It's Day 238...It's Also December 30, 2019.....and we are in Pecos Texas

It's Day 238...It's Also December 30, 2019.....and we are in Pecos Texas

Ahhh.....Texas.......The Lonestar State......Everything's bigger in Texas....right? So let's start there....

I've said it before.....could never do an accent....wish I could....cause I love them....especially when it comes to how Texans tell ya what's what.....

From "Howdy"....to Y'all....or what about "Fixin To"....or "All Hat no Cattle"...Bigger'n Dallas.....Come Hell or high Water....or even mosey...mosey along cowboy....

Then there's one of my favorites....Aint my first Rodeo.......and what about....Bless your heart.

Texans....have a way of sayin things....likely....because Texans...have a way of doing things.....and always have...

It's pretty tough to start learning about any particular town in Texas....without running into a few notable...in fact...pretty remarkable historical facts that make Texas unique amongst it's 49 counterparts.....

For example....when reading about any other states history....you'd likely not find yourself reading about an amusement park...an amusement park named 6 Flags over Texas.

An amusement park that would open in Arlington Texas in 1961. The company would go on to open theme parks all across the US...Canada and Mexico.....and in doing so....becoming one of the largest theme park companies in the world.....

And while what the company has done....does merit mention in the states history....it's not what makes it pop up during initial searches....so what does....it's name....

6 Flags over Texas was named to commemorate the fact that Texas, over the past 500 years.....has been governed by....and flown the flag of 6 separate nations and republics....Including it's own.....A claim that no other state in the union can make. ...an experience...that is uniquely Texas

Beginning way back in the year 1519.....when it would be Spanish explorers and missionaries that would lay claim to the area and maintain control until 1685........ongoing disputes in the area would bring Spain back to the helm....with governmental control over the area again in1690.....this time Texas would call Spain home for 131 years.....until 1821)

France would ad it's name to the middle of all that in 1685 when they established a Fort in the Territory....but their presence was short lived.....once Spain learned of their presence in the area they would re-assert their control over the region....politely asking the French to leave...which they did...in1690,

In 1821 Texas would fall under the control of Mexico. Having just gained independence from Spain...Mexico would call Texas it's own until 1836 . During this period...the region would see an influx of both Mexican...and American Settlers.....and within Mexico.....governments were in upheaval....multiple revolutionary groups were also fighting to gain control of the country....which at the time was one of the largest countries on the north American continent...all this chaos would eventually lead to Texas declaring it's independence from Mexico....and would begin their own.... Texas Revolution. After winning decisive victories .....and a few losses...."Remember the Alamo"!......Texas would fly it's own flag and take governmental control for itself in 1836. This is also when Texas would begin referring to itself as The Lonestar State. The term was in reference the single star on the Flag Texas would fly over it's territory during it's struggle to gain independence from Mexico.

The United States of America would ad it's flag to the territory after annexing Texas and making it the 28th state in the union...in 1845

But during the American Civil War....Texas would succeed from the union and fly the Confederate flag in response to it's position on slavery.

After the confederacies defeat in 1865....Texas would rejoin the union...

Within all that history.....Texas can make a couple more notable claims....that few other...if any states in the union can make.....

Asserting it's independance...for example.....while places like California and Vermont can make similar claims.....unlike Texas.....there were no actual battles....or a revolution involved .....In addition...during this period....Texas would be recognized globally....by countries all over the world.....as an independent and sovereign nation...Hawaii....I spose could be added to the list....the islands would operate as an independent monarchy for over a 100 years....before it joined us colonials in 1959 as the 50th state....

Mexico....would not, however, recognize Texas as an independent nation....but rather.....a rebellious and troublesome region of the territory they still considered theirs.....which is exactly ....why Texas...declaring it's independence from Mexico....would in very short order.....lead to the start of the Mexican American War.....

"Tejas"....as it would be known for a good deal of this period of time....The name given to the region by Native Americans. The word Tejas....means friend....or allies......and was bestowed upon the region in recognition of the friendly existence of Native American Tribes throughout the eastern side of the area. Upon Spain's arrival in Tehas......the name would be adopted and used all across the area.

It wasn't until Tejas....declared it's independence from Mexico....that the j would be replaced with the x in the name as we know it today.....and the newly formed nation would begin referring to itself as Texas.

And.....the list of uniquely Texas claims keeps going....and seriously.....is everything really...bigger....in Texas....

Well it seems that a lot of things are......

Texas is home to the Largest State Capitol Building in the nation. The Texas capital building in Austin....is even taller than the capitol building of the nation..... in Washington DC.

