Fort Davis Was Established and Grew Under Under Grew and Established Was Davis Fort

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times every day at 11 am, 2 pm and 4 pm. pm. 4 and pm 2 am, 11 at day every times J. B. Roberts, Olin Smith, Arthur Fehr, William C. Caldwell, and landscape architect Roy S. S. Roy architect landscape and Caldwell, C. William Fehr, Arthur Smith, Olin Roberts, B. J.

the soldiers perform in 1875 dress. Presented three three Presented dress. 1875 in perform soldiers the American and Spanish architecture of the Southwest, and incorporates the work of architects architects of work the incorporates and Southwest, the of architecture Spanish and American

Catch the retreat parade to listen to the bugle calls calls bugle the to listen to parade retreat the Catch exterior courtyard. The structure and grounds artfully recall the indigenous adobe Native Native adobe indigenous the recall artfully grounds and structure The courtyard. exterior

hand-carved cedar furniture and a plaza-like plaza-like a and furniture cedar hand-carved

longleaf pine floors, cane and log ceilings, ceilings, log and cane floors, pine longleaf

onsite. Distinctive features include unique unique include features Distinctive onsite.

hand-hewn pine beams and adobe blocks made made blocks adobe and beams pine hand-hewn

on the north slope of Keesey Canyon, built of of built Canyon, Keesey of slope north the on

in the 1930s. The pueblo-looking structure is is structure pueblo-looking The 1930s. the in www.nps.gov/foda

hotel built by the Civilian Conservation Corp Corp Conservation Civilian the by built hotel

Indian Village is a sixteen-room pueblo-style pueblo-style sixteen-room a is Village Indian home to troops off and on until 1891. 1891. until on and off troops to home

Indian Lodge Indian who were developing West Texas, it was was it Texas, West developing were who

The fort protected travelers and the settlers settlers the and travelers protected fort The

STOP 4 STOP

Trail and Butterfield Overland Mail Route. Route. Mail Overland Butterfield and Trail

the crossroads of the famous Chihuahua Chihuahua famous the of crossroads the

same name, which was founded in 1854 at at 1854 in founded was which name, same

the protection of the U.S. Army post of the the of post Army U.S. the of protection the

Fort Davis was established and grew under under grew and established was Davis Fort

mountains

www.tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/davis-

and development of the western frontier. frontier. western the of development and

role played by the military in the settlement settlement the in military the by played role

tier fort is a vivid reminder of the significant significant the of reminder vivid a is fort tier north. the to mountaintop

- fron restored The Davis. Fort is Southwest name, and McDonald Observatory on a a on Observatory McDonald and name,

a frontier military post in the American American the in post military frontier a which lent the adjacent valley town its its town valley adjacent the lent which

One of the best remaining examples of of examples remaining best the of One

century military installation Fort Davis, Davis, Fort installation military century

panoramas, including a view of the 19th- the of view a including panoramas, Fort Davis National Historic Site Historic National Davis Fort

this ridge, visitors enjoy breathtaking breathtaking enjoy visitors ridge, this

STOP 2 STOP Hospital and Keesey Canyons. From From Canyons. Keesey and Hospital

ascending to the top of the ridge between between ridge the of top the to ascending

mile scenic road, carved in switchbacks, switchbacks, in carved road, scenic mile

and the CCC built inside the park a five- a park the inside built CCC the and lead to a year-round spring and pools. The The pools. and spring year-round a to lead

along the highway toward Mount Locke. The National Park Service then assisted the design design the assisted then Service Park National The Locke. Mount toward highway the along www.cdri.org cactus house. Five miles of scenic trails trails scenic of miles Five house. cactus

local ranching economy, landowners donated 560 acres for a state park in Keesey Canyon, Canyon, Keesey in park state a for acres 560 donated landowners economy, ranching local and pollinator gardens and a renowned renowned a and gardens pollinator and

with Sul Ross State University. University. State Ross Sul with The road to the observatory has a history. When in 1933 the Great Depression devastated the the devastated Depression Great the 1933 in When history. a has observatory the to road The Desert after seeing their 20 acres of botanical botanical of acres 20 their seeing after Desert

research and its close working relationship relationship working close its and research better understanding of the Chihuahuan Chihuahuan the of understanding better

Follow the park’s road to the view point. A trail leads back down to the road. the to down back leads trail A point. view the to road park’s the Follow

Desert region through education and and education through region Desert by taking a right turn on 118. You’ll gain a a gain You’ll 118. on turn right a taking by

for the natural diversity of the Chihuahuan Chihuahuan the of diversity natural the for

acre Nature Center and Botanical Gardens Gardens Botanical and Center Nature acre

habitat, fragrant piñons and cool breezes. breezes. cool and piñons fragrant habitat,

public awareness, appreciation, and concern concern and appreciation, awareness, public

Cactus confusion ends here. Stop by this 507 507 this by Stop here. ends confusion Cactus

are have a network of sparkling springs that feed into little creeks. The result is rich riparian riparian rich is result The creeks. little into feed that springs sparkling of network a have are

Desert Research Institute (CDRI) promotes promotes (CDRI) Institute Research Desert

north. The Davis Mountains Mountains Davis The north.

The Chihuahuan Chihuahuan The

Guadalupe Mountains to the the to Mountains Guadalupe

A wide variety of cacti available cacti of variety wide A

high and dry like the taller taller the like dry and high habitat.

range is saved from becoming becoming from saved is range the this unique unique this the

she explains, this West Texas Texas West this explains, she questions about about questions

writes Helen Thompson. As As Thompson. Helen writes answer your your answer

the rest of the state swelters.” swelters.” state the of rest the possible to to possible

one place that stays cool while while cool stays that place one everything everything

“The Davis Mountains is the the is Mountains Davis “The staff will do do will staff

knowledgeable knowledgeable State Park State

Center and Botanical Gardens Botanical and Center Davis Mountains Mountains Davis

STOP 3 STOP 1 STOP Chihuahuan Desert Nature Nature Desert Chihuahuan

(about the cover) The rock structure in the drawing on the cover is likely designed by William C. Caldwell also, as this stone overlook shelter at the top resembles the prototype that National Park Service architect Herbert Maier designed in 1924 for Yosemite National Park, right down to the “picture window” framing a fabulous view for mountain trekkers resting inside the shelter.

The men of CCC companies 879 and 881 molded earthen bricks from a mixture of water, straw and soil excavated on-site. They muscled tens of thousands of these 40-pound blocks into place to form 18-inch-thick walls rising as high as three stories. The lodge was finished with locally harvested, hand-hewn pine vigas and river cane latilla ceilings that still add rustic charm to the historic lobby. Some of the cedar furniture, hand carved with southwestern motifs by CCC Company 1811 of Bastrop State Park in Central Texas, remains in use decades later.

Living conditions for the workers were basic. The men lived in tents rather than the wooden barracks standard in most camps. But they were no longer unemployed. They received three meals a day, were paid $30 per month, and had an opportunity to learn a useful work skill. Although most were unskilled initially, they created an architectural jewels and amenities.

A ONE-DAY EXCURSION FROM MARFA TO THE NORTHEAST FORT DAVIS ✩ CHIHUAHUAN DESERT AND MCDONALD OBSERVATORY