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A Tour of
Big Bend National Park
       By Campers:
       Cheryl LeJune
      Sharon Samson
Basic Information
• Encompasses more than 800,000 acres
• Southern border with Mexico, 118 miles of Rio
  Grande River
• Archeological artifacts from 10,000 years ago
• Exceptional diversity in animal and plant life
• Altitude from 1,800 ft along river to 7,800 in Chisos
  Mountains
• Located in Brewster County – 6,204 sq miles and
  population of 13,000 people
• 300,000 visitors per year
• Established as national park in 1944
Location
Ecosystems
• Three distinct ecosystems
  – River
  – Desert
  – Mountain

• Nature - species
  –   450 birds
  –   75 mammals
  –   3600 insects
  –   1500 plants
A Little History…
• Inhabited in Paleo-Indian period from over 10,000
  years ago
  – Including Native American groups such as Chisos,
    Mescalero Apache and Comanche
• Later Spanish, Mexican and American settlers
  farmed, ranched and mined in the area
• 1850s - establishment of military outposts
• 1880s - cattle ranchers using free range ranching
  – Abundant natural grasses, adequate water, cheap land
A Little More History…
• Early 1900s – ranchers allowed cattle, sheep and goat
  herds to grow too large and overgrazed the land
    – Led to erosion and changed the desert plant communities
• Unique location with border of Mexico
    – Mexican Revolution spilled over border from 1915 to 1920
    – Border neighbors cooperated in order to survive
•   1910 – Hot Springs Resort establish
•   1930s-1940s – CCC built roads, cottages and trails
•   1940s – Texas turned state park over to NPS
•   1976 – Recognized by UN as International Biosphere
Hallie Stillwell
             1897-1997
Teacher
Rancher
Mother
Justice of the Peace
Newspaper columnist
Owner of general store and RV park




  Autobiographies
  •   I’ll Gather My Geese
  •   My Goose is Cooked
A Walk (or Drive) Through Park
Please Enter
2010 Big Bend Presentation

More Related Content

2010 Big Bend Presentation

  • 1. A Tour of Big Bend National Park By Campers: Cheryl LeJune Sharon Samson
  • 2. Basic Information • Encompasses more than 800,000 acres • Southern border with Mexico, 118 miles of Rio Grande River • Archeological artifacts from 10,000 years ago • Exceptional diversity in animal and plant life • Altitude from 1,800 ft along river to 7,800 in Chisos Mountains • Located in Brewster County – 6,204 sq miles and population of 13,000 people • 300,000 visitors per year • Established as national park in 1944
  • 4. Ecosystems • Three distinct ecosystems – River – Desert – Mountain • Nature - species – 450 birds – 75 mammals – 3600 insects – 1500 plants
  • 5. A Little History… • Inhabited in Paleo-Indian period from over 10,000 years ago – Including Native American groups such as Chisos, Mescalero Apache and Comanche • Later Spanish, Mexican and American settlers farmed, ranched and mined in the area • 1850s - establishment of military outposts • 1880s - cattle ranchers using free range ranching – Abundant natural grasses, adequate water, cheap land
  • 6. A Little More History… • Early 1900s – ranchers allowed cattle, sheep and goat herds to grow too large and overgrazed the land – Led to erosion and changed the desert plant communities • Unique location with border of Mexico – Mexican Revolution spilled over border from 1915 to 1920 – Border neighbors cooperated in order to survive • 1910 – Hot Springs Resort establish • 1930s-1940s – CCC built roads, cottages and trails • 1940s – Texas turned state park over to NPS • 1976 – Recognized by UN as International Biosphere
  • 7. Hallie Stillwell 1897-1997 Teacher Rancher Mother Justice of the Peace Newspaper columnist Owner of general store and RV park Autobiographies • I’ll Gather My Geese • My Goose is Cooked
  • 8. A Walk (or Drive) Through Park