Big Square, Texas

Big Square is an unincorporated place located on Farm Road 145 in Southwestern Castro County, Texas, United States. ^[1]

Etymology

Big Square got its name from the 4 square (640 acres) tracts of land and 4 identical square homes settled in the community that the Stiles family built. ^[2]

History

Big Square was settled in 1907 by a settler named Marcus Lionel Stiles as part of a land rush that happened from 1890 to 1910 in the XIT Ranch. Marcus purchased 640 acres worth of adjoining land in Castro County, then moved there with his family from Iowa. Families would then start to move into the community during its early years, one of them being the Will Wyler family, who settled in 1909.

The first community post office was opened in 1910 in Otis and Nell Burton's two-story residence, which then moved to the Big Square Store, which would then operate until its closure in 1927. A school was built by Stiles in 1909, but later was turned into a two-room brick residence in 1920. A bigger school was built upon the Agee family land in 1930, but would go out of service in 1937. Another school was then built in 1939, but the district would then merge with the schools of Springlake and Dimmitt.

Residents would keep migrating into the community during the 1930s, most of them being farmers and ranchers. ^{[3] [2] [4]}

References

1. "Big Square". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior . Retrieved February 12, 2026.
2. Liles, Alice (July 19, 2021). "The Big Square Historical Marker". Alice Liles: Adventures down the Rabbit Hole. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
3. Anderson, Hugh Allen. "History of Big Square, Texas: A Brief Overview". Handbook of Texas. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
4. Lowrey, Allen (July 16, 2023). "Big Square Community". Historical Marker Database. Retrieved February 12, 2026.

34°23′05″N102°28′11″W / 34.38472°N 102.46972°W / 34.38472; -102.46972