How Quanah Became the County Seat

Hardeman County was created in 1858 and organized in 1884. Margaret, also called Argurita, was the first county seat. Then the Fort Worth and Denver Railway surveyed the area and laid out the town of Quanah in 1885. The railroad changed everything. Settlers followed the rail line, and Quanah grew fast.

In 1890 voters moved the county seat to Quanah. The town was named for Comanche chief Quanah Parker. By 1890 the county population had jumped from about 50 to nearly 4,000 people. Quanah sits on U.S. Highway 287 between the Red River and Pease River in the center of the county and remains the county seat today.