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On September 17, 2005 the City of Gruver officially recognized it’s 75th Anniversary.
The history of Gruver really starts a little earlier than the official beginning date (February, 1930) of the city. That is the date of the first minutes of the City Council.
The townsite of Gruver started with Mr. Ace P. Borger, the promoter who founded Borger and Stinnett, Texas, purchasing the land for the townsite from Mrs. J.H. Cooper on February 26, 1927. Mrs. Cooper retained their home and a few blocks around it, as the Cooper Ranch Headquarters were located there. The old Cooper home is still there, in good repair, at 314 Cator Street.
The town was to have been named Cooper, but there was already a town in Texas by that name. Instead, the name of Gruver was chosen in honor of Mr. Joseph Hezekiah Gruver, a prominent farmer-stockman of the area.
The first “new” building in the townsite was moved from Signal Hill in Hutchinson County in late 1927. This large sheet-metal structure was partitioned off to allow for the housing of the post office, the townsite office, and small living quarters for the townsite manager and his family. This building is still in Gruver and after several remodelings houses The Gruver Ford Company. (For many years it housed Universal Motors, which was owned and operated by the late Tillie Poston.)
The Gruver Post Office was opened November 15, 1927 with Miss Blanche Jones (later Mrs. E.H. Tabor) serving as postmistress until April 1929. A Mr. William T. McRee served for four years when Mrs. Tabor returned and assumed her duties serving until 1970. Doris Pinkerton served until 1993 followed by Mike Floyd who retired in 2002. Milana Reiswig is the current Postmaster.
The records are scanty for the years 1927 through early 1929. However, it is known that there were three lumber companies established during this time awaiting the housing boom.
Three grain elevators were also constructed: The J.H. Gruver and Son Elevator, Chapman Milling Co. and Borger Grain Company.
It seems everything was done in three’s because there were three filling stations, too. One was operated by Elmer Hayes, one by Norton Ogle and the last one operated by Howard Lee.
Then there were the three grocery, market and general merchandise stores. The William N. Fletcher Store was owned and operated by three generations of family. It was sold and later closed it’s doors in 1972. Another market was the Fulton Grocery and General Merchandise which was sold to the Follis Grocery and stayed throughout the dust bowl era. The third grocery was the P. H. Westerfields. It served the community continuously until August 1977. It never changed ownership but a new generation came in after the death of Mickey Westerfield.
One of the larger employers of the late 20’s and a few years of the 30’s was Gruver Roller Bearing Factory. It was owned and operated by the Gruver’s and was located at 802 Front Street. The business employed in excess of twenty employees most of which stated at a small cottage motel in the south part of Gruver. Proprietors of the cottage were “Uncle Sam” and Aunt Nannie Gruver.
More new enterprises opened for business on March 1, 1929 than on any other day in Gruver’s history. The First State Bank, the Gruver Hardware and Furniture Store, the International Harvestor Company Agency, the Gruver Motor Company and The Gay Fletcher John Deere Agency all had their formal openings on this day (some had opened a few weeks before).
March1, 2005 was special in another way. It was the day that the Rock Island Railroad made its first regularly scheduled run from Amarillo through Gruver to as far as the Oklahoma State line. The train stopped for an hour so the entire crew, about fifty Amarillo boosters and several VIP’s of the railroad could walk up town where a welcoming committee waited. The band presented a program to the gathered crowd at Broadway and Main.
The Gruver Community Workers also made their debut that day as marvelous cooks and hostesses. They established a tradition that has been carried on by the Gruver women . The ladies were a civic minded group sparked by the leadership of Devonna McClellan, Bonnie Fleck and Sallie McGee. They served a delicious dinner in the little white church house. People came from all around but the food supply was ample.
On August 2, 1929 the Gruver Townsite conveyed a ten acre tract of un-platted land on the east part of the townsite property to the Gruver Rural High School District. The Gruver School system developed from a one-room one-teacher school in 1929 to its present day status.
