Muleshoe, Texas
Encyclopedia
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
in Bailey County
Bailey County, Texas
Bailey County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of 2010, the population is 7,165. Its county seat is Muleshoe. Bailey is named for Peter James Bailey, a defender of the Alamo...
, 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...
. The town of Muleshoe was founded in 1913 when the Pecos and Northern Texas Railway built an 88 miles (141.6 km) line from Farwell
Farwell, Texas
Farwell is a city in and the county seat of Parmer County, Texas, United States. Farwell is located on the Texas-New Mexico border with the town of Texico, New Mexico on the opposite side...
, 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...
to Lubbock
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
through northern Bailey County. In 1926, Muleshoe was incorporated. The population was 5,158 at the 2010 census. The county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Bailey County, it is home to the National Mule Memorial.
The Muleshoe Heritage Center
Muleshoe Heritage Center
Muleshoe Heritage Center is a museum of six outdoor buildings and other artifacts which commemorate life in the United States' West Texas ranching country. It is located at 2000 Ash Street off U.S...
located off the combined U.S. Routes 70
U.S. Route 70
U.S. Route 70 is an east–west United States highway that runs for 2,385 miles from eastern North Carolina to east-central Arizona. As can be derived from its number, it is a major east–west highway of the Southern and Southwestern United States...
and 84
U.S. Route 84
U.S. Route 84 is an east–west United States highway. It started as a short Georgia-Alabama route in the original 1926 scheme, but now extends all the way to Colorado. The highway's eastern terminus is a short distance east of Midway, Georgia, at an intersection with I-95. The road continues...
is a popular museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
which commemorates the importance of ranching to West Texas
West Texas
West Texas is a vernacular term applied to a region in the southwestern quadrant of the United States that primarily encompasses the arid and semi-arid lands in the western portion of the state of Texas....
. The complex has several unique buildings originally from Bailey County that display the living conditions of the area in the late-19th century and the early to mid-20th century.
The Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge
Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge
Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge is the oldest National Wildlife Refuge in the state of Texas, having been established in 1935. It is located about twenty miles south of Muleshoe, the seat of Bailey County...
is located some twenty miles (32 km) to the south on State Highway 214
Texas State Highway 214
State Highway 214 or SH 214 is a Texas state highway that runs from Adrian to Seminole.-History:The route was originally designated in 1938 from Muleshoe to Morton, and was extended from Friona to Seminole in 1939. The section from Friona south to Muleshoe was removed in 1940, only to be...
. Founded in 1935, the refuge is the oldest of its kind in the state of Texas. It is a 5000 acres (20.2 km²) wintering area for migratory waterfowl
Waterfowl
Waterfowl are certain wildfowl of the order Anseriformes, especially members of the family Anatidae, which includes ducks, geese, and swans....
flying from Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
to Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. It contains the largest number of sandhill crane
Sandhill Crane
The Sandhill Crane is a large crane of North America and extreme northeastern Siberia. The common name of this bird references habitat like that at the Platte River, on the edge of Nebraska's Sandhills in the American Midwest...
s in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.
In May 2010, Muleshoe opened a water park within the New City Park at 1611 West Avenue D. The facility has a large pool with a lazy river, diving board, and water slide. The park also offers soccer and softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
fields, a playground, fishing pond, and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
courts. City Secretary LeAnn Gallman said that the $1.8 million project originated in 2007, construction began in 2009 and was completed in 2010. The city had a previous 60-year-old pool.
History
The name Muleshoe can be traced in the region to Henry Black when he registered a brand on November 12, 1860. In 1877, Black purchased three houses on a 40000 acres (161.9 km²) in Stephens CountyStephens County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,674 people, 3,661 households, and 2,591 families residing in the county. The population density was 11 people per square mile . There were 4,893 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile...
, naming it Muleshoe Ranch. Later he built a large ranch house and a log schoolhouse, and established a small cemetery for family members. Muleshoe Ranch was supposedly named after the owner found a mule shoe in the soil.
