History

Badger was located on the Missouri Pacific Railroad northeast of the present Judkins switch in south central Ector County. The station was established on the Texas and Pacific Railway in 1926, and the settlement profited from an oil boom in the late 1920s. Its population reached 200 before falling off to forty by 1940. A permanent community never developed, and only a depot and one supply house were built. The location is Southwest of Odessa. 

Our Choice?

The more important reason the name “Badger” was chosen was in honor of the “Ol Badger” Rich O’Brien, prominent Western Swing performer and producer, and husband of our children's fiddle teacher Valerie Ryals O’Brien.  Rich also produced our son Nate's bluegrass CD a couple of years ago.  Rich and Valerie and the others at her studio were the first to request a guitar-banjo.  We think the name "Badger" will reflect the spunk and resiliency of this new model.