Sunny Glen

August 29, 2009

A favorite image from Davis Mountains Vistas, the opening in the volcanic cliffs is Sunny Glen, photographed three miles north of Alpine on Highway 118.
The cliffs are capped by the Decie Formation with the break in the cliffs being a thin tuff horizon between lavas of the Morrow and McIntyre formations.
The light-colored patches above the [...]

Read the full article →

Museum of the Big Bend – 3

August 27, 2009

I finally came up with this shot of the museum to make into our latest postcard.

Read the full article →

Gage Hotel, Marathon

August 25, 2009

Another design from the El Paso architectural firm of Trost and Trost, the Gage Hotel was built as an hotel and ranch headquarters for Alfred Gage, an early pioneer in Brewster County. Unfortunately, he died just as the hotel opened in 1928. After a period of neglect, the hotel was bought in 1928 by Houston [...]

Read the full article →

Balmorhea State Park

August 21, 2009

Another architectural gem by the Civilian Conservation Corps is the San Solomon Courts at Barlmorhea State Park, completed in 1935. The team then went up to the Davis Mountains State Park. I have not been able to discover who the architect was here, although I suspect Arthur Fehr. This style is Spanish revival.

Read the full article →

Indian Lodge

August 21, 2009

Indian Lodge from below – the design is pueblo revival, something quite foreign to West Texas except though the work of architects like Henry Trost. The Civilian Conservation Corp, who built the lodge, employed its own architects, in this case Arthur F. Fehr, who also worked on restoring the San Antonio missions.

Read the full article →

Blue Mountain from Keesey Canyon

August 20, 2009

Blue Mountain (7,286 feet) stands at the head of Keesey Canyon in the Davis Mountains State Park just north of Fort Davis. Five flows of the Casket Mountain lava, 1,080 feet thick, make up the upper section of the mountain. The same lava also tops Casket Mountain on the other side of Limpia Canyon. At [...]

Read the full article →

Museum of the Big Bend – 2

August 12, 2009

The Museum interior features a pterosaur model hanging from its roof – see Larry Francell’s description. Note the beautiful roof – an arched lamella truss roof. This building method was created for aircraft hangers during the World War One. It really is quite spectacular.

Read the full article →

Museum of the Big Bend

August 12, 2009

I spent some time at the Museum this morning. It is difficult to photograph because of its length and limited space in front. The attractive building was constructed in 1937 of the local Crossen volcanic trachyte rock that caps Hancock Hill behind the museum. The gift shop stocks our books and postcards. The director, Larry [...]

Read the full article →

Casa Grande

August 12, 2009

Another view of Casa Grande from Chisos Mountains Lodge. The restaurant building is in the lower left corner. This photograph is also used in Big Bend Vistas.
The caption to the photograph in the book reads: “Casa Grande rises in wooded slopes to a tremendous square-topped monolith of bare rock with sheer, towering cliffs overlooking the [...]

Read the full article →

The Chisos Mountains from the South

August 8, 2009

One of my favorite Big Bend National Park photographs is this one of the mountains from the south. I have used it in Big Bend Vistas and the 2010 Mountains of the Big Bend Calendar.
Nugent Mountain is in front with the Chisos Mountains creating a panorama on the skyline behind it. South Rim (7,400 feet) [...]

Read the full article →

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →