Comanche Marker Trees of Texas

by Steve Houser, Linda Pelon, Jimmy W. Arterberry

In this unprecedented effort to gather and share knowledge of the Native American practice of creating, designating, and making use of marker trees, an arborist, an anthropologist, and a Comanche tribal officer have merged their wisdom, research, and years of personal experience to create Comanche Marker Trees of Texas .

A genuine marker tree is a rare find—only six of these natural and cultural treasures have been officially documented in Texas and recognized by the Comanche Nation. The latter third of the book highlights the characteristics of these six marker trees and gives an up-to-date history of each, displaying beautiful photographs of these long-standing, misshapen, controversial symbols that have withstood the tests of time and human activity.

Thoroughly researched and richly illustrated with maps, drawings, and photographs of trees, this book offers a close look at the unique cultural significance of these living witnesses to our history and provides detailed guidelines on how to recognize, research, and report potential marker tree candidates.

Genres: Nonfiction

224 pages, Paperback

Published September 23, 2016

Reviews

[Jim Folger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Narrowly focused on the Comanches' contribution to trail marker trees, it provides some good insight into their history in the DFW area. A larger book (this paperback is 6"x9") would have been better, since the photos are quite small (3"x4 1/4"), and it is hard to see the detail as well as the tree in its setting. There was also a little too much time spent on the process of qualifying the marker trees.
I was surprised, but not shocked to learn that many Texas land owners have cut down these trees because they want nothing to do with the Indians who fought their relatives in the western expansion.

[Cindy Dyson Eitelman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cool little book of the research and investigation that goes into evaluating trees as potential historic 'marker' trees in the former Comanche territory of Texas. They need to be of the correct age and species and with an estimated growth rate that put them in the correct date range. I'm not sure exactly when that is, the book never seemed to tell, but I guess it's around 1825-1875. And an examination of the scarring and/or wounds on the tree can indicate if it was likely to have been tied down during a formative period.

Very interesting stuff, I must say.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book. It was hard to see some of the photos, being park of the tree instead of the whole. History is all around us if we know where to look. The Founders tree instead Landa park in New Braunfels has been designated as a marker tree. Soon on my first trip to Big Bend national park, I will see another of these marker trees.

[Julia Pendery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating topic. Book is well worth reading, but it iust a little disorganized with the different people providing different perspectives. It's part of what has me rapidly developing into the crazy tree lady.

[Liam · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book that explores the ways that the Comanche not only created Marker Trees, but how those trees have, and continue, to change our understanding of the complexities of Comanche culture in Texas.

[Michael Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting subject

[Cindi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for those who love trees as well as history.