History of Comanche

Comanche County was created in 1856 after Anglo-American settlers began arriving in 1854 on land granted earlier to Stephen F. Austin and Samuel May Williams.

In 1858 the town of Comanche became the County Seat of Comanche County. Both Comanche and Comanche County were named by Colonel John Henry Brown, because he admired the Comanche Indians.

The land was abundant with game and conditions were favorable for farms and ranches. Agriculture was further encouraged in 1881 when the Texas Central Railroad began service in Comanche County. The county was strong in production of cattle and cotton in the early 1900’s. The economy was severely damaged after the boll weevil plagued the area. To offset the devastation, farmers began experimenting with the production of peanuts, which paved the way for the county’s longtime leadership in the peanut industry. Other food products added to the mix with fruit and pecan production. Livestock gained strength as beef cattle and dairy farms grew in the area.

The agriculture production in the county is fairly balanced between farming and ranching.  The county profits from related agribusiness and other manufacturing

Oil production was significant for a time, with 328,098 barrels being produced in 1920, but many of the wells were shallow and production fell off in later years.