55 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.
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Quemado, TX
· Tsha Handbook
Quemado is on U.S. Highway 277 1½ miles east of the Rio Grande and eighteen miles northwest of Eagle Pass in the Quemado Valley region of northwestern Maverick County. The Quemado Valley, for which the community is…
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Normandy, TX (Maverick County)
· 3.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
Normandy is on U.S. Highway 277 one mile east of the Rio Grande and three miles southeast of Quemado in northwestern Maverick County. Around 1878 the Lehmann Ranch, described as a small settlement composed chiefly of…
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Radar Base, TX
· 8.4 mi
Radar Base, a census-designated place in Maverick County, Texas, first appeared on the map in the 2000 U.S. census. Its population saw a significant increase in the 2010 census due to the opening of the Maverick County…
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Eagle Pass Coal Mines
· 15.4 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Eagle Pass Coal Mines. Although the Indian, Spanish, and early anglo-American inhabitants knew of this area's large bituminous coal deposits, commercial mining did not begin until 1885, when F. H.…
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Simpson, Jr. S. P. House
· 17.7 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the former home of S.P. Simpson Jr., a pioneer banker who arrived in Eagle Pass from Kentucky in 1883. He became associated with the city's first bank in 1889, and his own fine home, designed by…
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Church of the Redeemer
· 17.7 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the Church of the Redeemer in Eagle Pass. Episcopal services began here in the 1850s, but this Gothic Revival building was planned in the late 1880s. It was completed in 1887, and the first resident…
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California Camp
· 17.8 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past California Camp, a key spot after Fort Duncan was founded in 1849. This was a major staging area for Forty-Niners heading west, many of whom traveled through Mexico to reach California. The…
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Maverick County Courthouse
· 18.0 mi · Historical Marker
A landmark of the Texas-Mexico border area. Built 1884-85, during term of county Judge Thomas Lamb, on site chosen by citizens' committee, who donated $800 toward purchase of land from R.E. Moffit. Architects:…
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Shelby's Flag Burial
· 18.0 mi · Historical Marker
The last flag to fly over an organized Confederate force was buried in the river near this spot on July 4, 1865, by Gen. Jos. O. Shelby, of Missouri. His un-surrendered cavalry brigade, with arms, cannon and ragged…
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Camp Hudson, Site of
· 18.0 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of Camp Hudson, established by the U.S. Army back in 1857. Its mission was to protect travelers on the road to El Paso from hostile Native Americans. The camp was named for 2nd Lieutenant…
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Sumpter, Jesse
· 18.0 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Eagle Pass, and right here is where Jesse Sumpter made his mark. He served on the Texas Frontier in the 1840s and 50s, among the first troops stationed at Fort Duncan. After his service, he stayed…
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Camp Rabb and Fort Duncan C.S.A.
· 18.0 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Maverick County, near where Camp Rabb once stood. This was one of 18 Confederate outposts stretched across Texas, designed to ward off Indian raids and Federal forces during the Civil War. The…
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Maverick County
· 18.0 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Maverick County, formed in 1856 and organized in 1871. It's named for Samuel A. Maverick, a veteran of the Texas Revolution and signer of the Declaration of Independence. This area was a crucial…
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The Eagle That Isn't an Eagle
· 18.1 mi
Here is a twist worth knowing as you pass through Eagle Pass. Those Mexican eagles the town was named for? A lot of the time, they are not eagles at all. Down here in South Texas, the bird people call the Mexican eagle…
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Sharper Than You'll Ever See
· 18.1 mi
A town named Eagle Pass ought to make you wonder just how good an eagle's eyes really are. The answer is almost hard to believe. A bald eagle sees something like four to five times sharper than a person with perfect…
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The Pass of the Eagle
· 18.1 mi
You just rolled into Eagle Pass, and the name is exactly what it sounds like, only older and in Spanish. Long before anybody wrote it in English, this spot on the Rio Grande was called El Paso del Aguila. That means the…
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Two Hundred Miles an Hour Straight Down
· 18.1 mi
If Eagle Pass has you thinking about eagles, meet the real heavyweight of Texas skies, the golden eagle. This is one of the largest birds of prey on the planet, with a wingspan that can stretch close to seven feet. That…
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The Fort Above the Crossing
· 18.1 mi
The eagles named this crossing, but it was the army that turned it into a town. In eighteen forty-nine, soldiers of the First United States Infantry set up a post about two miles upriver from the eagle crossing. That…
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Eagle Pass, TX
· 18.1 mi
Eagle Pass, Texas, has a rich history that dates back to the Mexican-American War. Originally known as Camp Eagle Pass, it served as a temporary outpost for the Texas militia, tasked with stopping illegal trade with…
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Eagle Pass C.S.A.
