Welcome from the Winters Area Chamber of Commerce. Beautiful sunsets and wide-open skies have graced the area of West Texas known as "Winters: A Town for All Seasons."
Known as "Blizzard Country" because of the unique high school mascot, the "winters" are mild, but the enthusiasm and ambition of residents are far from mild. Recreational opportunities abound in the area. Some of the state's finest hunting - deer, turkey, quail, dove, and wild hogs - is found nearby. Fishing and boating on Elm Creek Reservoir draw many to the area. The Z.I. Hale Museum features many exhibits of early-day Winters, including the Gus Pruser Agriculture Exhibit with the first patented cotton picker in the United States. The restored Rock Hotel features memorabilia from Baseball Hall-of-Famer Rogers Hornsby, who was born near Winters in 1896. The Hotel also offers facilities for meetings, gatherings and conventions.
Relax, enjoy, and experience the history, recreation and the shopping in wonderful Winters.
The Chamber congratulates the following winners of Business of the Quarter for 2009 1st quarter - Lawrence Bros. IGA Supermarket 2nd quarter - 3rd quarter - 4th quarter -
Mission Statement: The Winters Chamber of Commerce strives to improve the economic, aesthetic, and festive appeal of Winters, Texas. This is to be done by providing positive support to the member businesses and individuals of the community by increasing consumerism and morale with events and advertisements.
Annual Events: Chamber Banquet Mayfest Big Bingo Bash Summer Art Walk Dove Fest Arts & Crafts Show Christmas Parade with queen coronations.
In addition, the Chamber hosts Open Houses and ribbon cuttings.
The 2009 officers are Lupe Guevara, President Donna Pritchard, Vice-President Donna Guy, Secretary Randy Couch, Treasurer
Board of Directors include: Raymond Lindsey Craig Gehrels Franklin O'Dell Danny Reel Joyce Carbery Shannon Daniel Kay Guy Lenise Johnson Dora Martinez Virginia Ochoa
Jean Boles is Office Manager.
Regular meetings of the Board of Directors are held the first Monday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in the Gehrels Building at 100 West Dale. The public is invited and encouraged to attend. For more information, contact the Chamber office at 754-5210. Regular office hours are Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to noon, and 1-4 p.m. The office is closed Fridays. For immediate assistance, please contact Board President Lupe Guevara at 754-5445.
L-R: Craig & Kelly Gehrels, Ouida Nichols, and George Mostad
2007 Man of the Year: George Mostad
2007 Woman of the Year: Ouida Nichols
2007 Business of the Year: Gehrels & Associates
Winters 2006 Man of the Year:
Mike Meyer
Winters 2006 Woman of the Year:
Linda Dry
Winters 2006 Business of the Year:
Winters Funeral Home
Winters 2005 Woman of the Year:
Kay Sharpes
Winters 2005 Business of the Year:
Bluebonnet Mercantile (owner Cheryl Bryan)
Winters 2005 Man of the Year:
Randall Sneed
*as viewed from left to right
A town with a rich history, and promising future, Winters is a also a town living in a bright and friendly present. It is located in central to west Texas and has a population of approximately 2500.
Winters was founded in 1890 and was named for John Nichols Winters who donated land for public buildings. The first families on record began moving into the Winters area by 1880 but it wasn't until the late 1880's and early 1990's that the town was officially founded. Churches, a blacksmith, a doctor, a cotton gin, two livery stables, a general mercantile, a Masonic Lodge, and a school house were all established by 1891. The first town newspaper was published on January 9, 1903 and went by the name of the Winters Recorder until two years later when it was sold and changed to the Winters Enterprise. By 1909 the population of Winters was a whopping 600 and the town was incorporated.
The early town relied primarily on cotton and ginning as its economic source. By the 1970's the town's ecomomic center had shifted to oil and the town again grew and improvements were made both downtown and to the schools. Today, the economy is based still in agriculture, oil, and also industry. The promises of tomorrow are unlimited and it is unknown if wind turbines, farming, ranching, education, oil, or something entirely unforecasted will drive the market of our town.
To view the pictures to the right, just click on one. Thank you to the community for the donation of the photographs.
