Cross Plains, TX

Cross Plains is a Callahan County town at the junction of State Highways 36 and 206 in central West Texas. The settlement was first known as Turkey Creek, after the stream that crosses Treadaway Park. Early residents had a store, cotton gin, and gristmill, and the federal government established the Cross Plains post office in 1878. The name referred to the crossings of stagecoach and military roads that passed through the area before the Civil War.

In January 1911, the town moved from the west bank of Turkey Creek to its present site to meet the approaching Texas Central Railroad. Rail service helped Cross Plains become a trading center for cotton and other crops, with Main Street filling in around stores, banks, and farm businesses. Highways 36 and 206 still meet in the southern part of town, while Treadaway Park keeps Turkey Creek in the local map. Cross Plains Independent School District serves the community, and the high school teams are the Buffaloes. The town's story is a mix of creek, crossroads, rail, and farm trade.