Henry C. Connelly surveyed “new lands” in Texas. The Comanches were fierce warriors steadfast in their traditions and protectors of their tribal lands. Because of this, very little building took place here until after the Civil War. Any towns that were built in Comanche territory were subjected to frequent raids and attacks.
By 1858, the Texas Legislature had organized the lands to create Callahan County. It would be named for James Huges Callahan, who was a Goliad Massacre survivor and leader of the Callahan Expedition in 1855, an unauthorized invasion into Mexican territory, allegedly to punish Lipan Apaches for raids, but more likely was an expedition to recapture fugitive slaves from Texas. By the 1860s, several families had begun to move in, establishing small cattle ranches throughout. In 1874, one of the six Texas Rangers’ Frontier Batallion units came to “clear out” the remaining Comanche.
By 1875, settling was safe, and more families began to move to the region. The first town of Belle Plain was where land for a state school site was purchased. The origins of its name vary from either the bell shape of the surrounding county to the more popular version that it was named for the first child born in the townsite, Katie Belle Magee. The Western Trail, which saw some 3,500 cattle heading up to Nebraska, passed through the area where Baird is now. With the population growing in 1877, 150 residents petitioned to organize Callahan County, with Belle designated as the county seat. Just three years later, as the Texas and Pacific Railway set to pass through Baird, the county seat moved to Baird.
Cotton farming extended into Callahan County during the 1880s. Despite a severe drought in the 1890s, Callahan became one of the state’s cotton culture leaders by 1910. In addition to success in agriculture, cattle ranching remained an economic driver in the county. Though beef cattle remained, dairy cattle and its byproducts became another successful financial venture for the county.
Like many other counties in Texas, Callahan was struck during the Depression. Falling agricultural prices, a boll weevil infestation, and failing farms forced many farmers off their lands. However, the agrarian downturn meant more available lands for oil speculators, offsetting the economy during the 1930s. Ranching and farming bolstered the economy after WWII, and with the diversification of agribusiness, it became and remains the top employer in the county.
Today, Callahan County has a population of roughly 14,000, with recent growth below the state average. The county is almost 90% white/non-Hispanic with approximately 6% Hispanic ancestry and 4% African American, Native American, mixed, or other. Median Income falls about 10% below the state average, but fewer households are below the poverty line in Callahan County than elsewhere. High School graduates make up 94% of the population, which is well above the state norm, but college degrees are at 23%, well below the state average. The median age of 43.8 years is well above the rest of the state and country. As you might guess, Callahan County is deep red politically.
For a small county, Callahan bred several notable athletes. They are Cleveland Browns Center “Quincy” Armstrong, American Football Coach Jesse Burleson, football guard Cliff Patton, American Football end Stan Williams, and American rodeo performer “Cadillac” Jack Favor. In the literary world, Callahan County had its share of notable writers as well, namely: Feminist Gertrude Beasley, Robert E. Howard, who Created the Character Conan the Barbarian and the subgenre sword and sorcery, and playwright Larry L. King, writer of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.
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