E. E. Townsend -- US 385 just north of entrance into Big Bend NP
N 29° 40.835 W 103° 10.007
13R E 677389 N 3284797
This sign of history is located on the US 385 just outside of Big Bend National Park
Waymark Code: WMV0BQ
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 02/01/2017
Views: 1
This sign of history recognizes and honors the contributions of E. E. Townsend to the creation and development of Big Bend National Park, truly one of our mist amazing national parks.
The sign is located on the US 385 just north of the park boundary along the US 385 from Marathon.
The sign reads as follows:
"BIG BEND SNAPSHOT: E. E. TOWNSEND
Everett Ewing Townsend, called the “father of the Big Bend National Park,” was instrumental in initiating, promoting and finally bringing into reality the idea of a public park along the Big Bend of Texas’ Rio Grande.
Townsend was born on October 20, 1871, in Colorado County Texas. He joined the Texas Rangers at nineteen and became a Deputy United States Marshal at twenty-two.
He was appointed a United States Customs mounted inspector in 1894. The many miles traveled carrying out this duty, as well as subsequent decades of hunting and camping in the region, gave Townsend an intimate knowledge of much of the land which was eventually to become Big Bend National Park.
In 1918 he was elected to the first of 3 terms as sheriff of Brewster County. He was a charter member of the West Texas Historical and Scientific Society and was active in creating and curating the Big Bend Memorial Museum. He was elected in 1932 as a representative to the 40 third Texas legislature and promptly co-authored a bill with Representative Robert M. Wagstaff to establish Texas Canyons State Park along the Rio Grande.
The Texas legislature approved land acquisition for the park and in 1934, Townsend presented the National Park Service with the idea of Big Bend National Park, which the US Congress authorized the following year.
After years of fundraising and advocacy, Townsend attended the ceremony on September 5, 1943, at Sul Ross State College in Alpine, Texas, where Texas Governor Coke R Stevenson signed a deed transferring more than 750,000 acres of Big Bend country and Brewster County to the National Park Service.
Townsend died on November 19, 1948, 7 years before the park was officially dedicated on November 21, 1955.
[graphic]
in 1937, Governor James V. Allred requested the Texas Air National Guard to fly a photographic reconnaissance mission over the Big Bend for public city pictures that he sent to E. E. Townsend, whom he referred to as the “Daddy of the Big Bend.” These aerial photographs, along with a wealth of additional pictures, films, stories and promotional information, were widely published in numerous newspapers, magazines, and movie newsreels to promote the Big Bend region to America. Townsend’s own captions for each photo are reprinted below.
1 Chisos Mountains. Texas Air National Guard. “Chisos Mountains; Lost Mine, Crown, Casa Grande, and Emory (peaks). Basin in center . . . CCC camp in basin, site for hotel etc., The Saddle, Chinese Wall, San Vicente, San Jose de las Piedras and other far away mountains in Mexico . . . Del Carmen (Sierra del Carmen) and Fronterrizas to the rear . . . The evil of over stocking and “Erosion’s toll” is well recorded here.”
2 Mariscal Canyon. Texas Air National Guard. “Mariscal Canyon. Where the river conquered the mountains and the mountains conquered the river. Marisol lost its battle against the raging waters. San Vicente, lower upper, and Del Carmen (Sierra del Carmen), upper right, retreated at 100 miles to the north. Comanche pass, sitter skyline, between Del Carmen and Fronterrizas, is a tough and hazardous trail. Centinela Peak, near northern end of Fronterrizas.”
3 Boquillas Canyon, Texas Air National Guard. “Dead Horse Canyon (Boquillas Canyon, Del Carmen (Sierra del Carmen) and Fronterrizas showing above . . . Doubtless the dead horse adventure, the killing of captured Indian horses, (1/16/1882) by Texas Rangers, who were descending the river and boats, occurred somewhere within scope of this picture.”
4 Santa Elena Canyon. Texas Air National Guard. “Santa Elena Canyon, looking downstream. Texas left - Mexico right. In 1860, Lieutenant Echols, U.S. Army, commanding an expedition to test fitness of camels for this region, to trace Comanche war trail, and to locate suitable site for army post adjacent said trail, visited this place. He called it "Grand Puerta" (Grand Portal). He found desirable site a few miles downriver (Castolon). He had 20 camels, many mules and about 50 men.
[graphic]
1932 - E. E. Townsend and Robert M. Wagstaff co-authored a bill in the Texas legislature to establish Texas Canyons State Park.
1933 - The Texas legislature authorize the acquisition of 150,000 acres of land, including 3 canyons: Santa Elena, Mariscal, and Boquillas, along with Chisos Mountains, to be set aside as state park land in south Brewster County.
1934 - Townsend presented the National Park Service with the idea of Big Bend National Park.
1935 - The United States Congress passed enabling legislation authorizing the National Park Service to begin acquisition, stipulating the park acreage “shall be secured . . . Only by public and private donations.”
1936 - the Big Bend National Park development committee was established.
1937 - Texas National Guard Air Corps carried out a photographic reconnaissance mission of the Big Bend area (see photo caption above)
1942 - most of the remaining land was purchased for 1.5 million dollars in funds from public and private donations. The Texas legislature authorized the Texas State Parks Board to “acquire by purchase, condemnation or donation all of the remaining acres in the proposed National Park area.
1943- September 5, deed to the acquired parklands was signed over to the United States government.
1944 - June 12, Big Bend National Park was officially established by the National Park Service.
1944 - July 5, Big Bend National Park was open to the public with a staff of five. Several thousand acres still remained in private hands. That first year only 1, 409 people visited Big Bend. Today the park welcomes over 325,000 visitors each year.
1948 - November 19, death of E.E. Townsend
1955 - November 21, Big Bend National Park was officially dedicated after delays caused by conditions following World War II, the Cold War, and the Korean War. Special tribute was paid to Townsend, Doctor Horace Morlock, president of Sul Ross State College, and to the late Amon G Carter Sr., the Fort Worth newspaperman who strongly supported park development.
1972 - The US Congress appropriated $300,375 for the last 8,561 acres, finally placing the entire original Park area of 708,118 acres in federal ownership. Subsequent additions have increased the park acreage to 801,163 acres.
1976 - Big Bend National Park was designated by the United Nations as a Man and Biosphere Reserve for the Chihuahuan desert.
1978 - The Rio Grande lower canyons wild and scenic river, consisting of a 196 mile core door along the Rio Grande from Mariscal Canyon downstream to the Terrell/Val Verde County line, was designated for administration by Big Bend National Park."
Group that erected the marker: Brewster County Tourism Council
URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link]
Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary:
US 385 just N of the BBNP boundary
Brewster County TXTX
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