THE FORT STOCKTON PIONEER
Posted: Wednesday, January 28, 2015 3:30 am | /Updated: 1:20 pm, Fri Jan
30, 2015. /
Book review: "Around Terlingua"
<http://www.fortstocktonpioneer.com/community/article_30c907d0-a7e6-11e4-b05d-63da5f5ba69a.html>
Contributed by Iselda Acosta
"Why would people even want to live here? There's nothing to do." That
was an offhand remark I heard often while growing up in Terlingua
<http://www.fortstocktonpioneer.com/content/tncms/live/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terlingua,_Texas>,
a town deep in Texas' Big Bend country. This unique area is the subject
of Thomas C. Alex and Robert Wirt's new book, "Around Terlingua."
Composed mainly of photographs, the book is a brief yet informative
reflection on the history of mining in the area and the people, drawn to
the area by a myriad of reasons, who have dared to make Terlingua their
home.
Most early arrivals, like my family, came from nearby villages in Mexico
to work in the mines. The promise of a less destitute life strongly
outweighed any misgivings they may have had about the remote and
seemingly inhospitable spot "on the other side." Others, like the
so-called "hippie types" I grew up around during the 60s and 70s, came
seeking solitude. The vast expanses and rugged mountain beauty lured
them to the desert town.
"Around Terlingua" comprises three short chapters---Mining, Families,
and Community---and covers a geographical core area extending from
Lajitas to the southwest and Study Butte to the northeast.
*Mining*
Alex and Wirt focus their discussion on the pivotal role that mining, in
particular that of quicksilver, or mercury, played in the region's
economic development. They trace the beginning of the region's mining
era to the late 1800s, when discoveries of mercury ore, cinnabar, were
made. That brought an influx of prospectors to the area and led to the
establishment of various mining operations.
Two of the most successful operations were the Chisos Mine, located in
what is now the Terlingua Ghost Town, and the Study Butte Mine. As a
child, I recall walking up the hill from where we lived, just a short
distance from the Study Butte Mine where my father was foreman, to
deliver the homemade bean burritos my grandmother would prepare for his
lunch break.
The authors tell their story of mining in the area through cross-section
diagrams and photographs, each with succinct captions which, put
together, provide context and relevance. Readers gain not only a
rudimentary knowledge of the equipment and methods used to process the
ore but also insight into the lives of the workers who processed it. A
running theme throughout the chapter is the rise of the various mining
operations that at one time operated in the region, followed by their
eventual collapse. Among the reasons cited for their decline are fiscal
mismanagement, declining ore reserves, and fickle markets.
*Families*
U.S. mining history is replete with stories of exploitation for
financial gain. The history of mining in the Terlingua area is no
exception. In this case, those exploited were Hispanics who settled in
communities located in and around the site of mining districts and whose
labors contributed to and supported the mining operations. The authors
tell of more than one case of swindling and claim jumping suffered by
Hispanics at the hands of unscrupulous Anglo-Americans.
As the authors point out, "The Hispanic work ethic was the underpinning
of the successfulness of the Terlingua quicksilver district and went
without due recognitition." The authors set out to correct this wrong by
devoting an entire chapter to enlightening readers about the
contributions these people made in the region's economic development
through their hard work and resourcefulness. Besides laboring in the
mines, they also provided most of the firewood needed to operate the
smelters used in ore processing. Hispanics living in the region at the
time also carved out a living by raising livestock and by gardening and
farming.
Reading this chapter of the book is akin to browsing through a family
album. The images of Hispanic families at work and play provide glimpses
into the daily lives of these early settlers. For me, the images brought
back memories of stories my grandmother would tell about events and
people she had known who had lived in some of the now long abandoned
settlements mentioned in the chapter and throughout the book, including
Terlingua Abaja and La Coyota.
*Community*
The book's last chapter focuses mainly on describing the Terlingua area
as it exists today---a mecca for tourists, many of whom come to visit
nearby Big Bend National Park. The authors describe how tourism has
shaped the local economy by giving way to a variety of business
ventures---from river rafting companies to restaurants and hotels.
Tourism has also spurred the restoration of many of the buildings in the
Terlingua Ghost Town that were abandoned when the Chisos Mining Company
closed its mining operations after World War II. Some of those buildings
now house a variety of businesses that draw in many visitors to the area.
Overall, "Around Terlingua "is an incisive and well presented pictorial
history of the area. It's pictorial format with minimal detail makes it
a good choice for readers wanting a quick overview of the area's
history. Readers who, like me, hold a special place in their hearts for
Terlingua, will relish the memories reading the book will evoke.
"Around Terlingua" ($21.99) is available at local retailers, online
bookstores or through the publisher at www.arcadiapublishing.com
<http://www.arcadiapublishing.com/> or by calling 888-313-2665.
/Iselda (Ņeca) Acosta lives near Fort Stockton and is a registered
nurse. Her parents, Dominga and Hilario Acosta, live in the red-roofed
adobe house with the palm trees, across from the Terlingua airstrip.
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