On April 23, 1906, the Gulf, Santa Fe and Northwestern Railway Company and the Pecos and Northern Texas Railway Company merged and were chartered to construct a railway between Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
and Farwell, Texas
Farwell, Texas
Farwell is a city in and the county seat of Parmer County, Texas, United States. Farwell is located on the Texas-New Mexico border with the town of Texico, New Mexico on the opposite side...
on the New Mexico border. From 1901 to 1915, communities along the future railway contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to construction. Muleshoe was founded in 1913 when the Pecos and Northern Texas Railway laid rails across northern Bailey county; residents borrowed the name from the nearby Muleshoe Ranch.
Soon after the railroad passed through Muleshoe, the town expanded rapidly. In 1917 Muleshoe became the county seat after the county was organized, but it was not incorporated until 1926. Muleshoe continued to grow quickly, and by 1930 there were 800 residents in the town. Three decades later Muleshoe tripled in population to 3,871. In 1970 Muleshoe reached its pinnacle at over 5,000 residents, 200 businesses, two hospitals, two banks, a library, a newspaper, and a radio station.
During the early 1960s Texas residents were eager to build a memorial to the mule for his strength and sparse eating habits, traits which endeared him to the pioneers. In war, the mule carried cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
; in peace, he hauled freight. His small hooves allowed him to scale rocky areas. The Mule Memorial was first displayed on July 4, 1965 near the intersection of US 70/84. Muleshoe is the home of the world's largest mule shoe found at the Muleshoe Heritage Center
Muleshoe Heritage Center
Muleshoe Heritage Center is a museum of six outdoor buildings and other artifacts which commemorate life in the United States' West Texas ranching country. It is located at 2000 Ash Street off U.S...
.
Demographics
As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 4,530 people, 1,595 households, and 1,178 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,323.9 people per square mile (511.4/km2). There were 1,802 housing units at an average density of 526.6 per square mile (203.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 63.27% White, 1.50% African American, 0.64% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 31.59% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 53.33% of the population.
There were 1,595 households out of which 38.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.1% were non-families. 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.35.
In the city the population was spread out with 31.3% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,519, and the median income for a family was $31,969. Males had a median income of $23,409 and females a median income $16,053. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $12,567. In 2007, the median house value was $48,748, and the average house value $66,525. In 2008 cost of living index in Muleshoe was 73.3 as compared to the U.S. average of 100. About 13.4% of families and 18.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.9% of those under age 18 and 13.6% of those age 65 or over.
Geography
Muleshoe is located at 34.227816°N 102.729361°W. with an elevation of 3793 ft (1,156.1 m) above sea level. According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 3.4 square miles (8.8 km²), all of it land. Muleshoe lies on the western extreme of the Central Standard Time Zone, just 17 miles (27.4 km) east of the Mountain Standard Time Zone.
Muleshoe is situated on the Great Plains
Great Plains
The Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...
in an area where the plains reach their highest altitude at the foot of the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
known as the High Plains
High Plains
High Plains refers to one of two distinct land regions:*High Plains , land region of the western Great Plains*High Plains , land region adjacent to the Great Dividing Range...
; more specifically it is located on the South Plains
South Plains
South Plains is a vernacular term that refers to a region in West Texas consisting of the portion of the Llano Estacado extending south of the Texas Panhandle, centered at Lubbock. While prominent in the area of petroleum production, the South Plains is mainly an agricultural region, producing a...
in a region known as the Llano Estacado
Llano Estacado
Llano Estacado , commonly known as the Staked Plains, is a region in the Southwestern United States that encompasses parts of eastern New Mexico and northwestern Texas, including the South Plains and parts of the Texas Panhandle...
. The area topology is gently rolling plains with a large number of playa lakes on top of a large plateau
Plateau
In geology and earth science, a plateau , also called a high plain or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat terrain. A highly eroded plateau is called a dissected plateau...
