Beginning in 1855, settlers came to the Palo Pinto area for the fertile soil of the Brazos River Valley. The town of Golconda, later renamed Palo Pinto, was formed as the county seat in 1857, and by the 1870s the town had become an established ranching locale. This prosperity did not last long, as the Texas and Pacific Railway bypassed the town when it laid tracks through the area in 1880. The Bankhead Highway was officially designated through Palo Pinto in 1919, when the Highway Commission approved funding for the north loop of SH 1 through multiple locations in order to allow for an increase of oil production during World War I. While you’re in town, stop by the Old Jail Museum Complex and learn about life in this rural county before the Bankhead Highway.

More Locations in Palo Pinto

Wynn Mountain Road
3.5 miles east of Palo Pinto

Though it’s not quite a mile, this segment of the old Bankhead Highway will transport you back in time. It’s easy to forget that today’s modern and bustling world exists when you’re driving down this road.

Road Segment
Oak St. through town

There’s a lot of driving to be done in Palo Pinto. Pop on down to Oak Street to drive this mile-long stretch of former Bankhead Highway.

Sinclair Gas Station
438 Oak Street

Sinclair service stations developed a very standardized form and architectural style in the 1930s. Stations were typically roofed with green tile, and featured a canopy that rested on square stucco columns. This style appeared across the country despite its Southwestern architectural influence.

Roadside Park
1.5 miles west of Palo Pinto on Hwy 180

On the outskirts of Palo Pinto you’ll find this retro roadside park from the 1960s. The 1936 Centennial marker provides a snapshot of early Palo Pinto County as you take a break from exploring the beaten path.

Road Segment
1.5 miles west of Palo Pinto beginning at R.D. Bell Road for about 2 miles.

This partially abandoned roadway segment of the Bankhead Highway is one for the adventurous traveler.The segments here are not contiguous; some are short loops that extend from and return back to the existing highway; some are dead ends. The old concrete roadway and several old bridges remain intact, though nature has left her mark. Regardless of their drivability, this segment still gives the driver as strong sense of the past.