In the Texas high plains the community of Lamesa rises like a desert oasis to spawn a community that has lived of the land ever since its inception. Meaning “the table” in Spanish in reference to the area’s relatively flat terrain, Lamesa is fortunate to have fertile soil, which has fueled its cotton- and cattle-based economy. But things are slowly changing in Lamesa as municipal authorities are valiantly attempting to diversify the city’s economic base. Other industries that are impacting Lamesa are transportation and manufacturing. The city’s largest employers are the Municipality of Lamesa, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (a state penitentiary is located here), Lamesa Independent School District, and the Medical Arts Hospital.

Located in the High Plains of Midwestern Texas, Lamesa is part of Dawson County where it serves as the county seat. The population of Lamesa is approximately 9,500 people, and the population of Dawson County is 15,000 people. The closest big cities near Lamessa are Lubbock, about 20 miles south, and the Midland-Odessa Metroplex, which is about 55 miles north.

Lamessa is served by the Lamesa Independent School Board, which maintains the city’s three elementary school, one junior high school, and one senior high school. A campus of Howard College is found here in Lamesa while the college’s main campus is found in nearby Big Spring, about 40 miles southeast.