Homer Wilson Ranch Overlook on the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive in Big Bend National Park.
Established in 1929, the Homer Wilson Ranch, also known as the Blue Creek Ranch, became one of the largest ranches in the early twentieth century in what would become Big Bend National Park. The small ranch house seen here (center left) was only a secondary house for the vast ranch. The main house and ranch headquarters sat to the North in Oak Canyon. This secondary house was never completed and, in 1944, it became part of the newly-formed Big Bend National Park.
The following are excerpts from an essay by the National Park Service entitled: “Texas’ Gift to the Nation: The Establishment of Big Bend National Park.”
“Still, for some folks, it was difficult to imagine this wild, rugged country as a park, international or otherwise. For years, most people had viewed it as too remote and dangerous to be of any use . . .
“Big Bend country was a rancher’s dream. Native grasses were abundant and there was adequate water in the form of creeks and springs. Land was cheap and held promise for anyone with the guts and ambition to give it a try . . .
“While the creation of the national park was a popular notion with most Americans, it was not a decision easily accepted by many of the ranchers who were told they would have to sell their land . . .
“The region was named Big Bend for the drastic change in course of the river from a southeastern to a northeastern flow. As the Rio Grande flows through the Chihuahuan Desert, it carves not only majestic canyons, but also a political boundary. Big Bend’s location on the United States/Mexico border has always provided a mystique to the park. . .
“In its first year, Big Bend recorded 1,409 visitors. In recent years annual visitation has increased to over 500,000!”
[Full essay at www.nps.gov/bibe/learn/historyculture/tgttn.htm#]
Homer Wilson Ranch Overlook on the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive in Big Bend National Park.
Established in 1929, the Homer Wilson Ranch, also known as the Blue Creek Ranch, became one of the largest ranches in the early twentieth century in what would become Big Bend National Park. The small ranch house seen here (center left) was only a secondary house for the vast ranch. The main house and ranch headquarters sat to the North in Oak Canyon. This secondary house was never completed and, in 1944, it became part of the newly-formed Big Bend National Park.
The following are excerpts from an essay by the National Park Service entitled: “Texas’ Gift to the Nation: The Establishment of Big Bend National Park.”
“Still, for some folks, it was difficult to imagine this wild, rugged country as a park, international or otherwise. For years, most people had viewed it as too remote and dangerous to be of any use . . .
“Big Bend country was a rancher’s dream. Native grasses were abundant and there was adequate water in the form of creeks and springs. Land was cheap and held promise for anyone with the guts and ambition to give it a try . . .
“While the creation of the national park was a popular notion with most Americans, it was not a decision easily accepted by many of the ranchers who were told they would have to sell their land . . .
“The region was named Big Bend for the drastic change in course of the river from a southeastern to a northeastern flow. As the Rio Grande flows through the Chihuahuan Desert, it carves not only majestic canyons, but also a political boundary. Big Bend’s location on the United States/Mexico border has always provided a mystique to the park. . .
“In its first year, Big Bend recorded 1,409 visitors. In recent years annual visitation has increased to over 500,000!”
[Full essay at www.nps.gov/bibe/learn/historyculture/tgttn.htm#]