Rankin combines two distinct travel interests: local history and golf. The town is located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 67 and State Highway 349. When choosing your vacation rental, you can first decide which theme you want to shape your stay. Those who want to include both will find a public 9-hole golf course as well as several historical points of interest in Rankin. The history spans the town’s founding and the development of Upton County; the golf course offers its own sporting focus, with several practice areas.
Local History in Several Stages
F. E. Rankin donated land for a town site, where the new town of Rankin was established. When Rankin became the new county seat of Upton County, houses and buildings were moved to Rankin through 1921. These two events shed light on different aspects of the town’s development: the site where it was founded and the later relocation of buildings in connection with its administrative role.
Another point in the timeline is the founding of Upton County in 1910; afterward, the Elliott Ranch served as a post station. Rankin’s religious history followed its own sequence. Early services were first held in the railroad depot before an interdenominational church site was acquired. The Rankin Union Church building was completed in 1915.
Museum and Special Exhibits
The Rankin Museum offers a different focus from local and church history: its wide-ranging exhibits cover the period around the turn of the 20th century. Unusual exhibits include elegant clothing from bygone eras, a cowboy’s metal bacon tin, and license plates from the 1920s. The examples range from clothing to an unusual object and vehicle registration plates. These material exhibits stand alongside the themes of the town’s development and church construction, offering different perspectives on history.
Golf in Rankin
The Rankin Golf Course is a recently renovated public 9-hole golf course in Rankin, Texas. The course includes a driving range, a practice putting green, and a short-game area. You can focus either on the 9-hole format or on the different practice areas. Tee times are booked by phone through the pro shop. If golf is a set part of your itinerary, include arranging your preferred tee time in your plans.
Getting Around and Facilities
The Rankin Public Library is located at 310 East 10th in Rankin. If a visit there is important to your plans, check the current service hours in advance. Two rentable facilities are the Tommy Workman Pavillion on U.S. Highway 67 and the Dub Day Arena Pavillion at 1101–1117 S. Hwy 329. As availability may change, check in advance if you would like to include either facility in your plans.
Discover more destinations: McCamey.
Return to the county travel overview: Upton County.