. Many of the playa lakes have dried out due to the water exploitation of the Ogallala Aquifer
Ogallala Aquifer
The Ogallala Aquifer, also known as the High Plains Aquifer, is a vast yet shallow underground water table aquifer located beneath the Great Plains in the United States...
that helped supply water to the lakes during dry seasons. Soil types vary from dark brown playa lake silt to iron rich clay to sandy soil; topsoil
Topsoil
Topsoil is the upper, outermost layer of soil, usually the top to . It has the highest concentration of organic matter and microorganisms and is where most of the Earth's biological soil activity occurs.-Importance:...
and subsoil
Subsoil
Subsoil, or substrata, is the layer of soil under the topsoil on the surface of the ground. The subsoil may include substances such as clay and/or sand that has only been partially broken down by air, sunlight, water, wind etc., to produce true soil...
layers vary as well. Most of the area contains a layer of caliche
Caliche
Caliche may refer to:*Caliche, a hardened deposit of calcium carbonate.*Caliche slang, a collection of slang words unique to Salvadoran Spanish....
; in some areas there is no topsoil or subsoil revealing the layer of caliche
Caliche
Caliche may refer to:*Caliche, a hardened deposit of calcium carbonate.*Caliche slang, a collection of slang words unique to Salvadoran Spanish....
while other places have up to four feet of topsoil or subsoil combined.
Ogallala Aquifer
The Ogallala Aquifer, also known as the High Plains Aquifer, is a vast yet shallow underground water table aquifer located beneath the Great Plains in the United States...
. The aquifer provides all of the city's water and is essential for the agriculture for the surrounding area. The aquifer is being depleted at an increasing rate over the years; this has triggered many changes in agriculture in efforts to try and preserve this natural resource.
The physical characteristics of the region makes Muleshoe an ideal place for agriculture. Much of the natural habitat of grasslands and shrubs has been replaced by cash crops and livestock, but a few areas of native fauna (called CRP
Conservation Reserve Program
The Conservation Reserve Program is a cost-share and rental payment program under the United States Department of Agriculture , and is administered by the USDA Farm Service Agency . Technical assistance for CRP is provided by the USDA Forest Service and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation...
) are preserved. About 20 miles (32.2 km) south of Muleshoe there is a system of sink lakes found at the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge
Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge
Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge is the oldest National Wildlife Refuge in the state of Texas, having been established in 1935. It is located about twenty miles south of Muleshoe, the seat of Bailey County...
. The refuge is a wintering area for large numbers of migratory waterfowl and sandhill cranes and preserves much of the native wildlife.
Climate
Muleshoe is in an area considered part of the semi-aridSemi-arid
A semi-arid climate or steppe climate describes climatic regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not extremely...
steppe
Steppe
In physical geography, steppe is an ecoregion, in the montane grasslands and shrublands and temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biomes, characterized by grassland plains without trees apart from those near rivers and lakes...
climate zone that extends from areas of central Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
to southern Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
and Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
in Canada. The semi-arid steppe classifaction identifies areas that are intermediate between desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
zones and humid zones. This West Texas town experiences hot summer days and cool summer nights and cool to warm winter days and harsh cold winter nights. Rainfall is low; the town and vicinity receive less than 18 inches (457.2 mm) of rainfall annually. High summer temperatures (average July temperature above 90 °F) precipitation moisture is rapidly lost to evaporation. Muleshoe experiences steady, and sometimes intense, winds from the north and west in the Fall and Winter and winds from the south or west in the Spring and Summer. The winds add a considerable wind chill factor in the winter.
Shortgrass prairie, prickly pear
Opuntia
Opuntia, also known as nopales or paddle cactus , is a genus in the cactus family, Cactaceae.Currently, only prickly pears are included in this genus of about 200 species distributed throughout most of the Americas. Chollas are now separated into the genus Cylindropuntia, which some still consider...
cacti and scrub vegetation are the most common fauna to be seen around town. Agriculture in the forms of cattle ranching, dairy farming, and wheat and cotton farming are the most prevalent in the area.
Education
Muleshoe is served by the Muleshoe Independent School DistrictMuleshoe Independent School District
Muleshoe Independent School District is a public school district based in Muleshoe, Texas .Located in Bailey County, a small portion of the district extends into Lamb County....
