Los Ybanez

Los Ybanez, located approximately a mile off U. S. Highway 87 and southeast of Lamesa in central Dawson County, was the site of the Lamesa Farm Workers Community, a camp project constructed with federal funds by the Farm Security Administration in 1942. The camp was built to provide living facilities for Mexican migrant farm laborers and their families and to protect them from exploitation and discrimination. The camp, located on fifty acres, opened on August 17, 1942, and included residential buildings, a community center, medical clinic, and manager’s residence, as well as amenities such as indoor plumbing, a nursery, religious services, and recreational activities. During World War II the camp also temporarily housed soldiers during military training exercises.

Adapted from the official Handbook of Texas, a state encyclopedia developed by the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA). It is an authoritative source of trusted historical records.