And the King Ranch......Now for me.....until reading this....King Ranch meant a really expensive Ford Pickup.....shell out some 60 thousand bucks or more and you can drive around in a super fancy pick up with King Ranch stamped on it....The name even stitched into those fancy leather seats.....Turns out....Ford borrowed the name from One of the largest ranches in the world......the King Ranch in South Texas....a working ranch that is larger than the state of Rhode Island.

And you've met me right.....I just learned that the King Ranch in Texas is one of the largest ranches in the world.....SoI had to know where the largest is......Now if you ask the internet for the 10 largest working cattle ranches on the planet.....the first 7....are all in Australia...who knew

And the other 3 in the top ten.......are here in the US. And two of those three....right here...in Texas....the King Ranch being the largest. That third in the US.....actually spans a region of both New Mexico...and Colorado.

Then there's The Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin....home to the largest urban bat colony in the world....over 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats call that bridge home......not super sure that this...is a worlds largest.....I'd want to spend much time around?

And then there's the Texas Medical Center. The largest medical complex in the world....calls Houston home.

And there's other stuff......

Like the Texas Pledge of Allegiance: Texas is the only state with its own pledge of allegiance: “Honor the Texas flag; I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible.” This pledge is still practiced today in Texas schools and public events.

And....at a corner drug store in Waco Texas......you'll find the spot where a pharmacist....messin about in the lab would haul off and create the oldest major soft drink brand in the United States.....Dr. Pepper....this discovery....and branding even predates Coca Cola by a year.

There's so much more.....a few of the countries largest observatories......and even space stations call Texas home....a claim only a handful of states can make.

It seems that we have wandered aimlessly into a land with a past....so storied.....and so deep.....

In the vast expanse of West Texas, where the horizon stretches endlessly and the sky is an ever-changing canvas of blues and fiery sunsets, lies a land steeped in history and rugged beauty. This is a place where the echoes of the past whisper through the arid winds, and the spirit of the frontier lives on in every dusty trail and weathered rock.

West Texas begins where the Pecos River carves its way through the landscape, marking the boundary between the familiar and the wild unknown. Here, the land transforms into a tapestry of contrasts—towering peaks of the Guadalupe Mountains rise majestically, their ancient rocks telling tales of geological upheaval and time's relentless march. The Chihuahuan Desert sprawls beneath, a harsh yet captivating realm where life persists against all odds.

This region, often referred to as the Trans-Pecos, is a mosaic of cultures and histories. Indigenous peoples, such as the Apache and Comanche, once roamed these lands, their presence etched into the very fabric of the earth. Spanish explorers and missionaries followed, leaving behind missions and settlements that still stand as silent witnesses to their endeavors.

The cowboy culture, synonymous with Texas, finds its heart in these rugged terrains. Ranches stretch across the plains, where cattle graze under the watchful eyes of modern-day cowboys, heirs to a legacy that began with the Spanish vaqueros. The lore of the cowboy, with its tales of cattle drives and frontier justice, is woven into the identity of West Texas, celebrated in rodeos and preserved in the stories passed down through generations.

And as we had learned just last night.....El Paso, the largest city in this vast region, stands as a testament to the blend of cultures that define West Texas. Nestled along the Rio Grande, it is a city where the American Southwest meets Mexican heritage, creating a vibrant tapestry of traditions, cuisine, and art. The Chamizal National Memorial commemorates the resolution of the Chamizal Dispute, a testament to the enduring spirit of diplomacy and cooperation.

In the remote corners of West Texas, the night sky reveals its true splendor. Far from the city lights, the stars shine with a brilliance that has inspired countless stargazers and astronomers. The McDonald Observatory, perched high in the Davis Mountains, invites visitors to explore the cosmos, reminding us of our place in the universe.

West Texas is a land of resilience and beauty, where the past and present coexist in a delicate balance. It is a place where the rugged landscape shapes the people, and the people, in turn, leave their mark on the land. Here, in the heart of the American West, the spirit of adventure and the quest for freedom continue to thrive, painting a portrait of a region that is as timeless as it is unforgettable.

And at the heart of this legacy....we found a place called Pecos.....

The name “Pecos” is derived from a native American term....loosely translated....means..."place where there is water.

Native Americans had called Pecos home for centuries....and in time settlers would join them with small ranching operatioins....but for the most part.....Pecos would remain a quiet place....and un-effected by the back and forth between Spain...Mexico...and France.

Things would pick up in the area once Texas had declared it's independence from Mexico....

It would be American settlement in 1881....that would turn the tides.... and mark the beginning of a growth era for Pecos.

Originally established as a camp along the Pecos river.....it would quickly become a railway station with the introduction of the Texas and Pacific Railways in the area. It would also remain a "Cowtown" due to its location at the intersection of old cattle and wagon trails.

