Lubbock, Texas

Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado.

Lubbock, Texas History

Today Lubbock is a thriving, bustling city of over 218,000 people, but 200 years ago, the area was covered with tall grasses and roaming buffalo. The region was first discovered and named the Llano Estacado in 1540 by the infamous Spanish explorer Coronado on his quest for the “City of Gold.”

Lubbock began as two smaller towns until 1890 when “Old Lubbock” and “Monterey” joined together, on a new site, to establish a town consisting of 50 people. This new town, named after Tom S. Lubbock, a Confederate officer, Texas Ranger, and signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence, became the county seat less than a year after being established and officially became a city in 1909. That same year, Lubbock residents saw for the first time dark pillars of billowing smoke on the horizon as the first train pulled into Lubbock from Plainview.

Along with a thriving farming industry, Lubbock made great strides in the cotton industry. The area went from producing four bales of cotton in 1902 to producing over 100,000 bales in 1932. Today, Lubbock County produces an astonishing two to three million bales of cotton per year.

In 1923, 30,000 Lubbock citizens fought hard to win the bid to establish a new college, called Texas Technological College. The college opened its doors in 1925 with 1,379 students. In 1976, Texas Tech University expanded with the establishment of the Health Sciences Center Campus which is now a world-renowned medical school. Today, Texas Tech University is a first-class educational and research institution where students can think big, live fully and prepare for tomorrow.

Known as the “Music Crossroads of West Texas,” Lubbock has hosted many musical legends, including Lubbock’s son, Buddy Holly, who attracted followers and inspired musicians all around the world. Other well-known West Texas musicians include Mac Davis, Waylon Jennings, Tanya Tucker, Natalie Maines, The Maines Brothers, and Bob Wills.

Lubbock is fast becoming a major metropolis. Thousands of visitors come to Lubbock every year to experience the great music, shopping, fine arts, performing arts, unique dining, Big XII sports, and entertainment. But no matter how much Lubbock grows, it still offers visitors small-town hospitality and West Texas charm. The possibilities are endless in Lubbock. Come visit the Texas you've always dreamed of...Lubbock.