Mar 7 - Fort Stockton, TX

  Following our typical pattern when there is no major sites to see, we worked in the RV in the morning, and went out to explore the town of Fort Stockton, Texas in the afternoon.  It is out in the middle of the prairie, in the middle of nowhere.  It is a small town, that was settled mostly for its nearness to the Comanche Spring, giving folks passing through a place to get water.  However, as time went on, and some big ranches were settled, some dug some artesian wells, that fed the Spring, and the Spring has basically dried up.  It went to court, and the law in Texas became that you can't legislate artesian water.  Sounds awful to me. 
  We visited the Annie Riggs Museum.  It was an early hotel in the late 1800's that Annie Riggs purchased and ran until her death in 1931.  The museum holds many artifacts of the era and the times.  Very interesting.  We chatted with some Texas folks who were also visiting, and got some perspectives about Texas life.  For example, if you have a 40,000 acre ranch, the 100 or so acres along the Highway might not be where the huge herd of cattle are currently.  Doesn't mean they aren't there.  Also, many ranches have gone to feed lots, instead of letting the cattle roam.  And, hunting is really big in Texas--deer, turkey, grouse.  Since all of the land is privately owned in Texas, with not much public lands owned by the government like in other States, in order to hunt, you need to get a hunting lease which allows you to hunt on private property.  And, it costs, of course.
  One thing I really enjoy about this area is the constant wind and the clear, clean air.  After the museum, we drove to the nearby Fort Stockton, which was built in the late 1800's to protect the folks in the new State and those traveling through.  Not much is left of it, so we walked the trail around the town Park.  A nice paved loop--probably around 1/2 mile.  Otherwise, it's a small town, and we are really just passing through this huge State of Texas.

Annie Riggs Museum photo: