The Great Comanche War Trail -- Persimmon Gap Visitor Center, Big Bend NP TX - Ancient Traces and Roads on Waymarking.com

An exhibit inside the Persimmon Gap Visitor Center and a 1936 centennial pink granite historic marker preserve the history of the Great Comanche War Trail, which passed through Persimmon Gap.

The state historic marker reads as follows:

"You are now traveling the Comanche Trail blazed by Comanche Indians, en route from the western plains to Mexico, and traveled later by emigrants and soldiers. It extended south from the Horse Head Crossing of the Pecos by Comanche Springs (Fort Stockton) to the Rio Grande."

And two interpretive signs inside the Persimmon Gap Visitor Center add more context as follows:

"THE GREAT COMANCHE WAR TRAIL

On historical maps, the Comanche Trail resembles a short section of rope that is frayed at both ends. Instead of being a single trail, as one would think, it is a complex system of branching trails.

The trail is still visible near Fort Stockton where the single track is deeply entrenched. As it reaches what is now the Park, however, the trail is much broader in erosion and vegetation have reclaimed virtually all traces of it. The main branch enters the park here at persimmon gap, a natural passageway for humans and animals.

One Comanche band, called the Yapaituka, the ‘rooster eaters’ band, favored a route through Big Bend. They undertook this journey only after summer rains had greened the grass and filled waterholes.

[drawing]
Comanche Encampment
Drawing by George Caitlin, ca 1836"

and

"RAIDING AND TRADING

The light of the September full moon, the Comanche Moon, reveals fear on the faces of defenseless farmers and their families in northern Mexico who dread the approach of Comanche raiders.

Today as you pass through Persimmon Gap you follow in the footsteps of these raiding parties on the “Great Comanche War Trail.”

For the warriors, the moon reveals the excitement of men and boys hoping to seek glory and prove their bravery. Accompanied by women and children, some war parties numbered up to 500 people. Livestock, ammunition, and slaves captured during raids were traded with Comanche neighbors. Successful raiding and trading establish that power and wealth of the Comanche Nation, securing control of their territory.

The arrival of the Comanche on the southern plains was first noted by Spanish authorities in New Mexico in 1706. By the mid-17 hundreds, they displaced the Apache and other tribes in their lands, establishing “Comancheria” on the best Buffalo hunting grounds.

The Horse

One of the first tribes to adopt the horse, the Comanche learn to exploit this new technology. Horses allowed the Comanches to establish much larger hunting ranges, defend their territory with cavalry tactics, and to dominate long distance trade networks. By the late 17 seventies, the Comanche expanded hundreds of miles south of the Rio Grande."

Feature Discription: Comanche war Trail historic marker Web address for the route: [Web Link] Secondary Web Address: [Web Link] Beginning of the road: High Plains of the US End of the road: State of Chihuahua MX

Visit Instructions:
We ask that if you visit the site, please include a unique picture with your impressions of the location. If possible, and if you are not too shy, please include yourself and your group in the photo. Extra points will be given for your best buffalo imitation or if you are licking something salty.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   12/26/2016 Benchmark Blasterz visited it