Grierson Spring, TX
Encyclopedia
Grierson Spring is a historic seep spring
located in the southwestern part of Reagan County, Texas
, approximately 12.5 miles southwest of the community of Big Lake
, and is part of the eastern tributary
arrangement of Live Oak Draw, itself a part of the Pecos River
drainage system
.
The small spring now shows limited, seasonal flow only in wet years, but, before settlement of the area, was the only permanent water in Reagan County and the surrounding area. It was used extensively by prehistoric peoples and by the Jumano, Apache
, and Comanche
in historic times, remaining unknown and undiscovered by whites until late in Texas' history despite lying within twenty miles of the Upper Road, famous in the Gold Rush
days of the early 1850s, which Road was made a part of the Butterfield Overland Stage Route and which later became the Goodnight
-Loving
Trail. The Spring became the origin point for the first land surveys of the region in the early 1870s.
The Handbook of Texas
identifies the spring as being on a direct line between forts Concho
and Stockton, and, after its discovery over the winter of 1877–78, then Colonel
Benjamin Grierson
, commandant at Fort Concho in San Angelo
and head of the District of the Pecos, established a telegraph maintenance office and subpost at that location, re-routing the existing Fort Concho-to-Fort Stockton telegraph. The spring subsequently received his name. The transfer of the line and road cut 15 miles from the existing stage route, supply road, and telegraph line between the forts and provided a strategic maintenance post for the telegraph line where none was before, ensuring that it stayed in operation.
The subpost, consisting of a number of limestone
buildings and corrals, was built, occupied, and maintained by detachments of Buffalo soldiers from the 16th, 24th, and 25th Infantry and the 10th Cavalry from the time of its construction in 1878 until its abandonment in September 1882; however, before being closed, the subpost, telegraph line, and supply road contributed materially to the US Army's 1879–1880 campaign against the Apache warrior, Victorio
, and his followers. The road continued to be used for many years thereafter by area settlers and others passing through on their way west.
Now located on private land, the once notably-beautiful facilities have been in ruins for many years, and the site is no longer accessible to the public, being frequented only by the owner, his friends, and limited oil & gas traffic. In spite of its isolation, or maybe because of it, the ruins have reverted to a rustic beauty, reserved for spots that have possessed a once-significant, but fleeting glory - now, only a small, largely forgotten spot whose discovery contributed materially both to prehistoric life and to the settlement of the area.
Spring (hydrosphere)
A spring—also known as a rising or resurgence—is a component of the hydrosphere. Specifically, it is any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground...
located in the southwestern part of Reagan County, Texas
Reagan County, Texas
Reagan County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 3,326. The seat of the county is Big Lake. It is named in honor of John Henninger Reagan , who served as postmaster general of the Confederate States of America and also as a U.S....
, approximately 12.5 miles southwest of the community of Big Lake
Big Lake, Texas
Big Lake is a small rural city in Reagan County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 2,885. It is the county seat of Reagan County....
, and is part of the eastern tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
arrangement of Live Oak Draw, itself a part of the Pecos River
Pecos River
The headwaters of the Pecos River are located north of Pecos, New Mexico, United States, at an elevation of over 12,000 feet on the western slope of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range in Mora County. The river flows for through the eastern portion of that state and neighboring Texas before it...
drainage system
Drainage system (Geomorphology)
In geomorphology, a drainage system is the pattern formed by the streams, rivers, and lakes in a particular drainage basin. They are governed by the topography of the land, whether a particular region is dominated by hard or soft rocks, and the gradient of the land. Geomorphologists and...
.
The small spring now shows limited, seasonal flow only in wet years, but, before settlement of the area, was the only permanent water in Reagan County and the surrounding area. It was used extensively by prehistoric peoples and by the Jumano, Apache
Apache
Apache is the collective term for several culturally related groups of Native Americans in the United States originally from the Southwest United States. These indigenous peoples of North America speak a Southern Athabaskan language, which is related linguistically to the languages of Athabaskan...
, and Comanche
Comanche
The Comanche are a Native American ethnic group whose historic range consisted of present-day eastern New Mexico, southern Colorado, northeastern Arizona, southern Kansas, all of Oklahoma, and most of northwest Texas. Historically, the Comanches were hunter-gatherers, with a typical Plains Indian...
in historic times, remaining unknown and undiscovered by whites until late in Texas' history despite lying within twenty miles of the Upper Road, famous in the Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
days of the early 1850s, which Road was made a part of the Butterfield Overland Stage Route and which later became the Goodnight
Charles Goodnight
Charles Goodnight, also known as Charlie Goodnight , was a cattle rancher in the American West, perhaps the best known rancher in Texas. He is sometimes known as the "father of the Texas Panhandle." Essayist and historian J...
-Loving
Oliver Loving
Oliver Loving was a cattle rancher and pioneer of the cattle drive who with Charles Goodnight developed the Goodnight-Loving Trail. He was mortally wounded by Indians while on a cattle drive. Loving County, the smallest county in the United States in population, is named in his honor.Loving was...
Trail. The Spring became the origin point for the first land surveys of the region in the early 1870s.
The Handbook of Texas
Handbook of Texas
The Handbook of Texas is a comprehensive encyclopedia of Texas geography, history, and historical persons published by the Texas State Historical Association .-History:...
identifies the spring as being on a direct line between forts Concho
Fort Concho
Fort Concho is a National Historic Landmark owned and operated since 1935 by the city of San Angelo, the seat of Tom Green County in West Texas...
and Stockton, and, after its discovery over the winter of 1877–78, then Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Benjamin Grierson
Benjamin Grierson
Benjamin Henry Grierson was a music teacher and then a career officer in the United States Army. He was a cavalry general in the volunteer Union Army during the American Civil War and later led troops in the American Old West...
, commandant at Fort Concho in San Angelo
San Angelo, Texas
San Angelo is a city in the state of Texas. Located in West Central Texas it is the county seat of Tom Green County. As of 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total population of 93,200...
and head of the District of the Pecos, established a telegraph maintenance office and subpost at that location, re-routing the existing Fort Concho-to-Fort Stockton telegraph. The spring subsequently received his name. The transfer of the line and road cut 15 miles from the existing stage route, supply road, and telegraph line between the forts and provided a strategic maintenance post for the telegraph line where none was before, ensuring that it stayed in operation.
The subpost, consisting of a number of limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
buildings and corrals, was built, occupied, and maintained by detachments of Buffalo soldiers from the 16th, 24th, and 25th Infantry and the 10th Cavalry from the time of its construction in 1878 until its abandonment in September 1882; however, before being closed, the subpost, telegraph line, and supply road contributed materially to the US Army's 1879–1880 campaign against the Apache warrior, Victorio
Victorio
Victorio was a warrior and chief of the Chihenne band of the Chiricahua Apaches in what is now the American states of New Mexico, Arizona, Texas and the Mexican states of Sonora and Chihuahua....
, and his followers. The road continued to be used for many years thereafter by area settlers and others passing through on their way west.
Now located on private land, the once notably-beautiful facilities have been in ruins for many years, and the site is no longer accessible to the public, being frequented only by the owner, his friends, and limited oil & gas traffic. In spite of its isolation, or maybe because of it, the ruins have reverted to a rustic beauty, reserved for spots that have possessed a once-significant, but fleeting glory - now, only a small, largely forgotten spot whose discovery contributed materially both to prehistoric life and to the settlement of the area.