County History
Glasscock County was built on sheep, cotton, and oil
This small West Texas county was organized in 1893 and shifted from ranching to farming to oil production over its first century.
Glasscock County was created from Tom Green County in 1887 and formally organized in 1893. It was named for George W. Glasscock, a Texas Revolution officer and state legislator. The county seat, Garden City, got its name by accident — a federal clerk misspelled what was supposed to be 'Gardner City.' Before Garden City was chosen, two other settlements also competed to become the county seat.
The county's early economy centered on sheep and cattle ranching. By 1890 there were about 45,000 sheep in the county. Cotton farming grew in the early 1900s. Oil was discovered here in 1926, and by 1991 the county had produced over 192 million barrels. Today the county remains rural, with an economy tied to agriculture and oil and gas production. The Texas State Historical Association's Handbook of Texas has a detailed county entry.
Source to confirm: Handbook of Texas – Glasscock County