J. H. Conlen, a Spanish-American War veteran who oversaw the construction of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, which traveled through the Texas counties of Sherman, Dallam, and Hartley and connected Liberal, Kansas, with Santa Rosa, New Mexico.

Conlen made it through the terrible years of the Dust Bowl and afterward, with the installation of irrigation wells, restored its grain-based economy.

Although there was slight damage to buildings, nobody was injured, and the air raid was stopped after the town was blacked out by an alert power plant worker.

Multiple photos and videos from storm chasers, including National Weather Service employees, confirmed these tornadoes.

The statue dates back to the 1950s when it was the entrance to the Cowboy Cafe, a restaurant with a museum and gift shop located in Dalhart.