Buffalo Gap was no stranger to frontier justice, and in 1919, this quiet town became the backdrop of a real-life Wild West shootout.

It all started on the night of March 5, 1919, when four men robbed the First State Bank of Winters, making off with cash, Liberty Bonds, and other valuable papers. As they fled, luck was not on their side. Their getaway car—a Hudson Super-Six—broke down south of Tuscola, forcing them to continue on foot toward Buffalo Gap.

Desperate for another vehicle, the robbers stole a Model T Ford belonging to Mrs. Fisher, the superintendent of Buffalo Gap School. She had parked it under a large oak tree near the Nazarene Church. Unfortunately for them, the Model T had a crank-start system, and they struggled to get it going.

Meanwhile, three Winters lawmen, tracking the robbers, arrived in Buffalo Gap around 9:30 PM. They spotted four men beside a stalled car near the Nazarene Church, located at Mulberry and Oak Street. The officers, believing these men were simply having car trouble, offered to help. It wasn’t until the officers left and circled back that they realized something wasn’t right.

As the officers approached again, the suspects panicked, scattering in different directions. Gunfire erupted, and in the chaos, one officer was grazed by a bullet while one of the robbers was seriously wounded. The wounded man was quickly captured, while the other three robbers vanished into the night.
Fun Fact: The Nazarene Church, where the shootout took place, was known as the “Sweet Church” due to the bees living in its walls. The building has since been moved to the Buffalo Gap Historic Village, but at the time, the lawmen may have had to dodge more than just bullets!

By morning, all three fugitives had been caught, with each man claiming to know nothing about the robbery. The wounded man, meanwhile, was taken to Hollis Sanitarium in Abilene by mail bus.

He underwent surgery to remove a bullet, but even with $3,000 in stolen Liberty Bonds found in his possession—bearing the names of Winters residents—he never confessed to the crime. He later died from his injuries, taking his secrets with him.

The other three suspects were transported to jail in Ballinger, where they continued to deny any involvement. But the evidence against them was strong, and the shootout became one of the most dramatic moments in Buffalo Gap’s history.

If you stand still and listen, you might hear the echoes of that fateful night—the shouts, the shots, and the last desperate escape. Now, let’s visit one of Taylor County’s longest standing homes—The Reddell House.