Texas Technological College Locating Committee (Lubbock, Tex.)

As early as 1917, the people of West Texas began a push to establish a West Texas college. One of the primary goals of the West Texas Chamber of Commerce, organized in 1918, was to promote a major college for the area. In 1923, Governor Pat Neff signed a bill to create a Texas Technological College. Thirty-seven towns submitted briefs to the college locating board for consideration. Lubbock offered three sites that contained the required 2,000 acres. Owners of the land were to be paid from fifty to 2,800 dollars per acre. On August 4, 1923, Lubbock offered the state of Texas the preferred parcel of land for $150,000. Lubbock received approval of their bid for Texas Tech on August 10, 1923.