County Seat History

Littlefield Was Built on a Ranch Sale and a Railroad Stop

Littlefield grew from a single railroad station on a giant cattle ranch into the county seat and commercial center of Lamb County.

Lamb County History & Culture

In 1913, the Santa Fe Railway built a line through George W. Littlefield's Yellow House Ranch. Littlefield sold off land parcels, and a town grew up around the station. The town was incorporated in 1924. By 1930 it had cotton gins, grain elevators, and a population of 3,500.

Cotton farming drove most of that growth. The county's population peaked around 1960 and has declined since, following the national trend of agricultural mechanization. Littlefield became the official county seat in 1946, replacing Olton. Today it serves as the retail and banking hub for Lamb County.

Source to confirm: Handbook of Texas Online — Littlefield, Texas

More Lamb County notes

Property Tax

Property Tax Has Two Separate Offices in Lamb County

Lamb County splits property tax work between an appraisal district and a separate tax assessor-collector — and the tax office does not collect taxes itself.

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Homestead Exemption

File Your Homestead Exemption With the Appraisal District

If your home in Lamb County is your primary residence, you may qualify for a homestead exemption that reduces your taxable value.

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Water Wells

A Groundwater District Regulates Wells Over the Ogallala Aquifer

All of Lamb County sits over the Ogallala Aquifer, and a state-authorized water district controls who can drill a well and how much they can pump.

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Wildlife & Hunting

Playa Lakes Are the Main Public Outdoor Resource on the High Plains

Shallow playa lakes dot the Lamb County landscape and attract migratory waterfowl, making them a key hunting and wildlife-watching feature in this flat, treeless county.

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