Seagraves, Texas was originally called Blythe because the post office was on the Blythe Ranch. A railroad extension to Lubbock in 1917 made "Blythe" a cattle-shipping center. Since another Blythe already existed on the Santa Fe line, the town's name was changed to Seagraves in 1918 to honor C.L. Seagraves, a railroad official.
An oil boom in the mid-thirties made up for a fire that nearly leveled the town in 1928. One of the few buildings that survived the 1928 fire was the Simpson Hotel located on Main Street, which was awarded a Texas Historical Commission Medallion in 1992. In 2020 under new ownership, the Simpson Hotel was renamed to the Hotel Texan. Learn more about the Hotel Texan here.
In 1930, Seagraves was given the slogan "The City That Oil Built." At one point in the 1950s, the Chamber of Commerce publicized Seagraves as "The Caged Egg Production Center of the World" to promote its egg industry.
No matter what its slogan, Seagraves, Texas remains a solid and growing community. With a current population of 2,640, Seagraves is still an important part of Gaines County, the railroad industry, the oil industry, and the farming community.
With a newly built school, the historic Hotel Texan, the Seagraves Museum and Art Center, a new public library, and a fun community park, Seagraves is a great place to be!