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S. M. Merkel gave to us our beginning setting up home in the small village. In 1882 the first post office was established as well as the first church, a Methodist church organized by Rev. R. F. Dunn. 1884 saw the first public
school created as Merkel Common School District Number 11, and in 1885 the first public school building built on the corner of Runnels and North Second Street with donations of lumber, hardware and labor. Merkel's
beginning is generally associated with the coming of the railroad which reached Abilene in 1881 and moved to Merkel soon after.
The people came to the Merkel area, first drifting into the area as hunters, then settling along the creeks and waterways. Some came for land, some came for adventure, and some came for health reasons. Most that came seeking
homes and a better way of life stayed to settle the little community grow. Churches, schools, farms, ranches, and other business were a part of the little village of Merkel, a shipping point on the Texas and Pacific
Railroad, more than twenty years before it became an incorporated city on June 26, 1906.
1889 Western Normal and Commercial College were charted and G. F. West bought the store from Mr. Kennan to begin West Hardware Co. M. J. Cox edited March 20, 1890 the first issue of the Merkel Mail. In addition, in 1890 the
first lumber company opened by J. S. Barnes, and C. M. Largent arrived to open a grocery store. With cotton farming beginning, Mr. Blanchard built the first cotton gin in 1893. John P. Hamm bought the first car in Merkel, a
Pope Toledo Steam Car.
Farmers and Merchants National Bank opened with T. J. Warren as the president in 1904, and the first ice plant built by J. C. Hamm. In addition, that year the Opera House built of native mountain stone by O. C. Sheppard.
1905 was a busy year with the first brass band organized, with instruments ordered from Sears Roebuck, Merkel Bottling Plant operating and J. D. Berry opening a nursery. Clark and Simmons opened the first steam laundry, and
Berry and Craig operated the first skating rink.
In 1915 the first light plant was built by Hoff and Harris, then purchased by John and Frank Hamm who sold it to West Texas Utilities that same year. T. G. Bragg from Hillsboro, in 1916, bought interest in Woodruff Brothers
Store, which later became Bragg Department Store. Max Mellinger opened a dry goods store in 1920.
John Shannon builds the first swimming pool in a dirt tank in 1923. He later built in 1928 a concrete swimming pool fed by the cold well water which entertained many Merkelites.
The oil boom started in the area in 1926 with the Noodle Dome Oil Field opening in the area.
1940, Taylor Electric Co-Operative was organized to provide electricity to the outlying rural areas. Today Taylor Electric Co-Op services part of 9 counties.
About 1926, Dr. Robert Grimes opened a hospital in Merkel and was later joined by Dr. W. T. Sadler. Dr. Sadler later built a 29-bed hospital he operated until it closed in the 1960's, then continued his, practice in the
clinic area. Dr. Donald Warren, a hometown boy, also practices until his death. Dr. Thuy Tran, M.D. took over their practice's, In 1996, Merkel Medical Clinic, sponsored by Abilene Regional Hospital and First Med
sponsored by Hendrick Medical Center opened in 1996 and operated by Physician Assistants to assist with medical treatment.
Once known as a city with many cotton gins, Merkel now has only one gin, the Farmers Co-Op Gin. The Co-Op was first formed in 1933 by a group of farmers who felt that all of their cotton seed plus a fee of five-cents-a-pound
was too high a price to pay for having cotton ginned.
The Merkel Chamber of Commerce was organized November 15, 1955. One of the first projects of the Chamber of Commerce was to sponsor the celebration of Merkel's 75th year and it's 50th year as an incorporated city
highlighted by the production of the CAVALCADE OF MERKEL by local talent. In 1981 the Chamber sponsored a celebration--the centennial of the founding of Merkel and it's 75th year as an incorporated city.
The early settlers of Merkel were men and women of Christian character and felt the need of religious worship to enrich their lives spiritually and to encourage them as they went about their daily task. The churches have
grown steadily through the years from a meager beginning of seven members of the first church to a great increase in August, 1915, when a two-week community-wide revival was held in a tent. Three hundred twenty-five were
converted.
