Big Bend's Ancient and Modern Past

Introduction: Big Bend History and Prehistory

Introduction: Big Bend History and Prehistory Bruce A. Glasrud and Robert J. Mallouf the big bend region of texas, sometimes referred to as El despoblado or “the uninhabited land,” and sometimes as a land of contrasts, as texas’ last frontier, or as a part of the trans-Pecos, has had a long, colorful, and eventful history, a history that began before written records were maintained . this study, Big Bend’s Ancient and Modern Past, reviews the unique past of the big bend area from the earliest habitation to 1900, the early modern era. Students of the region have investigated not only the peoples who successively inhabited the area, but also the nature of the environment and the inhabitants’ responses to it. to a great extent the physical character of the big bend has dictated its history. the big bend’s name is derived from the substantial curve of the Rio Grande River. in Mexico, it includes the provinces of Coahuila and Chihuahua . in texas, the big bend/trans-Pecos includes the counties of Val Verde, terrell, Pecos, brewster, Presidio, Jeff davis, Reeves, Culberson, perhaps Crockett, and, even though they are located east of the Pecos River, Loving, Winkler, Ward, and Crane. Since Hudspeth and El Paso counties are also west of the Pecos, their influence and importance cannot be ignored; the city of El Paso is the largest in the region. Other communities of importance include La Junta de los Ríos (historically), del Rio, Alpine, and Pecos. the educational center of the big bend today is Sul Ross State University in Alpine, although the larger University of texas at El Paso serves the region even beyond the trans-Pecos. the big bend National Park, containing over eight hundred thousand acres, offers research, environmental protection and maintenance, and pure tourist enjoyment. So, too, do the state parks, including big bend State Park and davis Mountains State Park. the region is a geologic wonderland. two geologic ages evident in the big bend are the Mesozoic Era, extending from 135 million to 63 million years ago, which produced big bend’s marvelous peaks and mountains, and the present Cenozoic Era, beginning 63 million years ago, which produced the striking volcanic formations. the rugged terrain is dominated by towering 2 | GLasrud and Mallouf mountains, precipitous canyons, and the parched, flat Chihuahuan desert. during the summer the sun beats down mercilessly, but its effects are at least somewhat mitigated by a little rainfall, a small number of springs, and a few rivers and creeks. Without the competition of city lights and with its clear, dry air, big bend presents superb views. At night the skies are brilliant with stars seldom visible in more settled areas. Animals are rife; the big bend is the home of deer and antelopes, javelinas, bears, coyotes, and elks. Rattlesnakes, too, share the deserts and mountains and plains. And it is a bird-watcher’s paradise, abounding in yellow-headed blackbirds, roadrunners, turkey vultures, songbirds, and hawks. this magnificent country, with its spectacular environment, open distances , and dry climate, has produced numerous studies. Ron. C. tyler’s The Big Bend: A History of the Last Texas Frontier, originally published in 1975 by the National Park Service, provides a first-rate introduction to the history and peoples of the big bend.1 this excellent offering was reprinted by texas A&M University Press in 1996. Ross A. Maxwell’s ambitious 1968 study, The Big Bend of the Rio Grande: A Guide to the Rocks, Landscape, Geologic History, and Settlers of the Area of the Big Bend National Park is somewhat dated but remains a useful resource. two other works published by texas A&M University Press, dennis blagg’s Big Bend Landscapes, with its photorealistic images, and Gary Clark and Kathy Adams Clark’s Enjoying Big Bend National Park, both suggest many reasons to visit the area. For a readable, knowledgeable account of the geology of big bend, see William MacLeod, Big Bend Vistas: A Geological Exploration of the Big Bend. Carlysle Graham Raht, in The Romance of Davis Mountains and Big Bend Country, first published in 1919, helps the reader acquire a sense of the place. So, too, do the works of Elton Miles, who in Tales of the Big Bend and More Tales of the Big Bend explores the area through folk stories and lore. Virginia Madison tells tales of the big bend in her popular 1955 account, The Big Bend Country of Texas. And Patrick dearen leads readers through his firsthand experience...