· 18.1 mi · Historical Marker
A major terminus of the Cotton Road, customhouse and Confederate port of entry into Mexico 1863-65 when Union forces held lower Rio Grande. Cotton was "lifeblood of the South," Texas its lifeline and storehouse west of…
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The Eagle and the Turkey Feud
· 18.1 mi
The eagle on the national seal of the United States is the bald eagle, chosen back in seventeen eighty-two after six years of debate that ran through three separate committees. On that seal, the eagle clutches an olive…
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Tents in the Shape of Wings
· 18.1 mi
Here is a second, more colorful story about how Eagle Pass got its name, and it is worth telling as long as we are honest that it is the underdog account. The documented version, the one historians favor, is that the…
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Eagle Pass Post Office
· 18.1 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of the first Eagle Pass Post Office, which opened way back in 1849, the same year Fort Duncan was established. This particular building, designed by architect James K. Taylor, was completed…
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Cazneau, Jane Maria Eliza McManus
· 18.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
Jane Cazneau [pseuds.: Montgomery, Cora Montgomery, Corrine Montgomery], journalist, author, promoter, and unofficial diplomat, daughter of William Telemachus and Catharina (Coons) McManus, was born in or near Troy, New…
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Griswold, Florence Theodora Terry Shaw Brundage
· 18.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through South Texas, not far from Eagle Pass, where Florence Terry Griswold was born in 1875. Growing up on her family's ranch, she developed a deep appreciation for both Mexican and American cultures.…
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July, Johanna
· 18.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Kinney County, not far from Eagle Pass, and you're passing through the story of Johanna July. Born around 1860 in Mexico to Black Seminole scouts, Johanna's family eventually settled near Fort…
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Mackey, James Raleigh [Biz]
· 18.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through South Texas, maybe near Eagle Pass, where one of baseball's all-time greats got his start. James Raleigh Mackey, known as 'Biz', wasn't just a catcher; he was a legend in the Negro Leagues. He was…
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Reeves, Constance Douglas [Connie]
· 18.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through the Texas Hill Country right now, maybe not far from where Connie Douglas Reeves spent her life teaching thousands of girls to ride. Born in Eagle Pass in 1901, Connie developed a love for horses…
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Schwartz, Sam
· 18.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Eagle Pass, Texas, a town that owes a lot to Sam Schwartz. He arrived in 1910, looking to start a business. Finding no available buildings, he bought an old pool hall and turned it into the…
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Rodriguez, José Policarpio
· 18.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through the heart of Texas, and right here, you're passing through the territory of a legendary frontiersman: José Policarpio Rodriguez, known as 'Polly.' Born in Mexico in 1829, Polly's family moved to…
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Eagle Pass, TX
· 18.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Eagle Pass, a town born on the volatile Texas-Mexico border. It started as a military observation post during the Mexican War, named El Paso del Águila, or the Eagle's Crossing, for the birds…
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Fort Duncan
· 18.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving past Eagle Pass, right on the Rio Grande. This is the site of Fort Duncan, established way back in 1849. It was named for James Duncan, a hero of the Mexican War. This fort wasn't just about defending the…
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Garcia, Santiago [Jimmy]
· 18.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving near Eagle Pass, the birthplace of Santiago "Jimmy" Garcia. In 1990, at just sixteen years old, Jimmy formed a family band that would become the renowned Los Garcia Brothers. They blended electrifying…
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Maverick County Irrigation Canal
· 18.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Maverick County, and right here, the story of making this arid land bloom is tied to a massive irrigation project. Back in 1885, Scottish rancher Patrick Thomson envisioned a huge gravity-flow…
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Paso del Aguila
· 18.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Maverick County, and right here is the site of Paso del Águila, the Pass of the Eagle. Its name comes from the eagles that used to nest along the Río Escondido. But this place is more than just a…
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Riskind, Michael
· 18.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Eagle Pass, a town that owes much of its early success to a merchant named Michael Riskind. He arrived here in 1910 with just twenty-seven dollars and a small suitcase of goods. Riskind was…
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Shelby Expedition
· 18.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Texas, but imagine you're back in 1865. The Civil War is over, but General Jo Shelby refused to surrender. Instead, he led a few hundred of his loyal Confederate soldiers from Corsicana, right…
