Sweetwater’s past: From the Blue Goose to the WASP program

SWEETWATER, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – Known for its iconic wind turbines and sprawling fields, Sweetwater stands tall as the Nolan County seat. But beyond the scenic views lies a rich and colorful history—here are some fun facts you might not know:

Welcome to Mobeetie

Before ranchers and settlers came to West Texas, the Kiowa Indians named the site “Mobeetie,” meaning “sweet water.” A different town up north eventually adopted that name after it was discovered this Texas town had already claimed “Sweetwater.”

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class="wp-block-heading">Population:

• 10,367 in 1940
• 13,914 in 1960
• 12,242 in 1980
• 11,967 in 1990
• 11,415 in 2000

The Blue Goose

Sweetwater’s first post office, established in 1879, was called The Blue Goose — a quirky name based on a story where a man mistook a great blue heron for a goose and shot it. At the time, the town was known as “Sweet Water,” written as two words.

Trouble in the Saloon

“The most celebrated occasion of violence in early days occurred because Sweetwater lacked a bank,” the Texas State Historical Association shared. “It was rumored that the saloon operated by Chiflet and Gilliot often held up to $20,000 in cash deposits left by residents. In February 1883, there was a raid on the saloon that resulted in the murder of the saloon owners and the wounding of a bystander, N. I. Dulaney. Eleven of the seventeen murder indictments returned in 1881–83 arose from this saloon robbery attempt. The next month, Thomas Trammell and others established a bank.”

A Freezing Winter

In 1885, a devastating blizzard killed off 90% of the area’s livestock, followed by a severe drought in 1886–87. By 1890, Sweetwater’s population had dropped to half of what it was in 1884.

Military Ties

Sweetwater played a role in military history, too. The local airfield was used by the U.S. Army Air Forces for training during World War II, and earlier, it even served as a training site for British flying cadets. Most famously, it became home to the WASP program, where Women Airforce Service Pilots trained to fly military aircraft in 1943 and 1944.