Albany
Albany, the county seat of Shackelford County, is at the intersection of State Highway 6 and U.S. Highway 283. The townsite was donated by Henry C. Jacobs, the first sheriff.
William Cruger named the town for his former home, Albany, Georgia.
In 1874 Albany was selected for the county seat instead of Fort Griffin. The town began to develop with the sale of lots the next year. The first store was built by T.E. Jackson, a general store.
Albany was a popular stopping point for cattle drives taking the Western Trail to Dodge City, Kansas. With the arrival of the Texas Central Railroad in 1881, Albany became a shipping point for cattle.
The town became more civilized and settled by 1883 when the public school system was established. It covered eight square miles; by 1986 it covered 560 square miles! It was this same year, 1883, that the County Courthouse was built.
Albany continues to have ranching as its main industry. Since 1920 the town slogan has been, "Albany, Home of the Hereford". With the discovery of the Cook Oil Field in 1926 and to the present, Albany has become a center for oil field supply, drilling and producing.
Today, in 2008 Albany has a population of approximately 2,000 people. It is a town proud of its historical past, but energetically building a vibrant community for the present and future.
(Information taken from "The Handbook of Texas Online")
