UPTON COUNTY
County Offices
205 East 10th Street
Rankin 432-693-2861
www.co.upton.tx.us
Chamber of Commerce
303 West Wall Street
Midland 432-683-3381
www.midlandtxchamber.com
Sparsely populated Upton County covers 1,241 square miles of rocky land in the Edwards Plateau region, with a topography that varies from a flat northern area to rolling, hilly elevations in the south dotted by several small lakes. Traditionally a ranching area, the county experienced cycles of boom and decline driven by fluctuations in oil production demands throughout the 20th century. Nearly all the county’s residents are clustered in the two small cities of Rankin and McCamey, the latter being well-served by US Highway 385 for commuting east to Odessa and Midland.
Services
While the Midland/Odessa region is well-known as a hub of outstanding healthcare services and facilities, many routine needs can be met close to home at McCamey County Hospital District in McCamey. Taking for its slogan, “Small facility, big heart,” the hospital provides general medical and surgical services for inpatients and outpatients in addition to a well-equipped 24-hour access emergency room. Other services include cardiology, physical therapy, respiratory care, diagnostic imaging/radiology, laboratory, and an on-site pharmacy. Should the need for advanced care arise, the urban center of Odessa is home to Medical Center Hospital, serving a 17-county region with patient-centered care that excels in clinical excellence. Combining a teaching hospital with a comprehensive health system, this 402-bed regional medical center includes a network of satellite outpatient centers and integrated physician specialties. Odessa Regional Medical Center provides a 230-bed hospital and comprehensive healthcare services in Odessa and Midland. Hundreds of professionals in private practice represent every specialty, including Texas Tech Physicians who operate outpatient clinics in both cities.
Access to quality education on every level is anchored by the well-managed school districts serving Upton County youth. Opportunities for post-secondary education are exceptionally rich in the Midland/Odessa region, home to the two-year institutions of Odessa College and Midland College as well as the Howard College Community College District with two campuses in Big Spring. All three institutions provide progressive resources and comprehensive courses, trainings, and programs designed to prepare students for successful employment in relevant fields or transfer to a four-year college or university. The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center of the Permian Basin in Midland/Odessa specializes in higher education in the allied health sciences, medicine, and nursing. Home to several nationally recognized programs, the University of Texas of the Permian Basin in Odessa provides opportunities to earn undergraduate, graduate, and pre-professional degrees.
Lifestyle
Residents of Upton County enjoy the intimate community spirit and simple pleasures of small-town living surrounded by acres of land that supports ranching and agricultural activity. With nearly all of the county residents clustered in the historic county seat of Rankin and the City of McCamey, friendships form for a lifetime and neighbors greet each other by name. Santa Fe Park in McCamey is a focal point of recreational and cultural activity, home to the Adrian House museum filled with period furnishings and décor and the Mendoza Trail Museum with displays of area artifacts. The historic railroad depot was relocated to the park, now serving as a community center equipped with a kitchen for hosting groups, parties, and events. Partially wooded with RV hookups, Santa Fe Park offers picnic tables, pavilion, and a playground. McCamey is the location of the Upton County Park with a swimming pool, playground, horseshoe pits, and hoops for basketball. Other resources include a Skate Park and Dunbar Park with a lighted baseball field, stands, and concessions. Golfers will appreciate the 18-hole golf course and tournament opportunities at McCamey Country Club.
Residents of Upton County are approximately an hour from Odessa and a few minutes longer drive to Midland for a world of shopping, professional sports, nightspots, live music, dancing, fine art galleries, historic sites, celebrated museums, and cultural enrichment. Odessa is home to scores of lush parks highlighted by unique attractions like McKinney Park Sprayground, family Aquatic Centers, a performance stage, and the Ratcliff Ranch Golf Links. An active arts council supports local professional talent in the Permian Playhouse, the Globe Theater on the campus of Odessa College, and historic Ector Theatre. Midland features the Midland-Odessa Symphony & Chorale and Midland Community Theatre, although the crown jewel of this region is the award-winning Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center on the University of Texas campus in Odessa. This architecturally stunning venue presents world-class symphony, concerts, national headliners, ballet, opera, and Broadway shows. Other Midland/Odessa urban attractions include the Commemorative Air Force/American Airpower Heritage Museum, Haley Memorial Library & History Center, Ellen Noel Art Museum, the Marion Blakemore Planetarium, and the unique Permian Basin Petroleum Museum. Those who are looking for a warm, friendly hometown setting with access to some of the finest resources in West Texas will want to consider an Upton County address.
COMMUNITY PROFILES
McCamey
City Offices
432-652-3333
www.mccameycity.com
Chamber of Commerce
432-652-8202
The City of McCamey, like many small communities in West Texas oil country, has survived cycles of sudden economic expansion and industry decline. Today, this windswept frontier community is taking full advantage of its location and natural resources to reinvent itself once again for the 21st Century. Officially designated the Wind Energy Capital of Texas, McCamey features a landscape dotted with hundreds of energy-generating wind turbines. Along with its status as a hotbed of activity for the “green” power industry, the city provides a local hospital and recreational amenities for a regional population of oil-industry workers, farmers, and ranchers. The newest annual celebration is the Wind Energy Capital of Texas Cook-off and Festival, although rattlesnake roundups and racing events have been enthusiastically celebrated since 1936.
Rankin
City Offices
432-693-2474
Chamber of Commerce
432-683-3381
www.midlandtxchamber.com
The small historic City of Rankin serves as the seat of Upton County government, housing the traditional courthouse and offices for county officials. Home to the Red Devils of Rankin High School, this close-knit community proudly supports local school, civic, and church events. The most famous of Rankin’s annual events is the World Championship Barbados Cookoff held over Memorial Day weekend. Other popular celebrations include the County Livestock Show in January, a Junior Rodeo in June, and the Christmas Parade in December. Nearby McCamey provides expanded recreational resources that include a country club and golf course as well as parks with RV hookups, sports and picnic facilities, and playgrounds. McCamey is also home to the McCamey County Hospital District, ensuring that Rankin residents and those living in the county’s rural reaches have access to 24-hour emergency care.
