Barwise, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Barwise, Texas
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Steel grain elevator alongside a dirt road that marks the former path of the Fort Worth and Denver South Plains Railway
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 Barwise, Texas
Location in Texas
Barwise, Texas
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Texas |
| County | Floyd |
| Region | Llano Estacado |
| Established | 1928 |
| Elevation | 3,245 ft (989 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| ZIP Code |
79235
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| Area code(s) | 806 |
Barwise is a very small place in Texas. It's called an unincorporated community, which means it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. Barwise is located on the flat lands of the Llano Estacado in western Floyd County, Texas. It's about 10 kilometers (6 miles) west of a town called Floydada.
Barwise was started in 1928. This happened when the Fort Worth and Denver South Plains Railway Company built train tracks through the area. These tracks connected Estelline to larger cities like Lubbock and Plainview.
Contents
How Barwise Got Its Name
The town of Barwise has an interesting story about how it got its name. At first, it was going to be named after a local farmer, J. W. Stringer. He owned the land where the town was built.
A Name Change Was Needed
It turned out there was already another town in Texas named Stringer. So, the people had to pick a new name. Some residents wanted to call the town "Granary," which means a place where grain is stored.
Naming the Town Barwise
In the end, the town was named Barwise. It was named after Judge Joseph Hodson Barwise. He was from Wichita Falls. Judge Barwise worked for the Fort Worth and Denver City Railway Company. He was even on their board of directors. The story says he was the first person to get off the train and check into the local hotel in the new town.
Barwise Through the Years
Barwise was never a very big place. When it first started, it covered several city blocks.
What Barwise Had
By the 1930s, Barwise had some important businesses. These included a hotel, a general store, a place that sold fertilizer, and a gas station. It also had a cotton gin (a machine that separates cotton fibers) and two grain elevators (tall buildings for storing grain).
Population Changes
The number of people living in Barwise stayed small.
- In the 1940s, only about 25 people lived there.
- By the mid-1980s, the population was around 30.
- In 1990, it was still reported as 30 people.
- But by 2000, the population dropped to just 16 people.
The End of the Railway
Over time, trains became less important for moving goods and people. This happened because state highways improved. Many farm to market roads were paved across West Texas. These new roads made it easier to transport farm products by truck.
Tracks Are Removed
Farm to Market Road 784 reached Barwise in the late 1950s. This gave the community more ways to transport things. The BNSF Railway company, which owned the old Fort Worth and Denver South Plains Railway, stopped using the tracks in 1989. They removed the tracks.
Barwise Today
Today, the grain elevator and cotton gin in Barwise no longer have train service. The town remains a small community.
