1912, Van Horn

Mr. and Mrs. Ponciano Villalobos, Photograph, April 8, 1912; digital image, (http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth14276/ : accessed June 07, 2014), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, http://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Clark Hotel Museum, Van Horn, Texas

Another photograph from the collection of the Clark Hotel Museum in Van Horn.

Photograph of Mr. and Mrs. Ponciano Villalovoz (Villalobos), April 8, 1912, in Van Horn, TX. Dedication at the back of photo reads," Dedico Este Retrato a, Mi Querida Mama, Pas Chacon En, Pruevas de amory y, Respecto. que le Tengo. Ponciano Villalovoz, Van Horn, Texas, April 8, de 1912" 

13th Annual Terlingua Home Tour!

Looking for something truly unique to do on Sunday, January 26th?  Take in all the creativity and resourcefulness exhibited by the 13th Annual Terlingua Home Tour! 


If you attended last year, you'll get an update and see the progress on the home pictured here!  Thomas and Carmen Drinkard's earthbag home will again be on the tour this year.  They are pictured in front with their children Carla and Michael. This home was featured in the 2012 tour in its early construction stage. This is a wonderful opportunity for those who saw the home in its beginning stages to see the completed structure and will be interesting for all home tour guests to explore this alternative and affordable construction technique.

The tour will run twice during the afternoon, with the first tour from noon to 3 pm and the second from 3-6 pm. Both tours depart from and return to the porch in front of the Terlingua Trading Company. Transportation to and from the homes on the tour is generously provided by local outfitting companies. Each tour concludes with a light wine and hors d'oeuvres reception at Espresso y Poco Mas, which is directly across the parking lot from the Terlingua Trading Company. Tickets are $30 per person. Cash and checks only. Space is limited so reservations are required. Guests may opt to drive personal vehicles but are required to caravan with the outfitting companies. High clearance vehicles are suggested as the homes are located on rough roads.

Participants are asked to arrive at least 15 minutes before the scheduled departure and to bring their own water as none is available on the tour. It's also suggested to dress in layers or bring a jacket as our desert weather changes often and quickly. Some walking on rough terrain is required so practical shoes are recommended. As we will be visiting private homes, handicap access is not available.

For reservations or more information, call Big Bend Library at 432-371-2639 or in the evening 432-371-2399.

The tour is sponsored by Last MinuteLow Budget Productions, a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to supporting the performing arts in South Brewster County through community productions and educational opportunities.

The tour is listed on our Texas Mountain Trail events calendar...check there often for other fun things to do in Far West Texas!

Exploring the history of Big Bend National Park

All over Big Bend National Park, visitors can see remnants of early life in the area.  Our photo today comes from Lee Towns, the Director of our partner organization along the Gulf Coast, the Texas Independence Trail.  Taking a trip to Houston or the communities in that region?  Consult them!
But even city-dwellers like folks from Houston head to our region to experience the frontier. 

Big Bend National Park's website says this about the historical settlement of the area:

"Ranches, villages, trading posts and cavalry camps all existed in the Big Bend in the century prior to the park's establishment. A number of historic districts within the park protect the tangible evidence of human history in this region; elsewhere solitary ruins, graves or camps mark the spots where history was made."   Read more here.

Adobe Alliance

Images above: The Swan Home near Presidio and the entrance to Big Bend Ranch State Park

There's an interesting organization in our region dedicated to adobe and earth architecture.  The home shown in the photos is located near the entrance to Big Bend Ranch State Park, near Presidio.

The Adobe Alliance is a non-profit group dedicated to:

• helping communities apply cooperative building techniques in earth architecture;
• educate groups in fulfilling the widespread need for low cost, salubrious, energy efficient, sustainable housing; 
• enhance rather than defile landscapes by designing solid contemporary structures of simple design which respect local climate, environment and culture.

