Oil, wide horizons, and the Permian
West Texas & the Permian Basin
West Texas and the Permian Basin — an oil-and-gas economy, mineral-rights questions, scarce groundwater, and wide-open ranch country.
42 counties · 358 local notes
Cities & towns
Counties
A taste of the notes
Andrews County · Property tax
Two offices handle your property tax in Andrews County
Andrews County splits property tax work between the Appraisal District (values your property) and two separate tax offices (collect the bills).
Coleman County · Property Tax
Coleman County has two separate tax offices
In Coleman County, the appraisal district collects property taxes — not the tax assessor-collector's office.
Dawson County · Hunting Regulations
Deer hunting in Dawson County has specific buck rules you must know
Dawson County hunters can take white-tailed and mule deer, but state rules limit how many and what kind of buck is legal.
Ector County · Founding History
A Railroad Built Odessa in the 1880s
Odessa was founded in 1881 when the Texas and Pacific Railway extended across West Texas and workers established a water stop on the South Plains.
Glasscock County · Homestead Exemption
A homestead exemption can lower your school tax bill in Glasscock County
If you own and live in your home, you may qualify for a homestead exemption that reduces the taxable value of your property.
Irion County · Local History
The Railroad Moved the County Seat to Mertzon
Irion County started with Sherwood as its county seat, but when the railroad bypassed Sherwood and ran through Mertzon, the county seat followed.
Martin County · Property Tax
Two Offices Handle Property Taxes in Martin County
Martin County has two separate offices for property taxes — one sets your value, the other collects your bill.
Midland County · Permian Basin Geology
The Permian Basin beneath Midland County holds some of the deepest oil deposits in Texas
Midland County sits atop the Midland Basin, part of the larger Permian Basin that formed when an ancient sea retreated and left thick layers of rock that trapped oil and gas.
Runnels County · Water Wells
Drilling a Water Well? A Conservation District Regulates It
Runnels County falls within the Lipan-Kickapoo Water Conservation District, which means you need to register or permit a new water well before drilling.
Stephens County · Local History
Breckenridge Grew from a Small Town to a Boomtown Overnight
The 1920s oil boom turned Breckenridge from a quiet ranching town into one of the most chaotic boomtowns in Texas history.
Taylor County · Hunting
White-tailed deer and quail are both legal to hunt in Taylor County
Taylor County is open for white-tailed deer, quail, dove, turkey, javelina, and several other species under TPWD regulations that change each year.
Tom Green County · Oil & Gas Regulation
Oil and Gas Operations Are Regulated from San Angelo
The Railroad Commission of Texas office in San Angelo oversees all oil, gas, and pipeline activity in Tom Green County.
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