Parmerton

Parmerton is a ghost town in Parmer County, Texas, with roots going back to 1898, when the Pecos Valley and Northern Texas Railway extended a line through the area. The site took its early name, Parmer Switch, from that rail connection, and both the switch and the county itself honored Martin Parmer. The land that became the townsite — some 200 acres — had previously been part of the XIT Ranch and was put to use growing wheat.

A post office opened in September 1907, around the time the community was taking shape at roughly the midpoint between the towns of Bovina and Friona. A one-story courthouse was constructed to serve the fledgling county seat. Today Parmerton is essentially a memory on the flat Texas landscape, with little remaining of its brief civic life.

Visitors drawn to the history of the Texas Panhandle region can pass through the area as part of a scenic drive, but should expect minimal physical remains. The open agricultural setting is the dominant feature, and there are no developed visitor facilities on site.