Pyote - Texas Ghost Town

PYOTE

NAME: Pyote
COUNTY: Ward
ROADS: 2WD
GRID: 2
CLIMATE: Warm winter, hot summer
BEST TIME TO VISIT:Anytime

COMMENTS: About 50 people
west of monohans off of interstate 20
old hanger south west of town and a small museum, next to the old gym..
REMAINS: Old foundations, crumbling buildings, and some standing buildings.

I don't know the exact dates, but in the early 1900's, late 1800's, a family started a small ranch in this area. Other families came and settled. Southern Pacific had track running through the small town. Oil was found to the north in Winkler County, so the settlers tried there luck with oil and Pyote became a little oilfield community. In the late 30's early 40's, the Army Air Corp had opened the Rattlesnake Bomber Base. The name came about because of all of the Rattlesnake dens in the area. The population of Pyote was around 10,000 people in the 40's and 50's. The old hanger even housed the Enola Gay before it dropped the bomb in Nagasawki and Hiroshima. After World War II, the base closed down and the once thriving small city, became nothing more than a small town. Today, Pyote has about 75 people. It has a small church, where my father preaches. Texaco has recently built some sort of small field office there. The Texas Youth Commission has a juvenile correction facility there. It has a small store that serves as a last minute stop for anyone traveling towards El Paso. If you love History, especially the History of West Texas, this is an interesting stop. Wink is just 15 miles North of Pyote and has the Roy Orbison Museum. Submitted by: Trey Oglesby After WW2 Pyote was used as a place to "pickle" and store bombers. The dry climate was better for preserving them while it was decided what to do with them. I remember passing by as a young child and seeing hundreds, probably thousands, of B-17 and B-29 bombers, in long rows that seemed to stretch forever. It was a sight that I have never forgotten; it really put forth to me America's power and might, and at the same time was sad, like a graveyard. Dr. Larry Thomson.

I don't know the exact dates, but in the early 1900's, late 1800's, a family started a small ranch in this area. Other families came and settled. Southern Pacific had track running through the small town. Oil was found to the north in Winkler County, so the settlers tried there luck with oil and Pyote became a little oilfield community.

In the late 30's early 40's, the Army Air Corp had opened the Rattlesnake Bomber Base. The name came about because of all of the Rattlesnake dens in the area.

The population of Pyote was around 10,000 people in the 40's and 50's.
The old hanger even housed the Enola Gay before it dropped the bomb in Nagasawki and Hiroshima.

After World War II, the base closed down and the once thriving small city, became nothing more than a small town.

Today, Pyote has about 75 people. It has a small church, where my father preaches. Texaco has recently built some sort of small field office there. The Texas Youth Commission has a juvenile correction facility there. It has a small store that serves as a last minute stop for anyone traveling towards El Paso. If you love History, especially the History of West Texas, this is an interesting stop.

Wink is just 15 miles North of Pyote and has the Roy Orbison Museum.

Submitted by: Trey Oglesby

After WW2 Pyote was used as a place to "pickle" and store bombers. The dry climate was better for preserving them while it was decided what to do with them. I remember passing by as a young child and seeing hundreds, probably thousands, of B-17 and B-29 bombers, in long rows that seemed to stretch forever. It was a sight that I have never forgotten; it really put forth to me America's power and might, and at the same time was sad, like a graveyard. Dr. Larry Thomson.

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