Stant Rhea Stage Stand

Early settlers in this area kept in touch with the world by picking up their mail at railheads. Federal mail delivery to post offices began when W. L. Tharp took a route from the new railroad town of Amarillo to Plainview and Estacado in July and August, 1888. There were no roads; the round trip took six days. About 1889, W. H. Fuqua of Amarillo, who had a new U.S. mail contract, used a compass and laid off a route with several stations, one at Plainview. He soon added passenger service, but then disposed of the line, which about 1890 fell into the hands of Stant Rhea and Robert Montgomery. Buying out Montgomery, Rhea carried the mail for 19 years. Sidney Stanton "Stant" Rhea (1862-1922) was a small, red-haired man who drove wild Spanish mules hitched to a buckboard or carriage. He made the 240-mile round trip from Amarillo to this area three times a week. With later route changes and better roads, he came this way daily. Six miles east of this spot he had a mule corral and a dugout. Stage passengers and mail patrons used the dugout as a waiting room. Until railroads outmoded his service, Stant Rhea's route and stand were important in the development of the South Plains.

Texas · United States