How the Spade Ranch Helped During the Depression

During the 1930s, President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the federal government stepped into help the people in rural areas. They formed the Rural Rehabilitation Program so that the people could have a chance to start over. This program provided people with land and other necessities. The main resettlement was the Ropesville Project, which was located about 20 miles southwest of Lubbock, Texas. The government first bought 4,000 acres from the Spade Ranch. In 1936, the Ropesville Project contained 33 farms each having about 120 acres. During 1938, the government bought another 12,000 acres form the Spade Ranch. This added another 44 farms. In addition, all the farms were resized so that each farmstead was about 210 acres. All the farmstead looked about the same causing confusion among the residents as well as the government. The government only identified each farm through a number unit. Even though there was confusion, the Spade Ranch and the government helped these people had land so that they could provide for their families.

Written by Pam Murtha
Link:  http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth45362/m1/20/?q=%22Spade%20Ranch%22