North Roby, Texas: The Former County Seat Rival That Became a Ghost Town

North Roby, originally called Fisher, was founded in 1885 by land speculator E. D. Strang. Strang purchased land from Judge J. W. Breedlove and laid out the town with the goal of making it the county seat of newly organized Fisher County. At the time, the site was promoted as the county’s commercial and political center.

In April 1886, Fisher (later known as North Roby) lost the county seat election to the nearby settlement of Roby, located just a few miles south. Despite this setback, the community continued to develop through the end of the 19th century.

Growth and Community Life

By 1890, North Roby had about 200 residents. It supported at least three stores, a hotel, a blacksmith shop, and a Methodist church. A post office was established in 1886 and operated until 1917. The community also built a school, which remained active until 1925, when it was consolidated into the Roby school district.

Although North Roby never became the county seat, it functioned as a modest service hub for surrounding farms and ranches during its early decades.

The Roby and Northern Railroad

One of the most notable developments in North Roby’s history was the construction of the Roby and Northern Railroad. Chartered in 1915, this short line ran approximately 4.5 miles between Roby and North Roby.

In 1923, the line was electrified by the West Texas Utilities Company, making it the only electrified interurban railway in West Texas. The Roby & Northern provided both passenger and freight service, linking the two communities and offering improved access to markets.

However, the line was never financially strong. Operations continued until 1941–42, when the railroad was abandoned and dismantled.

Decline and Later Years

The decline of North Roby was gradual but steady. The loss of county seat status in 1886 was the first major blow. The closure of the post office in 1917 and the consolidation of the school in 1925 further reduced its role as a community center. The abandonment of the railroad in the early 1940s marked the end of any remaining commercial importance.

By the mid-20th century, the townsite had largely reverted to farmland. Oil wells were drilled in the area, but few physical traces of the community remained. Maps as late as the 1980s still showed a church at the location, but the town itself no longer functioned as a settlement.

Status Today

Today, North Roby is considered a ghost town. While the site is still identifiable, little remains beyond farmland and scattered remnants of its past. Its brief rise and decline illustrate the competitive and often fragile nature of small-town development in rural Texas during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Key Facts

• Founded: 1885 by E. D. Strang, originally named Fisher.

• County Seat Contest: Lost to Roby in April 1886.

• Population (1890): About 200 residents.

• Community Features: Three stores, a hotel, a blacksmith shop, a Methodist church, post office (1886–1917), and school (until 1925).

• Railroad: Roby & Northern Railroad, 4.5 miles, electrified in 1923, abandoned by 1942.

• Later Years: Post office closed 1917; school consolidated 1925; railroad abandoned 1941–42.

• Current Status: Ghost town; site reverted to farmland with oil activity nearby.