While exploring the western side of the park, we happened on Castolon, with a visitors center and a store, which has such an interesting history, some of which we’ve already learned about. This community has seen an open border, a transparent border, and now a closed border (after 2001). These may be the last pictures of Castolon since soon after we were here in May 2019, a fire started on May 21 in Mexico and jumped the Rio Grande. Due to strong winds, temperatures around 110°F, and low humidity, the fire spread rapidly.
local ranger station
back of ranger’s station
The story of this area really begins to develop in the early 1900s. Early on, Mexicans easily crossed the Rio Grande as their families were on both sides. After the Mexican Revolution, mistrust was on both sides after the military and Texas Rangers had been brought in to protect our nation’s interests.
The 1st home built here was in 1901 when Cipriano Hernandez, a native of Chihuahua, Mexico, built an adobe home here that’s known as the Alvino House (pictures in this post).
Problems in the area started with Mexican people wanting to oust Porfirio Diaz from power because he was such a dictator. Pancho Villa controlled the northern area of Mexico and came across the Rio Grande trying to take over more land.
Political unrest in Mexico threatened the sense of community here.
His bandit raids brought in the U.S. Calvary to protect the area.
Bandit raids brought U.S. troops to keep peace along the border. The cavalry outpost was established in 1916.
The end of Mexican Revolution in 1920 meant the U.S. Calvary could move out without the barracks ever occupied. See the end of part 9 for a picture of Obregon, Villa, Pershing, and Patton
Calvary post to trading post
description of the U.S. Army structures in 1919 and 1920
how the military post was set up
Wayne Cartridge moved into the Army’s new buildings and created a trading post for everyone to use.
planted cotton in the river-bottom fields and introduced steam- and gasoline-powered irrigation pumps to boost his harvests
equipment for processing cotton
visitors center and store today where his trading post was
area for growing cotton then and now
machinery cleaned about 1 million lbs. of cotton from 1923-1942
trail to the Alvino house
view of the cotton-growing area below Alvino house
mud and straw mixed for making the house
1890s to 1950s
Hispanic families lived on both sides of the Rio Grande early on and crossed often for family visits.
busy and important man in the area
one “open trade day” per month during the Mexican Revolution stimulated trade, interesting
furs for the U.S. in exchange for our everyday products, extras traded for necessities
We’ve learned about this wax before; it was also used for industrial polishes, phonograph records, and chewing gum (!)
on eastern side of park
Mexican cowboys were sought after
law enforcement 1901 to now
interesting thought
made their farms . . .
and lost them when Texas starting buying land for Big Bend Natl. Park
Many uses for this house: customs house, headquarters for Texas Rangers, schoolhouse, home of Magdalena Silva (cook for Cartledge family). Don’t know where the Cartledge family lived.
house today
Some of the rangers bought this property first and then sold it to Mr. Cartledge who founded La Harmony Company.
U.S. Customs agents were known as mounted inspectors. Mr. Cartledge urged that Castolon be designated a temporary port of entry—smart thinking for his business and the people in the area.
lots of work in this area
airfield at Johnson Ranch to keep on eye on the Rio Grande
flying out of here during the 1930s and 1940s looking for German aircraft
even Jimmy Doolittle was here
end of the open and transparent border
Previous displays were in the Magdalena house. The following displays were in the visitors center so we’re mixing up times a little.
Hispanics did traditional farming, what they knew.
Anglos brought in new techniques for farming.
Mines were a draw for the workers. I wonder how they got there. Walk for 20 miles? In Terlingua we’ve seen many falling apart rock homes in this area, perhaps from the miners who had made their homes here.
large-scale farming meant better and heavier transportation was needed
Isolation defined life in this area.
Anglos were only 5% of the population
we’ve already seen his house
hard work to restore trust
speaking Spanish helped
Introduced innovations: fruit trees, honeybees, turkeys. Shipped over 2000 bales of lint cotton (already ginned) to market over next 20 years
even large-scale cattle ranching
One display said he didn’t make much profit from his ventures, but he was the linch pin for harmony on both sides of the Rio Grande.
Creating Big Bend National Park meant lots of people lost their land.
Hispanic families moved to nearby communities
Mr. Cartledge held onto his land title until 1957, 13 years after park was formally established. Hard to give it up.
Tracy was the park ranger at the visitors center today and comes here once a week from Panther Junction ranger station. Tracy is expecting her 2nd child in a month and isn’t worried about the drive to Alpine, about an hour away and over some rough roads, to get to the hospital. We were worried for her until she told us that both she and her husband had been medics in the army before they became park rangers. Their first post as park rangers was in New Zealand. Since the ranger service now gives preference to veterans, they were hired together to work in Big Bend.