. Schools include:
- Muleshoe High School (Grades 9-12)
- Watson Junior High School (Grades 6-8)
- Mary DeShazo Elementary School (Grades 3-5)
- Neal B. Dillman Elementary School (Grades PK-2)
Over the past few years the Muleshoe Independent School District has expanded all of its campuses to accommodate the growing population of school aged children.The Muleshoe High School teams are known as "The Mules"; the school colors are black and white.
There is also a branch of South Plains College
South Plains College
South Plains College is a community college located in Levelland, Texas. It operates satellite branches in Plainview and at the Reese Technology Center, formerly Reese Air Force Base, in Lubbock. SPC also has many classes in the Byron Martin Advanced Technology Center in Lubbock, as part of a...
which provides classes for students aspiring to become Licensed Vocational Nurses. The branch is located near the hospital.
Miscellaneous
The town is the home of the annual Tour de Muleshoe bicycleBicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
ride, a local competition which features 100K, 40 miles (64.4 km), and 10 miles (16.1 km) bike tours every year.
The original "Leal's Mexican Food Restaurant" is located in Muleshoe. Hector Jesus "Jesse" Leal (September 2, 1930–November 6, 2009) and his wife, Irma, opened a small tortilla factory in 1957 on the edge of town that also served many traditional Mexican dishes. They envisioned a full-fledged restaurant, and in 1968, they opened "El Nuevo Leal's Restaurant" on American Boulevard (US Highway 84). Leal's family has spread the "Leal's magic" to Amarillo, Plainview
Plainview, Texas
Plainview is a city in and the county seat of Hale County, Texas, United States. The population was 22,336 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Plainview is located at ....
, and Henrietta
Henrietta, Texas
Henrietta is a city in and the county seat of Clay County, Texas, United States. It is part of the Wichita Falls, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,264 at the 2000 census.-History:...
, Texas, as well as Clovis
Clovis, New Mexico
Clovis is the county seat of Curry County, New Mexico, United States. Its population was 32,667 at the 2000 census; according to 2010 Census Bureau estimates, the population had risen to 37,775....
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. The Leals have also placed their signature tortilla chips and hot sauces into regional grocery stores. Leal died in Clovis at the age of seventy-nine.
Victor E. Leal (born March 22, 1962), son of Jesse and Irma Leal, is the resaturant CEO. Now based in Amarillo, Leal is a former mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Muleshoe. In 2010, he lost the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
nomination for the District 87 seat in the Texas House of Representatives
Texas House of Representatives
The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Texas Legislature. The House is composed of 150 members elected from single-member districts across the state. The average district has about 150,000 people. Representatives are elected to two-year terms with no term limits...
to Amarillo attorney Walter Thomas Price, IV
Four Price
Walter Thomas Price, IV, , known as Four Price because he is the fourth generation in his family to bear the name Walter Thomas Price, is an attorney from Amarillo, Texas, who is the Republican state representative from District 87 in the Texas Panhandle...
. He is a member of the Texas Economic Development Corporation under appointment from Governor
Governor of Texas
The governor of Texas is the head of the executive branch of Texas's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Texas Legislature, and to convene the legislature...
Rick Perry
Rick Perry
James Richard "Rick" Perry is the 47th and current Governor of Texas. A Republican, Perry was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998 and assumed the governorship in December 2000 when then-governor George W. Bush resigned to become President of the United States. Perry was elected to full...
.
"The Muletrain News" broadcasts in Muleshoe by Gil Lamb Advertising/Channel 6. The program has been on radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
and cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
since March 1954 and can still be heard on Reach Broadband's cable service and at the website http://gillambadvertisingmuleshoe.com
The Muleshoe Mules won the Division 1 2A football State Champions for the 2008-09 football season. This is the first State Champion title that the Mules have won so far.