Gruver’s quick progress, as well as that of other cities across the nation, was not to last. By the end of 1929 the stock market had crashed and a major depression had set in. Several years of drought, almost total crop failures, wheat prices as low as 25 cents per bushel and livestock prices so low that it cost more to raise a hog or a cow than it would bring at market and a few years with no cash income brought apparently prosperous farmers to a state of almost poverty. However, the majority of the people of Gruver were a substantial breed with a well-balanced set of values. They resorted to more conservative living and luckily owned their own cars, homes, farm equipment and some livestock. Fortunately for Gruver, there were a number of business men who were financially strong and generous enough to aid those less fortunate. No one was hungry, cold, without medicine nor suffered dire need in any form. However, their wants and needs were not supplied (as in the most recent times) for several years.
In addition to these hard times the building boom so looked forward to did not materialize. Even two of the lumber yards closed up and left Gruver.
After surviving the depression next World War II came along with a different set of problems to face. All of the male faculty member of the school system and some of the more qualified women teachers left for better paying government service or actual military service. (The Superintendent was the only man left in the school system). Following the end of the war capable teachers began returning to the school system and it again began to progress especially with the annexation of outlying school districts forming the Gruver Independent School District.
Over the years many businesses have come and gone while others steadily go along. All have enriched and enhanced Gruver making it a wonderful place to live, work and raise a family.
Some of the most notable changes that continue to influence the town are the Gruver Airport Facility which includes 168 acres of land two miles southwest of the town. Completed in 1978 it is owned by the City of Gruver and is equipped with low intensity landing lights and a non-directional beacon.
The Gruver Memorial Building was given to the veterans soon after the end of World War II by the citizens of Gruver. It was later converted to the Senior Citizens Center.
The Gruver Volunteer Fire Department was organized in 1947 with Buddy Gruver as the Fire Chief.
The Meals on Wheels program was begun in 1978 and now is co-ordinate through the municipal offices at City Hall.
With the incorporation of the town in February 0f 1930 came the establishment of the municipal government with J. C. Richey as the first mayor.
Kenneth Irwin has served the longest length of time as Mayor from 1965 to 1979, and Merle Delano held the position of City Clerk, Tax-Assessor-Collector from 1962-1978. During this time has probably come the most changes to the city in recent times.
Changes which occurred were the opening of the Etling addition; the building of the library; the beginning of the Gruver Ambulance Service; the sewage treatment plant; placement of street signs at intersections; organization of the weather watchers; construction of the tennis courts at the City Park; opening of the Fred Cooper addition; the Gruver Municipal Airport and the renovation of the American Legion Hall into the Senior Citizens Center.
In 1977, the City Commission passed an ordinance establishing the office of City Manager. A.J. Ratliff was Chief of Police and he was selected to hold both positions.
Other changes during this time span were the building of the two apartment complexes and the completion of the new post office.
On February 24, 1979 the City of Gruver celebrated it’s 50th Anniversary with huge golden cake made by Josephine Gruver. The celebration included an array of “old” pictures and interesting program. It was enjoyed by several hundred well-wishers who crowded into a standing-room only Senior Citizens Center.
As Gruver is preparing to celebrate a “shining silver” 75th anniversary it is good to remember the words written by Mrs. Beulah Bort in the Hansford County 1876-1979 history book: “The Gruver citizenry owe a great debt of gratitude to the many un-named heroes who have given so liberally of their time, talent and money to serve others. This would include all who have served on the the City Commission, the City planning and zoning board, the volunteer fire department, the weather watchers, the ambulance service, the Board of Education of the school system, the Airport Board, the Library Board, Church groups, Federated Clubs, Hansford County Livestock Board, Lions Club, etc. A special thank you is in order for the Alpha Mu Psi Sorority which do so much for the benefit of all the worthy causes as they present themselves.”
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