Addison Wadley (pictured) and his family were among the first to come to Midland. Addison's family, led by his father, settled here in 1883-84. The Wadleys would have a lumberyard named after them and eventually a major street -- and, some would say, even a river.
In the mid 20th century, Mr. Wadley gave a number of public presentations on early Midland at civic organizations, churches and other venues. Excerpts from those presentations painted a picture of what Midland was like in the early going:
"It was the good old days in Midland when a quarter's worth of steak would feed a family of eight. Haircuts were 35 cents and shaves 15 cents. And the butcher would give you all the liver you wanted.
"My father came to Midland in the latter part of 1883 and established the first lumber yard. The family came in 1884. I was four at the time. Originally, the town was called Midway, it being just halfway between Fort Worth and El Paso.
"At the time we came here, there were probably only 40 to 50 people here.
"Midland has always been a good town. Not a great many know that Midland once boasted a college. It was The Midland College. Parts of its main building can be seen on W. College St.
"The first church in Midland was baptist, located on N. Marienfeld street, where Service Drug stands now. It was soon followed by the establishment of Methodist, Catholic, Christian and Presbyterian. Other denominations came later.
"Midland has always been a good town but for its splendid progress and growth since the advent of oil, I give special credit to three men: T.S. Hogan, who built the Petroleum Building; Dr. John B Thomas, who built the Thomas Building (now the Leggett Building), and Clarence Scharbauer, who built the Scharbauer Hotel. But for the foresight and vision of these three in particular, I believe Midland would only be a town of 6,000 and just a suburb of Odessa."
Wadley's comments were excerpted from the Midland newspaper in the 1940s. Two of the three buildings he mentioned -- the Leggett Building (on Loraine across from the Hilton) and the Petroleum Building -- still stand some 70-80 years after they were constructed.
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In the mid 20th century, Mr. Wadley gave a number of public presentations on early Midland at civic organizations, churches and other venues. Excerpts from those presentations painted a picture of what Midland was like in the early going:
"It was the good old days in Midland when a quarter's worth of steak would feed a family of eight. Haircuts were 35 cents and shaves 15 cents. And the butcher would give you all the liver you wanted.
"My father came to Midland in the latter part of 1883 and established the first lumber yard. The family came in 1884. I was four at the time. Originally, the town was called Midway, it being just halfway between Fort Worth and El Paso.
"At the time we came here, there were probably only 40 to 50 people here.
"Midland has always been a good town. Not a great many know that Midland once boasted a college. It was The Midland College. Parts of its main building can be seen on W. College St.
"The first church in Midland was baptist, located on N. Marienfeld street, where Service Drug stands now. It was soon followed by the establishment of Methodist, Catholic, Christian and Presbyterian. Other denominations came later.
"Midland has always been a good town but for its splendid progress and growth since the advent of oil, I give special credit to three men: T.S. Hogan, who built the Petroleum Building; Dr. John B Thomas, who built the Thomas Building (now the Leggett Building), and Clarence Scharbauer, who built the Scharbauer Hotel. But for the foresight and vision of these three in particular, I believe Midland would only be a town of 6,000 and just a suburb of Odessa."
Wadley's comments were excerpted from the Midland newspaper in the 1940s. Two of the three buildings he mentioned -- the Leggett Building (on Loraine across from the Hilton) and the Petroleum Building -- still stand some 70-80 years after they were constructed.
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