PERSIMMON GAP VISITOR CENTER Originally built as one of four of Cooper's stores (a combination gas station/cafe/market) in the 1940s, this adobe building was refurbished and converted to a ranger station in the late 1950s. It was further refurbished and converted into a visitor center in 2003.
LUNA'S JACAL This is what the site looks like from the parking area alongside the Old Maverick Road, just south of the Chimneys trailhead.
LUNA'S JACAL Here's an overall view of the jacal. There was no mention of the use of cement in the construction methods on the exhibit, so I'm assuming this was done much later, possibly by the park as an early preventative method to keep the structure from deteriorating. You can see it starting to break down about midway along the spine.
LUNA'S JACAL Here's a closer view of the front of the structure. The screen door was an addition to keep people from going in and possibly getting hurt. Not a very attractive addition, but functional.
LUNA'S JACAL Another view of the front, taken from the other side and showing the scenery out back.
LUNA'S JACAL I took this shot to give you a feel for what the place might have looked like in the early days, plus the view Gilberto and family had of Santa Elena Canyon off in the distance.
LUNA'S JACAL The first shot I took of the interior, before the sun reached the hole in the roof.
LUNA'S JACAL Here's the last shot I took of the interior, with the sun streaming in through the hole in the roof, adding a little light into the place.
MCKINNEY SPRINGS RUIN Oblique view
MCKINNEY SPRINGS RUIN Interior view
HOT SPRINGS AREA FROM OVERHEAD From the bluff overlooking the Hot Springs area, we see the motel unit, the General Store/Post Office, and the parking area. Taking the draw you cross just before you get to the store will put you at the trailhead to the trail that leads up here, although you won't find any markings directing you, just a line of rocks.
HOT SPRINGS General Store/Post Office
HOT SPRINGS Motel units This place used to be a happening area back in the 40s and 50s. The artwork in the rooms was redone by the original artist only recently. (No examples to follow, due to lack of proper lighting.)
HOT SPRINGS MOTEL INTERIOR After I got down off the trail, I decided to poke around the area some more, and found one of the doors to one of the units opened just enough to get my hand (with camera) inside. The cracked dirt you see is leftover silt from the October 2008 flood. This unit just hasn't gotten cleaned out yet.
HOT SPRINGS POOL FROM OVERHEAD Here's a shot of the Hot Springs pool taken from up above, with Mexico just on the other side of the Rio Grande.
HOT SPRINGS Hot Springs pool This is the former foundation of a two-story bath house. The water is still 105º, providing the Rio Grande doesn't interfere and fill it with river water.
HOT SPRINGS BLUFF HOUSE I'd always heard there was an old house ruins up here, which is why I decided to find the trail at last, so I could photograph it for my collection. Not much left, as you can see, but I found it interesting it had a concrete floor. They sure had a nice view, though, didn't they?
HOT SPRINGS BLUFF HOUSE Here we have a reverse-angle view, showing the Sierra del Carmen Mountains off in the distance. Boy, they had a nice view no matter where they looked.
RIO GRANDE VILLAGE Daniels Ranch adobe ruins
CASTOLON HISTORIC DISTRICT Ranger Station wall study
CASTOLON HISTORIC DISTRICT Castolon Store (La Harmonia Store) This building was originally a US Army barracks, which was completed but never occupied. In an effort to keep their business from floating dowriver during floods, the La Harmonia Company moved their operations from a building on the Rio Grande floodplain into this building in 1922. The store has changed hands a number of times over the years, and today park concessionaire Forever Resorts, Inc. manages it as the Castolon Store. The gas pump is purely for decoration these days.
SAM NAIL RANCH Adobe wall Sadly, this is all that's left of the Sam Nail Ranch house. What a shame. Well, at least it's more than what's left of Homer Wilson's house -- nothing.
SAM NAIL RANCH Adobe wall I've always loved the texture of old adobe, worn through the ages by wind and water.
SAM NAIL RANCH Adobe wall
SAM NAIL RANCH Old shed I've been here before, but never took the whole 1/2-mile walk all through the area like I was doing this time. If I had, I would've seen this shed before.
SAM NAIL RANCH Windmill This is Sam's original windmill, very typical of all windmills from that era, with the structure made of wood. There are several remnants of these old windmills scattered thorughout the Big Bend area, both in the park and out.
RICE TANK Corral
RICE TANK View from above
RICE TANK Loading chute
GLENN SPRINGS Ellis House wall foundation
GLENN SPRINGS Ellis House flagstone walkway
GLENN SPRINGS Ellis House hearth(?)
GLENN SPRINGS Ellis House exposed water pipe
GLENN SPRINGS Another building foundation, possibly the General Store/Post Office
GLENN SPRINGS Unknown
GLENN SPRINGS This is the dipping pit for cattle.
GLENN SPRING Dip chute entrance
GLENN SPRINGS The dip pit
GLENN SPRINGS The dip pit exit
GLENN SPRINGS Drainage area
GLENN SPRINGS Oblique view
APACHE CANYON Stone corral
APACHE CANYON Stonework detail
APACHE CANYON Inside wall detail
