Electra

Named after cattle baron W.T. Waggoner’s daughter, Electra is located in the western edge of Wichita County. The Waggoners were pioneers in the area when they established their cattle headquarters here in 1878. Confusion over the delivery of Waggoner mail and the name Beaver for nearby Beaver Creek, led residents in 1902 to circulate a petition changing the name of the city to Electra in honor of Electra Waggoner. The townsite opened in October 1907. In 1911, an oil company leased a tract of land from W.T. and the famous North Texas Oil boom was begun as fortune seekers came to stake their claims.

Electra was named the “Pump Jack Capital of Texas” by the Texas Legislature in 2001. The gusher of the Clayco No. 1 well, just north of town, in 1911 opened oil fields in the area, which today still support 5,000 pumping units within a 10-mile radius of town.

Annual festivals include the Pump Jack Festival (in April) celebrating Electra’s oil heritage. Other community festivals include the Electra Goat Barbecue on Mother’s Day weekend and the Holiday of Lights Christmas Parade the Saturday evening following Thanksgiving Day.

The city of Electra maintains 8 RV hookups at Fairgrounds Park, which features 3 pavilions and a children’s fishing pond.

Electra was designated a Texas Main Street City in 1998 and has been named a National Main Street community annually since 2000. In 2004 it was named a “PreserveAmerica” community, a White House initiative to recognize efforts to preserve and share our cultural and natural heritage.