Welcome to Plains and Prominence as we continue our journey of the history of Panhandle, Carson County and the Square House Museum.  In the early days of the High Planes settlers had only three choices of living conditions. They consisted living of a dugout, the covered wagon or a tent; and on the High Plains, a tent wasn't reasonable due to the high winds and the winters were bitterly cold. The covered wagon was cramped and heating was very unsuccessful so that left the dugout. 

There were no landmarks on the grassy plains and so. as far as one could see from the Canadian River to the Cap Rock it was all flat and that's all they had to look at. There were trees that grew along the river beds and the canyons.  However, on the flat Plains, you couldn't even find a bush.  As one pioneer described it, "It was like waves of the sea. but it was only the grass waving in the wind. 

Sometime between 1886 and 1888. Thomas Cree brought his young wife to this dugout, just west of Panhandle which he had staked out a claim on this section near the Buffalo wallow.  Mrs. Cree longed for something of beauty around her home and was hoping it would be a shrub or a tree.

 Thomas told other settlers that he was going to find a tree to plant and they laughed because they knew it wouldn't grow. So he hitched up his horse. and wagon and set out for the Turkey Track Ranch about 35 miles from his dugout.  Someone had sold the ranch some seedlings which were Bois d'arcs,  telling them that they would be able to grow their own fence post. So Thomas Cree bought one of these and brought it home.  He carefully wrapped its roots in burlap. 

 Thomas planted the tree on the north edge of the Buffalo wallow close to the dugout. The tree was planted at the edge of the wagon trail which led from Panhandle to Amarillo.  And now there is a four lane highway. 

Thomas Cree was considered the "Johnny Appleseed" of the High Plains--and the doubters, they got to see that that tree grew.  No, it wasn't the biggest tree, but it was a landmark for other settlers to get their directions on the flat lands of the High Plains. And to this day, that tree stands along the side of  highway 60 between Panhandle and Amarillo.

There is more to come on the Plains and Prominence about these early settlers who sacrificed so much to make Carson County and Panhandle a great place to live. I want to thank the Square House Museum, A Time to Purpose for their help, and to Jr. Shaw of Galveston Unscripted for his mentorship in this endeavor.