Notable residents and natives
- ActorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
Lee HorsleyLee HorsleyLee Arthur Horsley is an American film, television, and theater actor known for starring roles in the television series, Nero Wolfe , Matt Houston , and Paradise . He starred in the 1982 cult film, The Sword and the Sorcerer, and recorded the audiobook edition of Lonesome Dove...
was born in Muleshoe on May 15, 1955. He played the fictional detectiveDetectiveA detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"...
Matt HoustonMatt HoustonMatt Houston is an American crime drama series that aired on ABC from 1982 to 1985. Created by Lawrence Gordon, the series was produced by Aaron Spelling.-Synopsis:...
on an ABCAmerican Broadcasting CompanyThe American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
series of the same name and later starred in the CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
westernTelevision WesternsTelevision Westerns are a sub-genre of the Western, a genre of film, fiction, drama, television programming, etc., in which stories are set primarily in the later half of the 19th century in the American Old West, Western Canada and Mexico during the period from about 1860 to the end of the...
ParadiseParadiseParadise is a place in which existence is positive, harmonious and timeless. It is conceptually a counter-image of the miseries of human civilization, and in paradise there is only peace, prosperity, and happiness. Paradise is a place of contentment, but it is not necessarily a land of luxury and...
.
- Harvey Lee Bass (October 11, 1918–February 7, 2007) was a businessman and the Bailey County Democratic PartyDemocratic Party (United States)The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
chairman for more than a quarter century. He operated an appliance and furniture store for fifty years and served on many boards and commissions designed to promote the image of Muleshoe. A native of Jones CountyJones County, TexasAs of the census of 2000, there were 20,785 people, 6,140 households, and 4,525 families residing in the county. The population density was 22 people per square mile . There were 7,236 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile...
in central Texas, Bass worked for Burleson-Garrett Engineering and laid telephoneTelephoneThe telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
line in east Texas. Prior to World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he worked for North American Aviation in CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, having helped to build P-51 Mustangs and B-25 bombers. Bass was a deaconDeaconDeacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
in the Primitive Baptist Church and taught church singing schools throughout Texas and OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
. After the war, he returned to Texas to join with a brother-in-law, Afton Richards, to publish the Aspermont Star, a weekly newspaperNewspaperA newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
in AspermontAspermont, TexasAspermont is a town in and the county seat of Stonewall County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,021 at the 2000 census. Aspermont means "rough mountain" in Latin....
in Stonewall County near AbileneAbilene, TexasAbilene is a city in Taylor and Jones counties in west central Texas. The population was 117,063 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Abilene Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2006 estimated population of 158,063. It is the county seat of Taylor County...
in west Texas. Prior to Bass' tenure, The Star was briefly owned and operated by former State Senator Marshall FormbyMarshall FormbyMarshall Clinton Formby, Jr. , was a Texas attorney, newspaper publisher, radio executive, and a Democratic politician who served a term in the Texas State Senate from District 30 from 1941 to 1945. He was a defender of West Texas interests and entitled a 1962 book, These Are My People...
. It is now called the Stonewall County Courier. Bass and Richards also took over the publication for a time of The Banner of Love, a Primitive Baptist monthly newspaper first published in 1932 in LubbockLubbock, TexasLubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
. After his health declined, Bass moved from Muleshoe to SnyderSnyder, TexasSnyder is a city in and the county seat of Scurry County, Texas, United States. The population was 10,653 at the 2010 census. It is located on Deep Creek, a minor tributary of the Colorado River of Texas. Snyder is approximately 150 km southeast of Lubbock.Located in Snyder is the Scurry County...
, the seat of Scurry County. He is interred at Snyder Cemetery.
- Frank Harrison Ellis, Jr. (September 13, 1927–December 17, 2009), was a mortician, director of the First Bank of Muleshoe, and a community leader who served on the Muleshoe City Council. The AmarilloAmarillo, TexasAmarillo is the 14th-largest city, by population, in the state of Texas, the largest in the Texas Panhandle, and the seat of Potter County. A portion of the city extends into Randall County. The population was 190,695 at the 2010 census...
native graduated from the Landig College of Mortuary Science in HoustonHouston, TexasHouston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. He was co-owner of Ellis Funeral Homes in Muleshoe, EarthEarth, Texas-History:Earth was established by William E. Halsell, who laid out the townsite in 1924. Originally Halsell named the town Fairlawn but in 1925 it was renamed Earth when it was learned that there was already a town in Texas by the name of Fairlawn. In order to find a new name the townspeople sent...
