Organized in 1889, Ochiltree County rests in the northeast
corner of the Texas Panhandle. The small town of Ochiltree was the county
seat from 1889 until 1919, when the towns of Ochiltree, Texas and Gray,
Oklahoma were physically moved to the current site of Perryton to be
near the railroad.
The original courthouse, located in Ochiltree, Texas, was built in 1891
for the sum of $3,265. This courthouse was moved to the new town of
Perryton and was in use until 1928, when the current courthouse was
built and furnished for the sum of $103,386.
Ochiltree County is governed by the Ochiltree County Commissioners Court,
made up of four commissioners and the County Judge.
Ochiltree County currently maintains 633 miles of county roads, both
paved and improved. Our many farmers and oilfield workers use these
roads daily.
Ochiltree County also operates Wolf Creek Park, located 18 miles southeast
of Perryton. Lake Fryer, located in beautiful Wolf Creek Park, offers
some of the most beautiful camping in the Texas Panhandle. Centrally
located in the park, Lake Fryer boasts some of the finest boating and
swimming in the area. Wildlife is abundant in the park, with deer and
wild turkey spotted there on a daily basis.
The City of Perryton and Ochiltree County jointly own an exceptionally
nice public airport, boasting a 6,000-foot paved runway and a grass
cross-wind runway. Users of our airport are fortunate to have a certified
aircraft mechanic on the premises. Fuel sales are also offered at the
airport terminal. We are also proud to have a new Automated Weather
Observation System (AWOS) whereby pilots can obtain real-time weather
conditions by radio, telephone or computer.
Ochiltree County operates one of the few county-owned cemeteries in
the state. It is located 8 miles south of Perryton near the site of
the old town of Ochiltree.
The county owns and operates a county park in the town of Perryton.
This park boasts six soccer fields, six softball and baseball fields,
and a rodeo arena. Also located in the park is the County Exposition
Center,
a large heated and air-conditioned building that is the home of many
community events, including the Local Livestock Show, dances and banquets.
The Museum of the Plains, located in Perryton, is one of the finest
museums in the state. It is composed of several buildings housing nearly
50,000 square feet of exhibit space and is the home of thousands of
exhibits ranging from airplanes, period glassware and farm machinery
to dinosaur and Indian artifacts. Schools from the local area and from
several other states, including Oklahoma and Kansas, utilize the museum.
County law enforcement is provided by the Ochiltree County Sheriff’s
Department, which consists of the Sheriff, six deputies and a narcotics
taskforce officer. The department oversees enforcement of criminal laws,
serves civil process and operates the 32-bed county jail. Its communications
center dispatches officers from the Texas Department of Public Safety
as well as Texas Game Wardens and local officers.
Incorporated in 1920, the City of Perryton utilizes the council-manager
form of government. As the only incorporated city and the county seat
of Ochiltree County, Perryton has grown to nearly 8,000 residents. Perryton
is governed by a mayor and five council members who adopt policy; a
city manager is employed to implement policies. A full-service city,
Perryton employs 70 full-time personnel to serve its residents and customers.
The Fire/EMS department is staffed by nine Texas Certified Firefighters/Paramedics
and is guided by an equally qualified chief. Responding to some 400
ambulance runs and 60 fire calls annually, this department is the primary
responder for all of Ochiltree County.
The Perryton Police Department strives to make Perryton a safe place
to live, work and play. Ten uniformed officers enforce state and local
laws around the clock throughout the city. This department also provides
dispatching services for the Fire/EMS department.
In addition to operating a municipal swimming pool, the Parks Department
maintains five different parks that offer activities for all ages. From
two wading pools to a walking trail, Perryton’s parks have nice
amenities that include a large covered pavilion, three different restroom
facilities, basketball courts and a number of playgrounds.
The Perryton Municipal Golf Course is one of the finest courses in the
area. A fully irrigated 18-hole layout provides a unique challenge to
all golfers. A PGA Class A golf professional and a qualified course
superintendent make this facility a showplace that attracts an array
of golfers. Our greens are consistently noted as the finest in the area.
The Street Department maintains some 54 miles of paved streets and six
miles of unpaved streets with a comprehensive maintenance program. Snow
removal, drainage channel maintenance, mowing and sign maintenance are
also provided by this department.
The Sanitation Department collects solid waste from the alley-located
refuse containers; trash is taken to the City’s Arid Exempt Municipal
Landfill. They also operate and maintain a recycling center.
The Water Department delivers nearly 500 million gallons of water to
the City’s 3,400 customers each year. All of Perryton’s water
supply is groundwater produced from the Ogallala Aquifer. Perryton enjoys
an abundant, long-term reserve supply of this very good-tasting water,
which requires only chlorinization for treatment.
The Wastewater Department collects and treats nearly 1 million gallons
of sewage each day. Once treated, the effluent is used to irrigate a
variety of grain crops. A new $3 million treatment plant was recently
constructed, giving a 30-year plant life to the facility.
Perryton is one of just a few municipalities that own and operate natural
gas distribution systems. Ranked as one of the best municipally owned
systems in the state, it delivers about 450,000 mcf of gas to customers
on an annual basis.