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Sumpter, Jesse
· 18.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Maverick County, maybe near Eagle Pass. Right here, in the mid-1800s, Jesse Sumpter arrived as a young soldier in the Mexican War. After his service, he decided to stay, settling in what was then…
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Fuentes, Rumel López
· 18.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through South Texas, maybe near Eagle Pass, where Rumel López Fuentes was born. He grew up hearing his father's corridos, but initially thought they were 'low class.' As he matured, Fuentes embraced the…
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Garza, Juan de la
· 18.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through South Texas, not far from the Rio Grande. Back in the 1660s, this was the wild frontier. Sergeant Major Juan de la Garza led a major expedition north from Monterrey, seeking captives for the…
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Guadalupe García, José de
· 18.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Maverick County, near Eagle Pass, where José de Guadalupe García lived. Born in Mexico in 1836, García moved to Texas in 1860. He fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War, even becoming a…
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Fuller, Frances Elizabeth Fallon
· 18.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving near Eagle Pass, Texas, where Frances Elizabeth Fallon Fuller began her career in education. Born in New York City in 1918, Fuller had a varied career before coming to Texas, serving in the Women's Army…
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Manos Prietas Indians
· 18.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving near Eagle Pass, right on the border. Back in the late 1600s, this area was home to the Manos Prietas, or 'Black Hands' people. They may have been pushed north from Mexico by Spanish settlements. In…
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Saesse Indians
· 18.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through South Texas, near the Rio Grande, an area that was once home to the Saesse people. First recorded in 1674, these Native Americans were hunters and gatherers, ranging from Mexico's mountains to the…
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Later known as Camp Eagle Pass
· 18.3 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of Fort Duncan, established way back on March 27, 1849, by Captain S. Burbank. It was built to protect vital western communication routes and was garrisoned by federal troops for over a…
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Fort Duncan
· 18.3 mi · Historical Marker
Established by Captain S. Burbank, First U. S. Infantry, March 27, 1849 as a protection to Western communication. Garrisoned by federal troops until March 20, 1861 and since 1868. Now known as Camp Eagle Pass. Erected…
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Fort Duncan
· 18.4 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Imagine this: you're one of the first U.S. settlers on the Rio Grande, and your safety hinges on the soldiers stationed right here. That's what Fort Duncan was all about. Established in 1849, Fort Duncan served as a…
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Where the Seminole-Negro Scouts were organized
· 18.4 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of Fort Duncan, established in 1849 as a frontier outpost guarding emigrant trails and fighting Lipan Apache. It was regarrisoned multiple times, notably in 1860 to counter Juan N. Cortina's…
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Fort Duncan
· 18.4 mi · Historical Marker
Established March 27, 1849, by Capt. Sidney Burbank with Companies A, B, and F, First U.S. Infantry. Name honors Col. James Duncan, a hero of the Mexican War. Fort served as a frontier outpost near trail of California…
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Fort Duncan Infantry Barracks
· 18.4 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Fort Duncan Infantry Barracks. Built about 1868, soon after the U.S. Army's post-Civil War reoccupation of Fort Duncan, this building played a part in aviation history when the first military…
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The Lee Building
· 18.4 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the Lee Building, built before 1875 as a place for ordnance sergeants. It was leased in 1948 by the Maverick County Historical Society and restored. Dedicated in 1949 during Eagle Pass's Centennial,…
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The Kickapoo's Long Journey Home
· 18.9 mi
Just south of Eagle Pass is a community with one of the most incredible survival stories in North America: the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas. Their journey here took centuries. Originally from the Great Lakes…
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Fort Duncan's Long Watch
· 18.9 mi
If you head over to Fort Duncan Park, you're walking on ground that has stood watch for over 170 years. The U.S. Army founded the fort in 1849 to guard the main road from the Texas coast into Mexico. Its stone…
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The Lost Coal Mines of the Rio Grande
· 18.9 mi
When you think of Texas industry, you probably think of oil and cattle. But here in Eagle Pass, for about 50 years, the big story was coal. In the 1880s, significant deposits of coal were discovered along the Rio Grande…
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Engineering an Oasis: The Maverick Canal
· 18.9 mi
As you look at the landscape around Eagle Pass, you might see farms and fields that seem surprisingly green for South Texas. You can thank a Scottish-born rancher named Patrick W. Thomson, who as early as 1885 looked at…