Pecos Trail Region NewsletterJanuary 2015

TPTR Mission The Texas Pecos Trail Region develops and promotes heritage preservation and tourism throughout the richly diverse area.

Inside this Issue:

Site and Event Submissions 1

Texas Heritage Travel Guide 2 Submit Your Site or Event at TPTR Website

Travel Itinerary: 2 The Pecos Trail Region website provides easy online access for potential Ft. Stockton Driving Tour travelers to seek out places to visit and a resource for learning about our

Pecos Trail Membership 3 heritage and culture from a regional perspective. Our partners may create sites and events on the website. We want you News on the Pecos Trail 3 to have more control and input, to describe places and things to do in Preservation Spotlight: 3 your own words. But please keep the visitor experience in mind when Odessa making your submission. Although community and sporting events are Jan Calendar of Events 4 fine, our website is geared more towards a community’s or regional

Contact Information 4 history, culture, and certain outdoor recreation that is unique to the area. To submit a site, go to http://texaspecostrail.com, hover over the Partners tab and complete the site online form. Each site will be added to the list and updated at our discretion. Please include necessary details, TPTR Board of Directors such as site name, physical address, contact info, open hours, etc. It is Bill Hodges (Chair) helpful to include directions, a current photo, and your site’s web address Sonora Main Street, Sonora where online visitors can learn more. Peggy Kelton (Secretary) Upton Cnty Historical Commission, McCamey To submit an event, the event online form is also under the Partners tab and similar guidelines apply. Again, you want to attract visitors, so be Sherry Phillips (Treasurer) Mayor of McCamey sure to include an event description, exact date and time, event address,

Connie Booth email, and contact phone. Event cost is optional, but it’s important to let Kimble County Chamber of Commerce, Junction others know of a significant ticket price and especially if the event is free.

Ellen Crossland There is also a form for submitting a city. Most cities have already Mendoza Trail Museum, McCamey been listed, but if yours is not, feel free to submit a city. Also, if an event, Betty Damron site, or city needs updating, please email us at [email protected]. Crane County Historical Commission, Crane If you have any questions or comments, please call Scott at (325) 387- Bill Simon 3900 or email [email protected]. Smart Choice Auto Group, Junction

Ruben Vargas Trendy T’s, Midland

Texas Heritage Travel Guide

The Texas Heritage Travel Guide is a new publication that features the statewide network of our 10 Heritage Trail Regions, all in one! The guide lays out each Trail Region by chapter with captivating colorful photos and descriptive text that inspire travelers to visit heritage tourism attractions and explore communities.

Comprehensive and compact, the Texas Heritage Travel Guide also includes a map of each region and its namesake trail route, a fold-out map of Texas with all ten regions, and maps of historic cattle trails and highways. This is a handy piece for statewide travelers who want to experience the richness of Texas heritage! Bulk orders and downloadable single copies are available at the Texas Historical Commission website at www.thc.state.tx.us.

Travel Itinerary: Fort Stockton Driving Tour Maps are available at the Ft. Stockton Depot Visitor Center!

Annie Riggs Memorial Zero Stone Park Museum Courthouse Square 301 S. Main Gazebo and historical markers on Located in the 1899 Victorian-style the square across from the Pecos adobe hotel, the multi-room County Court House. The “Zero museum showcases local history Stone” marker was placed at the and pioneer artifacts. zero point for local surveyors.

Old Pecos County Jail Grey Mule Saloon 100 W. Gallagher 101 E. Callaghan

One of the oldest and most This historic saloon, built in the imposing structures in West Texas 1880s, once served cowboys and was built in 1883 and expanded in ranchers, and is now home of the 1913, and includes original cell Ste. Genevieve Winery Tasting blocks and historic artifacts. Room.

Rollins-Sibley House Old Fort Stockton Spring Dr. and Second St. 301 E. Third St.

Constructed in 1905 on the Established in 1859, the site foundation of the old fort hospital, includes the restored 1868 this historic house preserves guardhouse, an adobe officers furnishings of the period. quarters, a museum, and rebuilt barracks replicating soldier and pioneer life.

To learn more of these and other heritage tourism attractions in the Pecos Trail Region visit http://texaspecostrail.com.

Pecos Trail Newsletter Jan 2015 Page 2 Pecos Trail Membership News on the Pecos Trail

The Pecos Trail Region offers a Membership program to The Firehouse Gallery in Del our heritage tourism partners, which is virtually any Rio is hosting a traveling exhibit person or organization who is involved in tourism or has from HumanitiesTexas, Miguel an interest in preserving our region’s diverse heritage and Covarrubias: Caricaturista, during culture. the month of January. The exhibit Membership in the Pecos Trail is one way for creating a features the exuberant stylized grass-roots effort and giving our partners a stake in illustrations of the Mexican-born heritage tourism. Although we promote our attractions artist popular in the 1920s and and communities regardless of membership, we invite 30s. The exhibit is made possible those with a committed purpose to promoting tourism and in part by a grant from the Pecos preserving historical resources to support our non-profit Trail Region. organization.