, MortonMorton, TexasMorton is a town in Cochran County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,249 at the 2000 census. The population has been in steady decline since the 1960s and is estimated to have dropped by approximately 15% from the 2000 number when the 2010 Census is completed. Morton is the county seat of...
, and SudanSudan, TexasSudan is a city in Lamb County of West Texas, United States. The population was 1,039 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Sudan is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
. He formerly owned funeral homes in FrionaFriona, TexasFriona is a city in Parmer County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,854 at the 2000 census. Friona was established in 1906, originally called Frio the Spanishword for cold....
, StephenvilleStephenville, TexasStephenville is a city in and the county seat of Erath County, Texas, United States. The population was 14,921 at the 2000 census. Founded in 1856, it is home to Tarleton State University. Stephenville is among several communities that calls itself the "Cowboy Capital of the...
in Erath CountyErath County, TexasErath County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 33,001. It is named for George Bernard Erath, an early surveyor and a soldier at the Battle of San Jacinto. The seat of the county is Stephenville....
, and OdessaOdessa, TexasOdessa is a city in and the county seat of Ector County, Texas, United States. It is located primarily in Ector County, although a small portion of the city extends into Midland County. Odessa's population was 99,940 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Odessa, Texas Metropolitan...
. He was a past president of the trade associationTrade associationA trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association or sector association, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry...
, the Texas Funeral Directors Association. The PanhandleTexas PanhandleThe Texas Panhandle is a region of the U.S. state of Texas consisting of the northernmost 26 counties in the state. The panhandle is a rectangular area bordered by New Mexico to the west and Oklahoma to the north and east...
association twice honored as "Funeral Director of the Year". Survivors included his wife, the former Marcella "Sally" Pingel, whom he married in 1950; three sons, Frank "Trey" Ellis and wife Tracy of Friona, Dan Ellis and wife Teresa of SmithvilleSmithville, TexasSmithville is a city in Bastrop County, Texas, United States, near the Colorado River. The population was 3,901 at the 2000 census. The population grew to an estimated 4,339 for 2004.-History:...
, and Todd Ellis and wife Starla of Muleshoe; a sister, Berna Ruth Ellis of Amarillo; seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Services were held on December 21 at the First United Methodist Church of Muleshoe. Interment was at Muleshoe Memorial Park Cemetery.
- Magnus D. Gunstream (1922–2008) of Muleshoe was one of the organizers of First National BankBankA bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
, now the First Bank of Muleshoe. Gunstream, who also maintained a residence in Ruidoso, New MexicoRuidoso, New MexicoRuidoso is a village in Lincoln County, New Mexico, United States, adjacent to the Lincoln National Forest. The population was 8,029 at the 2010 census...
, was born in Childress County. He graduated from high school in MemphisMemphis, TexasMemphis is a city in Hall County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the population was 2,479. It is the county seat of Hall County.Memphis is the birthplace of former U.S...
, the seat of Hall County, and served in the United States NavyUnited States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Gunstream studied banking under Thomas E. Noel (1994–1996), president of First National Bank of Memphis, and was the cashierCashierCashier is an occupation focused on the handling of cash money.- Retail :In a shop, a cashier is a person who scans the goods through a machine called a cash register that the consumer wishes to purchase at the retail store. After all of the goods have been scanned, the cashier then collects...
of the Memphis bank before he relocated in 1955 to Muleshoe.
Other notable Muleshoe residents include former businesspersons Gil Lamb, Joe Bailey Duke, Sr., and Norma Ruth Duke, Oscar and Erma Ray, Murray and Geneva Lemons, and the Wagnons.