Fasken, Texas
Encyclopedia
Fasken is a ghost town
in east central Andrews County, Texas
, United States
. It rose and fell within the first half of the 20th century.
enterprise. David Fasken, a lawyer and businessman from Toronto, Canada had purchased the 227000 acres (918.6 km²) "C" Ranch in the hope of dividing this large cattle ranch into farm properties. To make the farms more attractive he had the Midland and Northwestern Railway built out to the properties and the town founded on the rail line. It was hoped that a large number of settlers would move there. Soon Fasken had a depot, a store, hotel, barbershop, school and a zoo. Many of the town's lots did sell but few of the purchasers ever took up residence in Fasken. Heavy rains destroyed much of the railroad track in 1923 and the rail line had to be abandoned. Fasken declined rapidly and became a ghost town
by the early 1930s.
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
in east central Andrews County, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It rose and fell within the first half of the 20th century.
History
Founded in 1917 by the Midland Farms Company, it was originally part of a speculationSpeculation
In finance, speculation is a financial action that does not promise safety of the initial investment along with the return on the principal sum...
enterprise. David Fasken, a lawyer and businessman from Toronto, Canada had purchased the 227000 acres (918.6 km²) "C" Ranch in the hope of dividing this large cattle ranch into farm properties. To make the farms more attractive he had the Midland and Northwestern Railway built out to the properties and the town founded on the rail line. It was hoped that a large number of settlers would move there. Soon Fasken had a depot, a store, hotel, barbershop, school and a zoo. Many of the town's lots did sell but few of the purchasers ever took up residence in Fasken. Heavy rains destroyed much of the railroad track in 1923 and the rail line had to be abandoned. Fasken declined rapidly and became a ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
by the early 1930s.