Once The town was officially platted on the west side of the Pecos River, it would also become a center for ranching and agriculture through out the region.

It would be the communities strong ties to it's cowboy history....and ranching heritage that would lead to the worlds first organized rodeo held in the streets of Pecos in 1883.

I was initially a little confused....having recently visited the Prescott Arizona area...in which they claim ownership of the worlds oldest Rodeo.....with their first rodeo being held in 1888...some five years after the rodeo in Pecos.

Both events still take place annually .....and have....since their inception.... so how could Pecos claim the first.....and not be the oldest....

It seems that to some extent....there may be a few technicalities at play here....for example....the Pecos event is considered the first "Organized" rodeo...in which competitions were held and prizes awarded for performance. ....the tradition of rodeo in the US...and the world for that matter......go far deeper into history....however.....until this point each celebration was more a matter of community gathering for fun competitions between local ranchers.... for nothing more than bragging rights.....and a sense of community.

But none the less......and technicalities aside.....

What is clear is that each community.....Pecos....and Prescott......hold a valid claim to a piece of the American Southwest Story...celebrations of a lifestyle .... and a place....about as unique as they come.

And the next big boom for Pecos....would be oil. The Yates Oil Field was discovered on October 28, 1926, when the Ira G. Yates 1-A well began producing 450 barrels of oil.....every single day... This discovery marked the beginning of a major oil boom in Pecos County.....Production would quickly peak at millions of barrels annually by 1930....and continues to be a critical factor in the towns economic development to this day.

1942 would bring WW2 to Pecos.....like it did most places we have visited to date. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor....the Pecos Army Airfield would be rapidly built....and quickly grow to over 4500 personell that would use this piece of the American Southwest to train for combat.

The facility was placed in stand by mode by the military in 1945, and was never reactivated. Today....the facility functions as a municipal airport meeting the general aviation needs of the Pecos of today....and its nearly 13 thousand residents.

And then....there was that one more click on the internet.....read a little more.....

Now...if I were looking for one of the most notorious fraud cases in American History.....I doubt I would spend much time looking in the West Texas Town of Pecos.....but here indeed is where I found one....

The Billie Sol Estes scandal of 1962...a complex web of deceit and corruption that touched the highest levels of the US government.

This Billie Sol Estes guy was a prominent businessman in Pecos....at the time....he was known for his ventures in cotton, grain, real estate, and fertilizers. By the early 1960s, he had amassed a fortune estimated at some $40 million bucks.....some say.....even more......

I didn't dig to deep into understanding all the detail.....but it's clear that making his fortune the legal way....wasn't enough for Billie Sol Estes. He would go on to become the master mind several Fraudulent Schemes. The most notable of these being the creation of mortgages on nonexistent anhydrous ammonia tanks. He convinced farmers to purchase these tanks on credit and then leased them back, using the fraudulent mortgages to secure loans from banks.

The scheme would come to light in 1962 when a journalist would publish an article in the local newspaper revealing the fraudulent mortgages.....which drew national attention....and an FBI investigation....that ultimately.....would land Billie Sol Estes in jail.

The case gained national attention due to Estes’ connections with high-profile politicians, including then-Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson.

The scandal was further sensationalized by the mysterious death of Henry Marshall, a federal agriculture agent, which was initially ruled a suicide but later suspected to be linked to Estes’ activities....so was this Billie Sol Estes character even capable of murder??

So lets just stop there for a second. Everything I just learned was from a topline internet search.....I simply asked the internet to tell me some notable facts around Pecos Texas....and it spewed what I just read......

But then....just one more click......and I heard a very different story.....The story of a west Texas kid...that grew up during the great depression....determined to make his way in this world.....

By age 13....he had figured out a way to turn a couple of sheep into one of the larges sheep operations in the region....and was making more money than his father. By age 15 he had written a letter to the president of the United States inquiring about government programs that might be able to help his community struggle through the nations crippling depression.....and by 18....he was brokering tons of government shipments of grain into the area and funneling it to the local farmers....at immense rates of profit....but at the same time....giving money away by the fistful to the hardworking minorities that had been overlooked by mainstream society....he had also...somehow become known as the fertilizer king....not only in this region of Texas....but across the entire southwest of the United States. At this point in his life....estimates have this young, free thinking go getter worth millions....before his 25th Birthday......

We all know...that there are two sides to every story....and the truth....well that is ALWAYS...always...somewhere in the middle.

And this is where things get merky.....cloudy....distorted...and even perhaps lost.... the story of Billie Sol Estes....in 1960's America.....

