Lubbock, Texas

1936Buddy Holly Born: Charles Hardin Holley was born in Lubbock and grew up to become one of the founding fathers of rock and roll. His death in a 1959 plane crash was immortalized as 'The Day the Music Died.'.

1970F5 Tornado Devastates City: An F5 tornado tore through downtown Lubbock, killing 26 people, injuring 1,500, and destroying 600 apartment units. It remains one of the deadliest tornadoes in Texas history.

1923Texas Tech University Founded: Texas Technological College was established to serve West Texas, growing into a major research university with over 40,000 students and the passionate Red Raiders athletic program.

1876Lubbock Founded: Two rival settlements merged to form Lubbock, named for Thomas Saltus Lubbock, a Confederate officer and Texas Ranger. The town grew as a ranching and farming center on the South Plains.

2000Medical Hub Expansion: Lubbock's medical sector expanded significantly with the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, making the city the healthcare hub for a vast region of West Texas and eastern New Mexico.

1909Railroad Arrives: The Santa Fe Railroad reached Lubbock, connecting the isolated South Plains community to markets and triggering rapid agricultural growth.

1920Cotton Kingdom: Lubbock emerged as the center of the largest contiguous cotton-growing region in the world, a distinction the area holds to this day.

1999Buddy Holly Center Opens: The Buddy Holly Center museum opened in the Depot District, celebrating the rock pioneer's legacy and anchoring Lubbock's cultural tourism.

2019Wine Industry Growth: The Lubbock area emerged as the center of the Texas High Plains wine region, with numerous wineries and tasting rooms.

1950Military Training Base: Reese Air Force Base trained thousands of pilots during the Cold War, bringing military families and economic activity to West Texas.