Martin County lies on the lower great plains of west Texas. It was formed from Young and Bexar territories, created Aug. 21, 1876, and organized Nov. 4, 1884. It was named for Wyly Martin, a member of Austin's colony and Texas patriot. The county seat was established by the first commissioners court, which authorized construction of a courthouse in Stanton, then called Mariensfield. An early C. C. Slaughter ranch headquarters stood 12 miles northwest of Stanton at Mustang Spring, considered the best campsite west of Big Spring. The economy has been based on grain sorghum, cotton farming, cattle ranching, and petroleum.