Terlingua -- Terlingua TX - American Guide Series on Waymarking.com

In December 2016, Terlingua is a ghost town of about 30 people, more in the summer when the National Park hires seasonal help. Terlingua gets up in to the mid-70s of population then.

The waymark cordinates are for the El Dorado Hotel, where Blasterz had a cup of their award-winning chili for dinner with a cold beer.

In 1940, the WPA writers visied a vastly different place. Today the mines are all closed, and the biggest thing going in Terlingua are 2 competing Chili Cookoffs that happen annually.

"[Page 621] Near the quicksilver mines of TERLINGUA, the Mexican miners have credit at company stores, where customers are usually in debt. But there is little discontent among the miners; they have more than their brothers. The Terlingua area produces a large part of the country's mercury. . . .

[page 628] Southward State 227 crosses PAINT CREEK at 74.3 m. It passes through Paint Gap where the Paint Gap Hills (4,258 alt.) are visible to the north (R), while on the left tower the cliffs of Pulliam Bluff.

Past COTTONWOOD CREEK, 81 m., the route is almost due west; to the right rise the Slickrock Mountains (4,001 alt.) and CROTON PEAK (4,600 alt.).

Skirting the edge of BURRO MESA (3,500 alt.), the route veers southwest. At 86.1 m. (R) is DOGIE MOUNTAIN (3,700 alt.), and beyond, to the northwest, is WILLOW MOUNTAIN (3,820 alt.).

At 90 m. is the junction with State 118.

Right here 3 m. to STUDY BUTTE. Here is the RAINBOW MINE (visiting by arrangement with company officials at Terlingua). Gas, oil, and cold beer are available. Mercury is mined in the rugged butte. The route is westward from the mine. TERLINGUA CREEK is crossed at 4.2 m.; in wet weather, this is the most dangerous crossing in the Big Bend. TERLINGUA, 9 m. (3,000 alt., 30 pop.) (gasoline, supplies, limited accommodations), is a mining community located near one of the largest quicksilver deposits in the world. It was named for Terlingua Creek; the area was popularly supposed to have been the home grounds of three Indian tribes, hence the adaptation of the Spanish Tres Lenguas (three languages). The Chisos Mine has been in operation since 1891, and is still using old mining methods. The mine shaft sinks into the underlying limestone flagstones of the region, at the south edge of town. Mexicans, living in the primitive fashion of their forbears, inhabit patchwork houses of adobe and tin. After the discovery of the old Chisos Mine, 14 other mines opened in the neighborhood. This industry has furnished [page 629] several generations of Mexicans with constant employment, and many of the miners of Terlingua have never been 10 miles from this spot. North of Terlingua is SAWMILL MOUNTAIN (3,795 alt.) and to the northeast rises CIGAR MOUNTAIN (3,290 alt.).

In Terlingua is the junction with an unimproved dirt road that runs almost due north to Alpine, 85 miles (see Tour 23d)."

Book: Texas Page Number(s) of Excerpt: 621, 628 Year Originally Published: 1940

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Date Logged Log User Rating   12/27/2016 Benchmark Blasterz visited it