 

Means to reach these goals include:

• the use of local renewable, recycled resources and building materials to considerably reduce cost and environmental impact, avoiding the use of industrial materials;
• providing roofs in the configuration of adobe vaults and domes, a unique yet ancient design feature which eliminates the use of wood, an increasingly scarce natural resource;
• designs which harness natural energy for heating and cooling . Adobe walls retain heat in the winter and stay cool in the summer, eliminating the cost of mechanical heating and cooling systems;
• a system to meet local housing needs using indigenous skills, thereby providing a source of employment and simultaneously incorporating, preserving and enhancing local architectural heritage.
• an appropriate building technique for chemically sensitive individuals, using only materials that are totally non-toxic. 

 Read more about this organization, programs and workshops here. 

The Adobe Alliance is a Texas based tax-exempt 501(c)3 corporation.

The Only Adobe Courthouse in Texas

The majestic entrance to the Hudspeth County Courthouse in Sierra Blanca
Photo:  Randy Mallory, THC

We are always encouraging travelers to get off the freeway and explore the sights of our mountain communities.  Today, we'd like folks to take a look at Sierra Blanca.   This little town has a one-of-a-kind courthouse...the only ADOBE courthouse in the state of Texas!

From the Texas Historical Commission website:

"This 1919 building is the only adobe courthouse in Texas. Architects Buetell and Hardie designed the building in a Mediterranean style reminiscent of Renaissance Revival. Exterior work included installing new piers for structural reinforcing of the foundation to support the 18-inch adobe walls. A new metal shingle roof was installed and exterior stucco removed and replaced. Upgrades to mechanical, electrical and plumbing, as well as installation of an elevator and fully accessible bathrooms were incorporated. Work began in late 2002 and was completed by April 2004."

You can see photos of the restoration here and  here.
:You can read more about Hudspeth County here.

The beautiful light of Fort Leaton

The bright, clear blue of the sky and the light playing off the rough adobe walls of Fort Leaton makes this place near Presidio a photographer's dream.  And there's plenty of history to absorb too.  This is a state park facility, open for everyone to enjoy.  Their website says, "In 1848, Ben Leaton built a fortified adobe trading post known as Fort Leaton. He dominated border trade with the Apache and Comanche Indians before he died in 1851. In 1936, the Texas Centennial Commission placed a marker at the site."  Inside, there are interpretive exhibits that tell the story of the area, including the pre-history of the area, through Ben Leaton's day, to present day stories.

Ysleta Mission--made of adobe, clay, straw and Spanish vigas

Ysleta Mission, established 1680, is the oldest continuously active parish in the state of Texas, and the community of Ysleta is the oldest in Texas, dating back to 1682.  The Rio Grande flooded in 1744 and again in 1829, and the current mission building was built in 1851.  Today it is one of the jewels of the Rio Grande, a beautiful and proud landmark in the Mission Valley of El Paso.

Read more about the Mission Valley here. 
Want a guided tour?  Click here for more information!

Video Week Continues: Fort Leaton's Adobe Walls

Just east of Presidio, there's a unique and beautiful historic site, Fort Leaton.  From the TPWD website, "In 1848, Ben Leaton built a fortified adobe trading post known as Fort Leaton. He dominated border trade with the Apache and Comanche Indians before he died in 1851."

Photographers love this spot along the Rio Grande because of the way the light looks on the adobe walls, and the contrast with the deep blue skies most days.

If your travels take you to Hwy 170, the River Road, plan to include Fort Leaton on your itinerary!

Beautiful on the outside, beautiful on the inside

Our last day in this series on the three El Paso Missions shows the interiors of each.  In order, (top to bottom):  San Elizario, Ysleta, Socorro.  The adobe buildings are BEAUTIFUL on the outside, as you've seen in our previous postings, but we want to encourage you to stop and experience the inside of each mission too.  For more information on the Missions and tour opportunities, click here to visit the El Paso Mission Association website. 

Socorro Mission Restoration

During the restoration project

The beauty of the Socorro Mission (featured yesterday) is evident to us because hardworking individuals and visionary organizations started a five year restoration project in 2000.  Today, we feature some photographs of the interior of the Mission during that restoration, some links to historical photographs of the mission, and a history of that restoration.

A TREAT:  During the Texas Centennial in 1936, a series of documentary photographs were taken of the mission, and are now held in the Historic American Building Survey in the Library of Congress.  Take a look, click here!  And here!

