|
 Witness Tree
N 32° 43.142 W 100° 55.158
14S E 320126 N 3621768
Texas Historical Marker in front of the Scurry County Library at 1916 23rd St in Snyder, providing some history of the hackberry tree that once stood across the way, used for surveying, with some reminders of the fate of the Natives who lived here.
Waymark Code: WM15X7C
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 03/14/2022
Views: 2
Even the stump has since been removed, but it's visible from a 2019 Google Street View. In some areas of Texas, land owners still remind others of their property ownership by throwing stones, shouting loudly, shooting guns, and making other noises.
Marker Number: 5880
Marker Text:
Across the street, 100 feet north of this site, is the stump of a hackberry used in early land surveys as a "witness" tree. By Texas custom (based on Spanish law), at least 2 objects were used to witness land boundaries, measured in varas, cordels, and leagues. Land corners were pointed out formally, with grantee being told "in a loud voice" that he was vested with the property; he responded by throwing stones, shouting loudly, shooting guns and making other noises.
When land at this site was first surveyed for the grantee, Houston & Great Northern Railroad, on May 29, 1873, it was in Jack County. (Scurry County was created in 1876.) "Witness" points were stakes in the prairie, an 8-inch mound, and Culver (Deep) Creek. This was hostile Indian country. Surveyors had rifles on one shoulder, transits on the other. Frontier lands had to be surveyed, as payment for state obligations.
Before this hackberry tree was marked with the X in 1881, buffalo hunters had killed the animals that were the "walking commissary" of the Indians. Strong campaigns by Gen. R.S. MacKenzie and the U.S. 4th Cavalry had sent the Indians to reservations. The MacKenzie Trail was mapped. Surveys also spoke of the Snyder Store, for which this town was named. (1966)
|
Visit Instructions:
Please include a picture in your log. You and your GPS receiver do not need to be in the picture. We encourage additional information about your visit (comments about the surrounding area, how you ended up near the marker, etc.) in the log.
Recent Visits/Logs:
| There are no logs for this waymark yet. |
|
|
|
|