History of Hutchinson County, Texas: 104 Years, 1876-1980 Page: 43 of 526

Huber Corporation, the two largest producers of carbon,
were working on pollution control in the 1950s,
their officials admitted that the big push did not come
until Texas passed a clean-air law in 1967. When the
legal maximums of 125 to 175 micrograms per cubic
meter came out, a Phillips official said their first tests
showed 4,000 micrograms. They thought it was the
end of the world. But by establishing Texas' first air
control zone and spending millions of dollars on
glass filter bags, the companies cleared Borger's
skies.
Borger had boomed in the 1920's and gone
through several periods in its growth, and in 1964
when automation appeared, it began another period
of declining population. Unique problems were faced
by Borger. They had unused Federal housing,
declining school enrollment, a townful of empty
shacks and storefronts. Income remained high and
unemployment low, since people who lost jobs just
picked up and left. There seemed to be a feeling that
Borger was still not here to stay.
Borger decided to shrug off the past. It did and in
1969, it became an All-American city.
The 1970s showed the Chamber of Commerce
working for the growth and development of Borger
just as it had in 1927. A lake had been built close to
FORMER MAYORS
OF THE
CITY OF BORGER

NAME
John R. Miller
Glenn A. Pace
W.A. Henderson
John R. Miller
J.A. Robinson
John R. Miller
L.M. Davis
Byron Andress
V.H. Francis
S.M. Clayton
Fred C. Herbst
Geo. W. Finger
R.V. Latimer
L.D. Patton
John R. Yows
Jerrie Keith
James H. Godfrey
Ed J. Lewis
Guy Crawford
Bob Knight
C.C. Bogan
Gene Schneider
Jerry McClure
Judy Flanders

FROM
September 1926
May 1927
October 1929
June 1930
April 1933
April 1935
April 1939
April 1940
June 1942
May 1946
December 1946
April 1950
February 1951
August 1952
April 1957
February 1958
April 1965
April 1969
April 1972
April 1972
April 1974
April 1976
April 1978
April 1980

TO
May 1927
October 1929
June 1930
April 1933
April 1935
April 1939
April 1940
June 1942
May 1946
December 1946
September 1949
November 1950
June 1952
January 1957
January 1958
April 1965
April 1969
April 1972
April 1972
(one meeting)
April 1974
April 1976
April 1978
April 1980

Borger called Lake Meredith and run by the National
Park Service. New shopping centers had sprung up
around Borger. Downtown Borger had been beautified
by sprucing up the streets and creating a mall
downtown. New industry joined the big companies
and Borger began to diversify, rather than depending
on the oil and gas industry. It still relies heavily upon
oil and gas and Phillips Petroleum Company would
be its number one employer for many years. The
diversification of the economy reflects the diligent
efforts of the industrial development committee of the
Borger Chamber of Commerce. Chamber officials
work closely with the Magic Plains Industrial Development
Company which acquires land for the establishment
of an industrial park.
Another event Borgans are proud of is the annual
World's largest Fish Fry held each year in June. It's
sponsored by the Chamber and it brings together
people of all areas around for a day of good food and
getting acquainted.
Borger has shrugged off its past and it can look
back on its boomtown days as a beginning. Now in
the 1980s, the look toward the future means new
problems but they too, can be solved. Borger is here
to stay.
CITY MANAGERS OF
THE CITY OF BORGER

NAME
W. Henson Davis
J.D. Miller
Charles Chapman
S.D. Shirk
Loyd McCann
Claude Alexander
Steve Matthews
L.M. Davis
A.A. Meredith
Fritz Thompson
A.C. Spears

DATE OF
APPOINTMENT
June 1930
January 1933
April 1933
April 1935
May 1935
April 1938
April 1939
May 1940
July 1942
September 1953
October 1956

DATE OF
RESIGNATION
January 1933
April 1933
April 1935
May 1935
March 1938
April 1939