Rath City, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rath City, Texas
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Historical marker and rest stop at site of former Rath City
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 Rath City, Texas
Location in Texas
Rath City, Texas
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Texas |
| County | Stonewall County, Texas |
| River | Double Mountain Fork |
| Established | 1876 |
| Founded by | Charles Rath |
| Elevation | 1,660 ft (510 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
Rath City was a small frontier town in Texas that only lasted for a few years. Today, it is known as a ghost town, meaning it's an abandoned settlement. It was located in southern Stonewall County, Texas, near the Double Mountain Fork Brazos River.
The Story of Rath City
Rath City was founded in 1876. Its main purpose was to be a center for trading buffalo hides. It was the very first settlement in Stonewall County.
By 1877, the town had a store, two places to gather, a dance hall, and several tents and dugouts where people lived. The town was named after Charles Rath, who built the first store there in 1875. The town grew up around his business.
However, the number of buffalo began to drop quickly. Because of this, the town no longer had a reason to exist. Rath City was abandoned by 1880, just four years after it started.
Rath City and Frontier Conflicts
In February 1877, Rath City became an important meeting spot for over 500 frontiersmen. This happened after a buffalo hunter named Marshall Sewell was killed in a conflict.
A group of 46 men from Rath City decided to pursue a Comanche group led by Black Horse. This event is sometimes called the Buffalo Hunters' War or the Staked Plains War.
The men followed the Comanche to an area in what is now Lubbock, Texas. A battle took place on March 18, 1877, at Yellow House Canyon. The fight did not have a clear winner.
After the battle, the hunters returned to Rath City. This marked one of the last major conflicts involving Native Americans on the southern plains.