The Methodist Church was organized in 1882 with seven members. Next organized was Grace Presbyterian Church in 1886. First Baptist Church was organized in 1885 with nine members. The first congregation of the Church of Christ
met in 1903. Calvary Baptist was organized in 1931, the Assembly of God in 1945, and the Catholic church was formed in 1919.
As settlers came into the country, schools, and churches were organized. School teachers usually lived with one of the farm families during the school year renting a room. School was centrally located as students came from
all directions, perhaps walking as far as two miles one way. Most of the schools started as one-teacher schools and as population increased, larger buildings were built.
According to the late Mrs. H. C. Reid, author of "History of the Merkel School", the first classes were held in a box car which also served as a post office, a church, a telegraph stations, and a railway station.
Records in the county court house in Abilene, in 1896-97 school term Merkel had a September balance of $58.68, received $49.68 on county school land note, $10.00 from Tent school for seats, and enough from State Funds to
make a total of $1,394.68. Today the Merkel School ISD has a budget over $8 million dollars. A new 500 student High School was completed with classes starting the 96-97 school year. Junior High students moved to the former
high school building, built in the early 1980's, and the elementary was divided with fourth and fifth grades becoming Intermediate moving into the Junior High building. Merkel ISD also completed a new multiple purpose
track, baseball field, and softball field during this rebuilding period.
Merkel ISD comprises a large area and has absorbed all or part of the many early day schools through consolidation. Some of the schools in this consolidation were Mulberry Canyon, Butman, White Church, Nubia, IXL,
Castle Peak, Blair, Mt. Pleasant, and Cross Roads, Noodle-Horn, Union Ridge, Warren, Salt Branch, Stith, Mulberry Flats and Tye.
In January, 1997 a group of 85 people met to discuss our cities strengths and weaknesses and to get a direction where we would like to see Merkel going in the future. Out of this meeting, committees were formed to draw up
recommendations of the needs from the daylong brain storming. The consensus is Merkel will realize the following benefits after completing this strategic planning process:
- 1. A new community-wide consensus on economic development goals and objectives.
- 2. A strategic plan to guide the community in implementing this consensus.
- 3. An ongoing process that can be used in the community to reflect and plan.
- 4. A focused plan that includes actions to be taken for future growth.
- 5. Partnerships developed among various groups in the community with the common interest of promoting Merkel.
- 6. Identified resources or contacts that can be used in the implementation of economic development projects.
- 7. Organized task forces that various groups can participate in while accomplishing their organizational community goals.
- 8. A communications and public relations document for all audiences.
- 9. A mechanism to gauge and account for successful economic development projects.
The group set a vision for Merkel
- 1. Promote a safe and secure quality of life for all citizens.
- 2. Encourage a family oriented community through positive, moral and ethical leadership.
- 3. Promote and develop progressive community growth, maintaining the positive attitude of friendly people.
- 4. Develop a unique city image to create community ownership and increase tourism ("Windmill City").
- 5. Promote business growth by recruiting light manufacturing, agribusiness, outlet malls, motels and small businesses.
- 6. Enhance communication between citizens, civic groups and churches through the recognition of cultural diversity and talents.
- 7. Develop progressive leadership by encouraging total citizen involvement.
- 8. Establish a committee to welcome newcomers to the community.
- 9. Provide youth facilities and activities for youth (skating, scout hut, swimming, theater, teen center, D.A.R.E. program)
- 10. Develop a planned, managed residential addition
- 11. Promote community spirit and pride through city beautification cleanup and restoration.
- 12. Encourage and support professional city government dedicated to community service.
- 13. Develop a process to improve streets, curbs, drainage and lighting.
- 14. Support and encourage educational opportunities.
- 15. Provide adequate facilities for senior citizens (retirement center/elderly day care).
