BLOCK 1 - Main Street Tour    Locate on map

How many of us can still visualize the busy downtown of the Ranger 
of our childhood? Here, about to start a virtual tour of that eight-
block area, hesitate a moment in front of the West Texas Clinic and 
Hospital on the corner of Main and Marston.  Dr. P.M. Kuykendall, 
originally of Desdemona, purchased this two-year-old facility from 
a Dr. Barnett in late 1930.


The yellow brick hospital 
was the scene of a mass 
emergency event that might 
have rivaled the many now 
popular TV series dealing 
with trauma.  In November 
1941 an incredible accident 
on Ranger Hill occurred, 
involving a Greyhound bus 
and tanker truck that filled 
the hospital to the rafters. 
The staff not only was pushed 
to the limits of their 
abilities, but others needing attention, such as a man bitten by a 
rattlesnake and a mother in labor, may have felt somewhat overlooked 
in the mass emergency. Old news stories document this traumatic time 
in the city's history.
 
A pillar of the community for many years, 
Dr. Kuykendall took much interest in civic 
development. He was a powerhouse in the 
effort to build a new rodeo arena south 
of town and promote its annual run of 
officially-sanctioned Rodeo Cowboy 
Association events. The hospital he 
bought had offices on the ground floor 
just inside the main entry where he 
and usually a colleague saw patients. 

In this effort to recall a Ranger that no longer exists, let us 
imagine the early 1950's. Most of the places were full as farmers 
and ranchers and their wives came to town both to peddle their 
farm products and to shop. 

 
Before we meander on foot 
down Main, let's turn and 
look behind us toward the 
First Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ). 
The building itself, 
originally white stucco 
and looking somewhat like 
a Spanish mission, has 
changed its facade to a 
red brick front.

Looking all the way back down Main toward the railroad tracks, 
as a place to turn around. Such unique uses of the location 
included penning rodeo calves at its base just before the 
parade. It stood there until it was knocked over by a big 
windstorm. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, it was not 
to be raised again to its lofty position.  End Tour