Ozona History

April 4, 1935
Long-Time Ozona Resident Reminiscent on 65th Birthday
By Bill Gray
Last Saturday amid a few friends at his home here, Jim Brownrigg, long time resident of Ozona, observed his 65th birthday. A seasoned “bull-whacker,” the Ozonan for many years drove an oxen freighter in Central and West Texas and since the beginning of the last century has been active as a “top” cattle hand in this part of Texas. He is known among many of his friends and by several cattle owners from the Ballinger to Marathon as “Cactus Jim.” The West Texan has outlived his profession, driving steer pulled freighters, but being the remnant of an obsolete art does not mean that he is retired. More than capable in the saddle, an expert trapper and hunter, he is in demand when cattle are to be reckoned with and ranch work is to be accomplished.

April 5, 1945
Sgt. Enrique E. Sanchez has been awarded the Purple Heart for wounds suffered in action in France on November 4, 1944, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Eugenio Arellano have learned. The parents this week received the Purple Heart medal, along with several German shoulder patches and other insignia of the German forces, souvenirs which the soldier did not explain. Sgt. Sanchez, attached to an American armored division as a tank gunner, suffered a wound in his right leg, he told his parents in a recent letter. He was hospitalized in in France for a time but had rejoined his outfit for the final push into Germany. Sgt. Sanchez has been in service three years, going overseas about a year ago.

March 31, 1955
After several months of study and investigation by the hospital hoard, the citizen group which administers the Crockett County Hospital, a movement has been launched to petition the Commissioners Court to order an election in a bond issue to build a new, modern hospital in Ozona. The hospital board was assigned the task of making the investigation by the Commissioners Court, the two bodies seeking a solution to the problem of need for more courthouse space and for larger and better adapted hospital facilities. After exhaustive study, the board, through its president Charles Ratliff, this week announced the plan to submit to the voters the question of whether or not bonds should be issued to build a new hospital and turn the present hospital building back to the county for use as a courthouse annex.

April 1, 1965
Property taxpaying voters of Crockett County Saturday approved by a margin of better than two to one the $320,000 school improvement bond issue. The total vote was 246 for to 171 against. The election was held in three boxes in the county, at the courthouse in Ozona, at Powell Field and at the West Texas Utilities Co. power plant near McCamey, in the northwest corner of the county. However, there were no eligible voters at the power plant and only six votes at Powell Field, five for the issue and one against.
New construction contemplated, and the architect's estimate of the cost is as follows: High School Library and two classrooms, $90,000. South Elementary, two classrooms and restrooms, $25,000. North Elementary, three classrooms, and restrooms, $45,000. Field House at the athletic field, $28,000. Superintendent's residence, $30,000. Teacherages, addition of three bedrooms and bath to four units, $15,000.

April 3, 1975
IT WAS A COLD NIGHT AT THE OLD RODEO GROUNDS last Saturday night when David Bean got his calf roped, had a little hard luck with the tie-down and got up to try again in another event. Over 50 contestants were entered in the first West Texas Rodeo Association show held here over the weekend. The near-freezing weather made it hard on contestants and spectators alike.