- 16. Establish a process for regular, positive community meetings.
- 17. Develop a RV park that will also accommodate the new generation of RVS featuring pullouts and side body chassis.
- 18. Provide cultural outlets to include a library, museum and community theater.
- 19. Provide additional affordable housing for purchase or rent to accommodate all needs.
- 20. Improve the appearance of right of ways of highways and railroads.
- 21. Provide a future for our children and grandchildren with job opportunities here at home through business and technology.
- 22. Develop a plan to annex property outside the city limits.
- 23. Encourage business stability by shopping at home.
- 24. Create a plan for safer traffic flow by promoting construction of a railroad overpass/tressel.
- 25. Maximize profits using I-20 and the railroad by developing a distribution center for transporting goods.
- 26. Increase family recreation by improving the existing parks.
- 27. Face-lift the town area to attract business professional people.
- 28. Decorate the streets with seasonal banners.
At the strategic planning sessions, the groups were asked to objectively view the situation in Merkel to define our strengths. The following are the results of this brainstorming:
- 1. Community atmosphere of caring, friendly, and concerned citizens.
- 2. Residents with the common goal of maintaining the quality of life.
- 3. Strong ministerial alliance of diversified churches working together.
- 4. Progressive school system with excellent educational opportunities:
- - New facilities with room for expansion
- - Lowest school tax rate in Taylor County
- 5. Reasonably priced is available land for business and housing expansion.
- 6. Two progressive, supportive financial institutions.
- 7. Strong medical community with facilities, doctors and pharmacist.
- 8. Good location for retirement:
- - Moderate climate
- - Senior citizen programs
- - Meals on wheels
- 9. Strong community leadership with diversified talents.
- 10. Enthusiastic citizens with good work ethics willing to make changes by being involved.
- 11. Active civic organizations:
- - Christmas Club & Christmas parade
- - Study Club
- - Lion's club
- 12. City services and departments:
- - Good police force (low crime rate)
- - Fire department
- - Ambulance service (EMT & 911)
- - City Hall
- - Chamber of Commerce/ Community Chest
- - City utilities
- 13. Quick availability to Interstate 20 provides access to larger cities.
- 14. Good community centers, Heritage Hall and Senior Citizens Building, provide space for citizens activities.
- 15. Good recreational availability:
- - Country Club
- - Golf course (18-hole)
- - Riding club
- - Video Store
- - Expanded TV cable
- 16. Economic Development funded by 1/2 cent sales tax.
- 17. Utility business alliances:
- - WTU
- - Taylor Electric
- - Taylor Telephone
- 18. Low tax rate structure
- 19. Underground water supply
- 20. Small retail business atmosphere with entrepreneurial spirit
- 21. Agriculture and oil-based economy
- 22. Close proximity of Abilene and Dyess
- 23. Historical heritage and sites:
Out of the strategic planning meeting the group set goals to develop a marketing plan to be done to promote the community of Merkel. Target markets and industries are ideas from our meeting. Merkel will welcome any new business
or industry and will closely work with those interested in locating in our fine city.
- 1. New motel accommodations
- 2. Trade Days
- 3. Outlet malls
- 4. Small products manufacturing
- 5. Family recreation center
- 6. Adult day care
- 7. Bed and Breakfast
- 8. Retail restaurants
- 9. Windmill manufacturing
- 10. Home health care
- 11. Retirement center
- 12. Scheduled sports events
- 13. Professional services, (Dentist, Lawyers, etc.)
- 14. Anthony's limited (example)
- 15. Claim processing
- 16. Jeweler
- 17. Pet groomer
- 18. Dry cleaners
- 19. RV park
- 20. Radio communications
- 21. General store
- 22. Telemarketing
We welcome your inquiries on businesses, making your home with us or just general information. With our direction set and working together we will make Merkel a place anyone would want to stop and stay a spell. Come visit us.
If you would like to visit or receive more information please feel free to contact us at
Or Click Here to E-mail Us
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