West Texas Historical Association

The West Texas Historical Association is an organization of both academics and laypersons dedicated to the preservation and dissemination of the total history of West Texas, loosely defined geographically as all Texas counties and portions of counties located west of Interstate 35.

Royston Campbell Crane, an attorney from Sweetwater, Texas, the seat of Nolan County, and a son of the historian and former Baylor University president William Carey Crane, first proposed establishment of the association to emphasize studies unique to the large geographic region. On April 19, 1924, the association was chartered at the Taylor County Courthouse in Abilene, Texas. Six Abilene residents were also involved in the founding of the association: Rupert N. Richardson, later president of Baptist-affiliated Hardin-Simmons University from 1943 to 1953; William Curry Holden, then of Methodist-affiliated McMurry University and later first president of the Museum of Texas Tech University in Lubbock; L. G. Kennamer of Abilene Christian University, a Church of Christ institution, and J. M. Radford, Laura J. D. Scarborough, and B. E. Glammery. Other strong supporters of the movement included James W. Hunt and Jefferson D. Sandefer, then the presidents of McMurry and Hardin-Simmons (at the time Simmons College), respectively. From the original 24 members, the organization grew in 60 years to nearly 400, including 127 libraries. In addition to president R. C. Crane, the original officers included Rupert Richardson, secretary, and Laura Scarborough, treasurer. In 1929, the association received a 50-year charter of incorporation from the state.

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