Transactions of the Regional Archeological Symposium for Southeastern New Mexico and Western Texas: 2011 Page: 3
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With this information on what to look for, an imagery search of the Johnson's Station
area revealed earth disturbances, leaving the impression of a building and a corral area. The
building measured 35 X 55 feet and is on a north/south axis. The corral measured 65 X 65 feet.
The Johnson's Station building was said to be a double log cabin with a 10-foot wide dog trot.
One side was used as living quarters and the other as a kitchen area. (Wilbarger) These type
buildings were very common in early Texas. CVAS excavated a building at Fort Chadbourne in
2008 with the same design and nearly the same dimensions. They were the officer's quarters and
the outer foundation boundary measured 51 feet, 8 inches by 33 feet, 4 inches with a 10-foot
wide dog trot in the middle. Each side of that building was divided into two rooms. The larger
of the two contained a fireplace built on the inside of the room. (Riemenschneider) An
important fact to consider the validity of the imagery impression was the structure's orientation.
It should fit with the prevailing winds for the dogtrot area. The prevailing winds in West Texas
are from the southwest. However, since this building is just north of a large stand of trees, the
prevailing wind in this area is more from the west, making this a logical choice for the building
axis. The building would also be facing the corral and trail.
For construction of the log cabin, the area was close to a large stand of Pecan trees that
probably provided the wood for the buildings. For foundation and fireplace stones, large hills of
sandstone and limestone can be found within a mile along the river.
Butterfield Trail and Fort Stockton/El Paso Mail Road
Interpreting the two major trails through the area was as important as the station location itself.
In addition to helping determine the likely location of the station, the trails helped to confirm it
since they had to run right through or past the station location.
There are actually two trails that run along the Middle Concho River. Fort Concho records
4- revealed that a second trail was built by the military to ease the travel on the wagons and shorten
the distances. Soldiers referred to this second trail as either the Fort Stockton Road or the El
Paso Mail Road. Some current topographical maps list this trail as the Butterfield Trail.
However, the Butterfield Trail followed the winding river and the newer trail was very straight
and usually ran about a half mile away from the river. The two come within 300 feet of each
other in the area of the original Johnson's Station. There is a deviation of the newer trail at that
point that actually goes to the station. Up river the trails merged and from that point west it
remains the same trail as the original Butterfield Trail. The newer section of trail actually short
cuts the older Butterfield Trail. This shortcut was constructed and documented by Colonel
Grierson, commander of Fort Concho, in 1872.
Butterfield Stage Period
Adam Rankin Johnson acted as county surveyor and as an agent for the Butterfield
Overland Mail as far west as El Paso and also became a stage driver for the company. Although
he did not purchase the land for Johnson's Station he did purchase several other sections of land
along the Middle Concho River. It was likely Johnson that first chose the location for the mail
station, probably owing to the name Johnson's Station. When the Civil War broke out Johnson3
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Transactions of the Regional Symposium for Southeastern New Mexico and Western Texas: Index to Volumes 1-57 [1965-2024] (Book)
Index to the proceedings of the regional archeological symposium including separate lists by subject, title, author, and volume along with subject categories, a map of regions, and Texas county abbreviations.
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Robertson, Pinky. Transactions of the Regional Archeological Symposium for Southeastern New Mexico and Western Texas: 2011, book, 2012; Midland, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1661492/m1/9/?q=+date%3A1945-1972: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Southwestern Federation of Archaeological Societies.