Yoakum County Genealogy

Denver City is a town located partly in Gaines County, but mostly in Yoakum County in the far western portion of Texas, just a short distance from the New Mexico boundary. It is named for the petroleum company, Denver Productions and is located at the intersection of Texas State Highways 214 and 83.

Note: All map locations are approximate.

Oil and ranching remain important to Denver City. The first well was drilled by the wildcatter "Red" Davidson of Fort Worth on the ranch lands of L.P. and Ruth Bennett and her father, Dr. J. R. Smith. Oil gushed to the surface for the first time on October 10, 1935. A part of this Wasson Field, as it is known, is the site of the Yoakum County Park, donated in 1964 by Gene H. Bennett (1921–1998), the youngest son of the Bennetts.

While the primary coordinates for Town of Denver City are located in Yoakum County, it should be noted that the formal boundaries for this community also extend into and Gaines County.

Denver City is on State Highway 83 on the Gaines county line, seventy miles southwest of Lubbock in south central Yoakum County. When the Wasson oil pool was developed in 1939, the town was founded and named by C. S. Ameen and Ben Eggink. Ameen selected the name because he had a close friend who was employed by Denver Productions near the townsite, and he added "City" to the name to show his faith in the town's future. Shortly after its founding the town was incorporated and had a refinery and a gas and water system. By 1940 Denver City had a population of 3,000 and 120 businesses.

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