20th-century writer H. Allen Smith, born in Illinois and usually domiciled in New York, came to this part of Texas in the late 1960s for a chili cookoff, of all things, and he stamped his foot in Brewster County and said, "This is it. This is where I'm gonna live."
I grew up down in Presidio, 80 miles to the south. Alpine is really beautiful. The only problem with the miles & miles of open space in Brewster County (and Presidio County, just south, which is only slightly smaller) is that apart from the Big Bend National Park and the Big Bend Ranch State Park, most of it is in huge private ranches w/ no access. Hard to find a chunk to yourself.
My grandmother's father settled in neighboring Terrel County (google Terrel County Charles Downie) about 10 miles north and west of Sanderson. A bit rockier and more topography the farther west, but still lots of open space.
Over the years, I've enjoyed a few summers and many hunting trips there on the family ranch and some of the neighboring ranches. My absolute favorite thing to do is stand on a high point, rifle slung on my shoulder, 360 degree view for 10+ miles, as the sun comes up. God's country. If I wanted to explain the spirit of American Freedom to someone from another country, I can't think of any better way than to invite them to join me at that time and place.
Yeah, most of the water in the Rio Grande comes in at Ojinaga, Mexico, from the Rio Conchos. The motto in "OJ" is, "Flush twice; the gringos need the water."
H. Allen Smith (Low Man on the Totem Pole, Life in a Putty-knife Factory, Rhubarb) lived up in the Yankee part of Brewster County, in Alpine. :)
Tam has some spectacularly-loyal friends: since I posted the piece to which she linked, I've drawn a couple hundred hits, which is a lot more than I've come to expect from, say, other folks in the general vicinity of Knox who shall remain nameless.
20th-century writer H. Allen Smith, born in Illinois and usually domiciled in New York, came to this part of Texas in the late 1960s for a chili cookoff, of all things, and he stamped his foot in Brewster County and said, "This is it. This is where I'm gonna live."
ReplyDeleteAnd so he did.
I grew up down in Presidio, 80 miles to the south. Alpine is really beautiful. The only problem with the miles & miles of open space in Brewster County (and Presidio County, just south, which is only slightly smaller) is that apart from the Big Bend National Park and the Big Bend Ranch State Park, most of it is in huge private ranches w/ no access. Hard to find a chunk to yourself.
ReplyDeleteI like it fine, "huge private ranches with no access" and all.
ReplyDeleteTam, I'll buy you a beer.
My grandmother's father settled in neighboring Terrel County (google Terrel County Charles Downie) about 10 miles north and west of Sanderson. A bit rockier and more topography the farther west, but still lots of open space.
ReplyDeleteOver the years, I've enjoyed a few summers and many hunting trips there on the family ranch and some of the neighboring ranches. My absolute favorite thing to do is stand on a high point, rifle slung on my shoulder, 360 degree view for 10+ miles, as the sun comes up. God's country. If I wanted to explain the spirit of American Freedom to someone from another country, I can't think of any better way than to invite them to join me at that time and place.
"dry county" means something else entirely...
ReplyDeleteWhy do I think too much water in Brewster County comes from the Rio Grande?
ReplyDeleteYeah, most of the water in the Rio Grande comes in at Ojinaga, Mexico, from the Rio Conchos. The motto in "OJ" is, "Flush twice; the gringos need the water."
ReplyDeleteH. Allen Smith (Low Man on the Totem Pole, Life in a Putty-knife Factory, Rhubarb) lived up in the Yankee part of Brewster County, in Alpine. :)
Art
Secret UFO bases in Brewster county??? Nah, there couldn't be any illegal aliens in Brewster county.
ReplyDeleteBought land there. Went camping there (less than a month ago). Enjoyed it so much, I bought MORE land there.
ReplyDeleteTracy
Tam has some spectacularly-loyal friends: since I posted the piece to which she linked, I've drawn a couple hundred hits, which is a lot more than I've come to expect from, say, other folks in the general vicinity of Knox who shall remain nameless.
ReplyDelete