One version of history will have me believe this was a guy...a guy that simply went a bridge to far....in the name of greed.....took advantage of hardworking farmers in a small west Texas farming community....got caught....and went to jail

The other version of history....would tell me of a young and aspiring go getter that simply got in over his head. .... Never broke a single law in place at the time.....and in his aspirations of chasing the good life....would find himself in the middle of American politics.....but was just one rung on the ladder....below where he needed to be...to save himself....and his legacy. In this version....high profile politicians of the time would stop at nothing....including murder....to silence anyone...or anything that could get in the way of their aspiration and self interest...money...and power....and Billie Sol Estes would be just one more fatality thrown under the bus by those in control. ....simply put.....the guy that would take the wrap and go down.....while the vice president of the United States of America simply shrugged his shoulders and claimed to know nothing of this Billie Sol Estes guy.....the guy that photo's document he clearly did know of....or were these chance photo's taken with the appropriate spin applied?

The versions....or stories of history go on.....they go on to tell of a vice president....senators...and multiple department heads within the US government that would go on to....without obstruction...participate in...and perhaps even facilitate the assassination of an American president.

So where is the truth. If you weren't there...how do you know....how do you form an opinion....and just as importantly...what do you do with it.

The events discussed here happened over 60 years ago. So what does....knowing the truth....even matter?

I for sure certainly do not know....I wasn't there....can't tell ya...

But what I can tell you for sure....is that it most definitely shapes how I look at...believe...and question...in my own head anyway....the goings on in the country today.

I've rambled on about this before....and it remains true....

One side tells us one thing....the other spouts another....

How will I form my own opinion? And then what will I do with that opinion?

Many of my own...very best friends.....and family..... tell me all the time....What I think doesn't matter. The government...the machine...it's gonna do what it does....and some of those folks....they don't even vote....

Me...I don't feel that way. I feel like.....if I have been blessed with the opportunity to be alive...and experience this America....I owe it to myself...and this America...to do my very best to be educated...and do my very best when it matters most...

And vote

Vote accordingly....vote from a place of knowing the facts.....and not what one person told you. Voting matters. I feel like....if I don't vote...then I don't care. And I do care...

And so it appears.....that Pecos....and west Texas....had found yet another way to leave it's mark on American History.....this particular high profile case would highlight the potential for abuse within government programs....and the importance of investigative journalism in uncovering wrong doing.

And to think....we had no idea....when making that random turn north....in a place called Saragosa....on Tx hiway 70.....we'd leave the mountain ranges that border Mexico behind and head into the wide open…arid Texan desert...to find all this....American.... history....in a Place called Pecos…the epitome...I think.... of a West Texas town.

I'd explore the town a bit....finding it interesting that while some area’s the town feels dirty.... abandoned....desolate even…but then a mile or so across town brand new housing right along with new motels are going in…and all this new construction is odd to look at given that…in some cases….just across the freeway…once flourishing motels built in the 60’s and 70’s are boarded up with for sale signs spray painted on them. It's weird to me....I wondered.....why not fix all this stuff....over here.....fix it up and inject life in resources already used.......but instead....those buildings sit rotting away....unused.....while just across the street.....brand new hotels....built from scratch.... hmmm....maybe Pecos has a plan....and we're just seeing step one....perhaps we can drive through here again and see the rest of the plan.....

But more memorable...for me…it was more about the best Carne Asada Taco’s I’ve ever eaten at a small roadside taco stand just outside of town. These things were literally heaped with cube steak and dripping with a sauce like I’ve never tasted. Forgive me…I guess if I were a true foodie or blogger there would be pictures…but I was just to busy eating!

And then....When I asked where I might find a decent spot to park for the night I was directed to a 110 outlet on the backside of the building…”Plug in and sleep right here my friend!” Valerie exclaimed.

When I asked if I could pay her for the night she waived me away proclaiming in her charming Mexican accent…”It’s no problem…you’ll come for breakfast yes?!” Indeed I did….don’t get me started on that breakfast burrito…I think this....is how I'll remember Pecos....

And topping off those amazing tacos with an evening of reading...writing....and...ok....a little binge watching... “Sneaky Pete”....my latest favorite series.... was a pretty awesome way to round out our second night in West Texas.

During walks with Dougie....I'd study that endless Texas horizon..... I keep hearing a Roy Orbison quote I once read……” Orbison....famously.... son of West Texas...... once said.....This place is in the middle of nowhere…and 500 miles from anywhere”

I feel like I can now say from personal experience that I feel exactly what he meant. ....

And that Sometimes being in the middle of nowhere is the exact perfect place to be.

We'll head out tomorrow.....After that Breakfast Burrito of course......and go....I dunno...out there .... somewhere....

And I wonder what we'll learn there.....