The Big Bend: A History of the Last Texas Frontier by Ron Tyler PhD

by Ronnie C. Tyler

Since it first appeared in print twenty years ago, Ron C. Tyler's The Big A History of the Last Texas Frontier has become a classic. Not only does it tell the fascinating social and economic history of the region from the time of the Spanish explorers through its designation as a national park in the 1970s, but it also serves as an interesting background guide to this increasingly popular region.Tyler covers four centuries of human society in the Big Bend in this award-winning book. Archaeological evidence of Indian inhabitants provides clues to their unwritten history in the Big Bend, but Spanish explorers recognized no living trace of them and simply called the land el despoblado , the uninhabited land.In the centuries that followed, U.S. Army mapping and surveying teams entered the region. A colorful array of miners, ranchers, and even bandits sought freedom and livelihoods in the remote canyons of this region so deeply involved in the destinies of both Mexico and the United States. A full chapter is devoted to the creation of Big Bend National Park, which was finally dedicated in 1955, thanks in large part to the quiet but unrelenting efforts of a simple cowboy named Everett Ewing Townsend, who wanted to preserve what was left of the Texas wilderness.Written in engaging narrative prose, The Big Bend might be considered the last word on the last Texas frontier. It would also be perfect reading material for a road trip to the most remote corner of the contiguous United States.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published March 1, 1996

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good history up to a point, but terribly "dated" and racist, so be prepared. We were in the area a while back and I was curious about the big bare spot at the bottom of Texas. The book has been re-released since it was first published, but it still need some heavy apologizing for not revising enough.

[carl theaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like to camp and you live in the Southwest USA you've probably
made a November-Thanksgiving-Weekend trip to Big Bend National Park.
You make the trip at that time of year because it is finally cool enough
and you have enough time off of school/work to make the long drive, and
it is a long drive from about anywhere.

My first trip was with a group. Arriving at night the hard blowing,
freezing wind had us propping picnic tables on their side as a wind block and
struggled to put up our tents. That night we wondered what we'd gotten
ourselves into for the next 4 days? By morning the weather had cleared and
it was pleasant the rest of the weekend.

Thanksgiving weekend is one of the busiest times for the park, yet when
you drive around you rarely see another vehicle the park is so big. Busy
perhaps, but not crowded.

This history of Big Bend has me ready to head out there again. The
history and information about the park makes it a definite plus to read
before, or during, a visit.

Written in 1975 for the US Park Service, now with updated covers to make it
shelf appealing, I thought at first the text might be a bit stuffy, but I
pleasantly found myself deep into the stories of the park.

This book is detailed: it goes to the lengths of 'the Spanish explorer
crossed the Rio Grande at this rock, not that one.' It is rugged country
and rugged people tried to exist there, some better than others, Spanish,
Mexicans, various Indian tribes, explorers from all over, Norte
Americanos, the US Army, ranchers, cowboys, and pioneers.

Some of the stories match with a 'Tales of Texas' book by Frank Dobie
that I read recently, great to get another perspective.

There is a section on sights to see which is great for the park visitor.
Also about 100 black and white pictures and maps along with 20 pages of
notes and bibliography, great for continued reading.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the only comprehensive history on The Big Bend region of Texas I could find. It's a bit dry, but if you've visited the park, you can see the history unfolding around places you've driven across and hiked. The names of mountain peaks, canyons and roads all make sense after a read. For a person who hasn't visited, this will be a very boring read unless you have a deep interest in Texas history.

Big Bend is still one of the least visited National Parks in the US, for good reason - it's very isolated. The border disputes, conflicts with native Americans and lack of roads made for a very tough time surveying the park and settling around it. There were some moments of 'hope' in mining operations (still evident in the ghost town Terlingua today), but the difficulty of transport coupled with the harsh climate and recognition as a National Park all fell into place to make one of the hidden gems of Texas.

[Dee Renee Chesnut · Rating 5 out of 5]

This information is from the 1975 edition, published by the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washinton DC as this was the edition my library had.

About This Book
The Big Bend,an account of human history in one of the most rugged and remote parts of this country, is the collaborative work of the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior and the Amon Carter Museum of Western Art, Fort Worth. Prepared as a reference companion to an exhibition on the Big Bend presented by the Amon Carter with subsequent at a number of other Texas museums in 1975-76, the volume is intended to supply a needed interpretive narrative for the exhibit to introduce park visitors to the human record in the Big Bend country, and to fill a considerable gap in available professional studies on the Big Bend.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This narrative history is a fun read, and provides good, basic grounding in this history of Big Bend. Readers will come away with a sense of the overall phases of modern history of the region (modern meaning the arrival of Europeans). It was originally published in 1975, so some of the racial terms it uses aren't up to today's standards. Additionally, though Indians come up in the narrative, their lives, customs, and history aren't deeply explored. Still: a good read with lots of fun anecdotes.

[Deborah McKown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it before you take a trip

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great history of the Big Bend region. It is a fun and exciting read.