SCURRY COUNTY
County Offices
1806 25th Street
Snyder 325-573-5332
http://www.co.scurry.tx.us/
Chamber of Commerce
2514 Avenue R
Snyder 325-573-1544
https://growsnyder.com/
Sprawling over 904 square miles at the base of the Llano Estacado or High Plains in West Texas, Scurry County is 90 miles northwest of Abilene and 90 miles southeast of Lubbock. This richly agricultural area features light to dark loam soils that are drained by tributaries of the Clear Fork of Brazos River and the Colorado River. Offering a lengthy growing season of 214 days, this region is largely devoted to farming and ranching operations. With a location in the Permian Basin, Scurry County mixes traditional oil production with contemporary operations for renewable energy that include two of the nation’s largest wind farms.
Major thoroughfares that serve this area include U.S. Highway 84, U.S. Highway 180 for east/west crossing, and Texas State Highway 208. This highway network ensures efficient connections to regional destinations and the major cities located within a 90-mile radius including Lubbock, Abilene, San Angelo, and Midland. The closest commercial airline service is available at Abilene Regional Airport or Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport in Lubbock.
Services
Access to first-rate educational opportunities begins with local school districts where a strong core curriculum combines with innovative STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) programs and abundant extracurricular activities. Low student/teacher ratios that range from 12:1 to 14:1 correspond to impressively high graduation rates. Home to Western Texas College, Scurry County offers high school graduates the benefit of free tuition for transfer degree programs and career training. The campus also houses an adult education center developed by the city of Snyder for distance learning, video conferencing, and computer training. For undergraduate through professional programs, Texas Tech University (TTU) in Lubbock offers a nationally recognized as a Tier One Carnegie University. Inviting students to enjoy the stunning beauty of its elegant Spanish Renaissance architecture, TTU is the only major university in the state that offers both a law school and a medical school. Lubbock is also home to two centers for the two-year South Plains College and the private colleges of Lubbock Christian University and Wayland Baptist University. Abilene adds the private liberal arts institutions of McMurray University and Hardin-Simmons University.
First-rate healthcare services and resources begin close to home at the 25-bed Cogdell Memorial Hospital, operating as a designated Critical Access Hospital and Rural Health Clinic for residents of Snyder County and those in surrounding rural areas. Dedicated to continual upgrades and improvements that enable the finest of comprehensive care, the hospital offers newly renovated facilities including a family medicine clinic, rehabilitation and wellness center, laboratory, day surgery suites, and dedicated obstetrics wing. Other services include 24-hour emergency care, general surgery, home health, hospice, orthopedics, outpatient care, radiology, respiratory care, a specialty clinic, a walk-in clinic, and a Swing Bed Program for skilled nursing. Advanced or highly specialized care is available in metropolitan Lubbock, where the University Medical Center Health System (UMC) provides a world-class teaching hospital and premier research center. The city is also home to the flagship facilities for Covenant Health, Covenant Medical Center and Covenant Children’s Hospital, and other specialty centers in the system including the Heart & Vascular Institute, Joe Arrington Cancer Research & Treatment Center, the NeuroScience Institute, and Covenant Specialty Hospital.
Lifestyle
Rural and small-town living is never dull in Scurry County, where residents play as hard as they work. While the city of Snyder is home to several parks and walking trails, four nearby state parks combine thousands of acres of picturesque scenery and sparkling lakes that are ideal for hiking, biking, boating, fishing, birding, nature study, camping, and horseback riding. Cyclists will want to experience the Wild Canyon Classic at Caprock Canyons State Park, a ride that has no comparison through red-rock splendor and wild buffalo herds. Big Spring State Park is another popular destination for joggers and cyclists with a loop trail and dramatic views from a 200-foot bluff. Anglers frequent nearby Lake Alan Henry or Lake J.B. Thomas, a reservoir of the Colorado River. For those who just want a relaxing escape, Abilene Lake at Lake Abilene State Park is popular for canoeing and kayaking. Golfers can perfect their backstroke on local greens, including the artfully designed course on the Western Texas College Campus.
Cultural enrichment is woven into daily life in Scurry County, where Native American heritage and legends of the white buffalo are celebrated in style. Scurry County Museum is one of the featured stops along the Quanah Parker Trail, developed by the Texas Historical Commission to honor the life of the last Comanche chief. With continually rotating exhibits in two galleries, the museum takes a deep dive into history, art, and culture. Several of the county’s local events draw regional crowds, including the annual White Buffalo Festival in Snyder. As many as 10,000 visitors flock to the small town for a blockbuster celebration of Texas food, music, culture, and activities. The West Texas Western Swing Music Festival draws visitors from across the state and around the nation for fiddle, banjo, and guitar harmonies from world-class musicians. Snyder Coliseum on the campus of Western Texas College seats 4,000 for a full calendar of sporting and community events. For three-day weekends or longer getaways, metropolitan Lubbock offers an entire world of expanded shopping, dining, cultural enrichment, and entertainment attractions. Combining the vitality of a college-town atmosphere with quiet county roads and the best of rural living, Scurry County is a place like no other.
COMMUNITIES
Snyder
Municipal Offices
325-573-4957
https://ci.snyder.tx.us/
Chamber of Commerce
325-573-3558
https://www.snyderchamber.org/
Serving as the seat of government and population center for Scurry County, the city of Snyder also provides a hub of commerce, healthcare, education, and entertainment for residents of the surrounding rural area. Centrally located at the junction of U.S. Highways 84 and 180, this small but well-developed community blends big business intelligence with ease, comfort, and charm. The appeal of Snyder is as rare as the one-in-ten-million white buffalo that once roamed the region. Today, the grandeur of the iconic animal is represented in a grand statue that anchors White Buffalo Park. With a local hospital, downtown shopping and dining, good schools, and a college campus, it is not surprising that Snyder appeared on a list of American’s 50 Best Cities to Live from USA Today. The good life is available at a lower cost in Snyder, including real estate dollars that stretch further and expand the options for attractive homes in neighborhood or country settings. Known for the warmth and friendliness of its residents and local businesses, this small West Texas community makes it easy for newcomers to feel immediately at home.
