Muleshoe, TX

Muleshoe is a city in Bailey County, Texas, United States. It was founded in 1913, when the Pecos and Northern Texas Railway built an 88-mile (142 km) line from Farwell, Texas, to Lubbock through northern Bailey County. In 1926, Muleshoe was incorporated. Its population was 5,158 at the 2010 census. The county seat of Bailey County, it is home to the National Mule Memorial. The Muleshoe Heritage Center, located off the combined U.S. Routes 70 and 84, is a popular museum that commemorates the importance of ranching to West Texas. The complex has several unique buildings originally from Bailey County that display the living conditions of the area from the late 19th to the mid-20th centuries. The Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge is located some 20 mi (32 km) to the south on State Highway 214. Founded in 1935, the refuge is the oldest of its kind in Texas. It is a 5,000-acre (20 km2) wintering area for migratory waterfowl flying from Canada to Mexico. It contains the largest number of sandhill cranes in North America.