Feature article about the mission and the restoration, written by one of the key restoration partners.  Beautiful photographs are included in this article.

Community Cornerstones Partnership did the restoration.  Their website, says this about the mission and the restoration:  "Spanish and Piro Indian refugees fleeing the Pueblo Revolt founded the village of Socorro del Sur in 1680. The new community soon erected a church building of jacal construction. By 1744 a larger, permanent church was built. Beautiful vigas painted with flowers and geometric designs supported the roof. In 1829, devastating floods destroyed the church, but parishioners were able to salvage many of the vigas and corbels. The nave of the present structure, La Purísima, was dedicated in 1843. The bell wall, sanctuary and transepts, and right sacristy and mortuary were added by 1887.

Unfortunately, in the twentieth century the exterior of the church was cement plastered and a concrete collar was installed. Trapped moisture, aggravated by a leaking roof, damaged the walls and rotted the ends of several vigas and corbels. The west wall began to slump. In 1999, Cornerstones' Pat Taylor helped complete a preservation plan describing the history of La Purísima, the current condition of the building, and the work needed to stabilize it and restore its original beauty. The preservation process has included making 20,000 adobe bricks to replace damaged adobes in the foundation, walls, and roof parapets. Extensive structural repairs and interior mud and lime plastering have been completed. The restoration is now in its final phase that includes interior finish details, and front façade/bell tower repairs. In November 2004, the site received a Save America's Treasures appropriation award. Preservation is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2005."A detailed history of the restoration project is also available at the El Paso County website.

Would you like to visit the El Paso Missions?  A new tour service is now available.  Click here for more information! 

Socorro Mission on our Mission Trail

This is our second of five days this week featuring the El Paso County Mission Trail, and today we're showing Socorro Mission and the adjacent cemetery.  The building is on the National Register of Historic Places.

From the El Paso Mission Trail Association website, a bit of its history: "The Rio Grande played havoc on the locations of this charming mission.  It took its name from Socorro of the North (New Mexico).  The Piro Indians fled this area after the Pueblo Revolt of 1860 and established their new home.  Sixty Piro families along with fifteen Spanish families dedicated the mission to Nuestra Senora de Limpia Concepcion de los Piros de Socorro del Sur (Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception of the Piros of Socorro of the South).  
      In 2005 the mission completed a 10 year restoration that showcases some original cypress roof supports called vigas (beams) that were decorated by the Piro Indians.  The striking architecture reflects the vibrant local community with numerous historic haciendas within walking distance:  Casa Apodaca, The Bookery, Casa Ortiz, and Casa Carbajal."

See how the craftsman echoed the architecture of the mission in the grave's marker?  The Mission is still home for an active congregation, and a respectful stroll through the cemetery reveals a great deal about the community still using the mission as its church.

Tomorrow, we'll feature photographs from the restoration, plus provide a link to some neat 1936 photographs of the Mission now in the Historic American Buildings Survey in the Library of Congress!

You can visit the missions on your own, or take advantage of a new tour service...for more information, click here.

Note:  Wednesday is a special day for us, and we'll take a break in the series on the El Paso Mission Trail to celebrate our 1000th post in this blog!

Hudspeth County Courthouse in Sierra Blanca

This beautiful structure was built in 1919 and is the only adobe courthouse in the state of Texas, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places!  Do youself a favor and get off the freeway at Sierra Blanca to take a look at the inside of the building...the feel of the place is unique and proportions are interesting, perhaps because of its 18 inch thick walls!  To read about the Texas Historical Commission's Courthouse Presrvation Program, click here! 