Membership Levels: $250 for counties, cities, The Bankhead Highway travel guide chambers, CVB’s, and EDC’s; $100 for county historical follows the historic highway route commissions, historical societies, museums, visitor sites, through Texas. Begun in 1916 by the main street programs, arts councils, and businesses; and Bankhead Highway Association to $50 for individuals. promote motor travel, the Bankhead Members receive a certificate and window decals, Highway has left behind historic bridges, listing and link on our website, and discounts for hotels, restaurants, and original hospitality training and travel show participation. pavement along the I-30 and I-20 Please visit www.texaspecostrail.com to download a corridor between Texarkana and El Paso. membership brochure. We accept checks payable to the Copies are available at the Texas Texas Pecos Trail Region, P.O. Box 212, Sonora TX 76950. Historical Commission website and the Questions call (325) 387-3900. Pecos Trail office.

Preservation Spotlight

The heritage of the Pecos Trail Region includes the natural heritage of our environment and landscape which has helped to shape our living culture and contribute to modern science history. The Odessa Meteor Crater, located 5 miles west of Odessa city limits just off Interstate 20, was formed about 63,000 years ago when a shower of nickel-iron collided with the earth. More than 100,000 cubic yards of crushed rock were ejected from the crater by the energy released from the mass of impacting meteorites, with fragments scattering over the surrounding plain. The main crater is about 550 feet across and was originally 100 feet in depth (erosion has since filled in much of it). A walking trail leads into the main crater and smaller craters. The Odessa Meteor Crater, designated a National Natural Landmark in 1965, is the second largest crater recognized in the United States. It was first discovered in 1892 by Julius Henderson, a nearby rancher. However, it was D. Moreau Barringer (whose family owned the famous Barringer Crater in Arizona) who in the 1920s correctly identified the depression as a crater. The site has a visitor-friendly museum with exhibits of meteoric rock specimens, , geological studies, maps, historical videos, and science-fiction movie posters. Museum open Tue-Sat 10 a.m.—5 p.m. and Sun 1-5 p.m. Crater trail open for self-guided tours everyday 9 a.m.—6 p.m. Free admission. Call (432) 381-0946 for more information.

Pecos Trail Newsletter Jan 2014 Page 3 Regional Upcoming Events

Jan Event – Location Statewide Events, Workshops, Etc.

1-4 Christmas at the Mansion — Museum of the Southwest, Jan 7-8 McAllen International Travel Show — McAllen Midland Convention Center— Vendors from all over Texas and 1-2 Starbright Village — McKinney Park, Odessa the world promote tourism to Winter Texans and other 2-31 Miguel Covarrubias Caricaturista Exhibit — Firehouse travelers. Includes the Mexican Artisan Expo. The Gallery, Del Rio Heritage Trails Program will have a booth there. If 2-10 Sandhills Stock Show & Rodeo — , interested in having your own booth please visit Odessa http://www.internationaltravelshow.com/. 2 First Friday Art Walk — Downtown Del Rio 8 Family Science Night: “Dinosaurs” — Permian Basin Feb 24 TTIA Unity Dinner — Austin Convention Center— Petroleum Museum, Midland Presented by the Texas Travel Industry Association. 10 Montalvo House Market — Montalvo House, Opportunity for tourism professionals statewide to Brackettville educate our state legislators and local officials of the 16 Ward County Livestock Show — Ward County Coliseum, economic value of Texas tourism. For more info or to Monahans register visit www.ttia.org. 17-18 Permian Basin Gun Show — Ector County Coliseum, Odessa Feb 25 Converge on the Capitol — Texas State Capitol Bldg, 17 Montalvo House Market — Montalvo House, Austin— Organized by TTIA and affiliated organizations Brackettville to advocate for issues impacting the travel and tourism 17 Midland on Tap Craft Beer Festival — Commemorative industry. Please visit www.ttia.org. Air Force, Midland 23-25 Cindy Ward and Friends — Permian Playhouse, Odessa 23-24 UFO Festival — Paul Poag Theatre, Del Rio 24 Montalvo House Market — Montalvo House, Brackettville

For more details on upcoming events, please visit the Events or Highlights sections at http://texaspecostrail.com.

The Texas Pecos Trail Region Newsletter is scheduled for website publication and electronic distribution each month.

Texas Pecos Trail Region, P.O. Box 212, Sonora, Texas 76950 Office 325-387-3900 Cell 325-206-2571 Fax 325-387-3977 Email [email protected] Website http://texaspecostrail.com

Executive Director and newsletter publisher: Scott Jordan

Pecos Trail Newsletter Jan 2014 Page 4