Holidays at Magoffin Home State Historic Site

The Magoffin Home State Historic Site is holding a holiday open house on December 4th, in El Paso.
More about this fun event:  "

Join us for an evening of fun as the Magoffin Home comes alive with the sights and sounds of the season. Enjoy the lights and holiday decorations as you wander through the Home. The Riverside Middle School Chamber Choir will be entertaining guests and seven lighted trees will be gleaming in the moonlight. Meet for refreshments in the courtyard. “The Home is especially lovely during this time of the year and a holiday visit has become a tradition for many El Pasoans,” said site manager, Leslie Bergloff. Visitors will enjoy being able to walk through the rooms without a formal tour guide and spend as long as they like in each area. Warm clothing is suggested for the outdoor activities. Adults $4; Children are free. Tickets can be purchased at the door. Please call 533.5147 for more information or see http://www.visitmagoffinhome.com/  

From their website:  "A striking adobe structure, the Magoffin Home State Historic Site explores the stories of a multicultural family who influenced the development of the Southwest borderlands. Magoffin family members actively participated in U.S. expansion and settlement, trade on the Santa Fe–Chihuahua Trail, Civil War turmoil, military service and U.S.–Mexico relations. The 1875 home is a prime example of Territorial style architecture and features a center courtyard and peaceful landscape. Explore the home’s authentic art and furnishings reflecting the daily lives of this prominent El Paso family."

An adobe ruin near Santa Elena Canyon in Big Bend National Park, a reminder of the rich cultural history in the area.  To read more, click here.

Our thanks again to Lee Towns of the Texas Independence Trail, our sister organization to the east for this photo!!

Socorro Mission Restoration

A mission has been a part of life in Socorro (in eastern El Paso County) ever since the first one was founded after the Pueblo Revolt in 1680, and dedicated in 1682.  Since Socorro is on the Rio Grande, floods have plagued the area, destroying several mission churches.  This one, built in 1843, went through an impressive restoration, which was completed in 2005.  Read about it here and learn how this beautiful structure--along with its five foot thick adobe walls--was brought back from the brink of destruction.

Sky over Fort Leaton

Framed by adobe walls, skies in Far West Texas are stunners.  Here's the view from Fort Leaton State Historic Site, near Presidio.

Operated by Texas Parks and Wildlife, their website says this about the Fort: "In 1848, Ben Leaton built a fortified adobe trading post known as Fort Leaton. He dominated border trade with the Apache and Comanche Indians before he died in 1851."

Visitors to the site, can see a fortified adobe structure and museum exhibits outlining the history of the area.

Texas' Only Adobe Courthouse

The Hudspeth County Courthouse in tiny Sierra Blanca is the only adobe courthouse in the state of Texas. Take the time to get off I-10 and explore this small community. Walk inside the courthouse to enjoy the spacious feel of this distinctive adobe structure.

For more information on adobe architecture in the region, visit: www.texasmountaintrail.com/adobe

Adobe Arch

Taken at the adobe church restoration in Ruidosa. For more information about this project, see our March 29th, 2009 entry.

For more information on adobe architecture in the region, visit: www.texasmountaintrail.com/adobe

Saving Adobe Architecture

Local officials and the Texas Historical Commission are working to preserve this architectural jewel in Ruidosa in Presidio County. From the THC website,
"With an initial $30,000 matching grant from the Texas Historical Commission (THC) in 2004, the project began in the hope of preserving this site, one of Presidio County’s most exquisite examples of adobe architecture. Once in danger of collapse, the mission is especially rare because of its curved adobe arches. Located just outside of Big Bend, the preservation of this historic landmark will contribute to the overall appeal of this unique and special area of Texas.Along with the recent funding from the Texas Historical Foundation, the Presidio County Historical Commission also raised money from local contributions over the holiday season and received an additional grant from the National Trust for Historical Preservation. Monies raised meet the THC’s Texas Preservation Trust Fund grant requirements, thus assuring the successful completion of the stabilization work at this important historical and architectural Texas landmark. Phase I of the project reached completion in late 2006 and Phase II is expected to conclude in July 2007.For more information on the Ruidosa Mission Project visit www.thc.state.tx.us or call the THC’s Architecture Division at 512/463-6094."

Adobe Courthouse Detail

Sierra Blanca's Hudspeth County Courthouse is the only adobe courthouse in the state. Here's a detail from above the entrance.

For information about Sierra Blanca, click here.

Want to visit adobe structures in Far West Texas? Check out: www.texasmountaintrail.com/adobe