The Texas Historian, Volume 33, Number 4, March 1973 Page: 8
32 p. : ill. ; 25 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
*ILB"V .~
a~; .~ .e
I"cCuP~cl
~ ,p i ~-..
~~~PP17, *Y4 iX~B~ ~: ~2 .l ~ j
5~F ~ b~r*. ) ;E~i c"Afrom Eagle Pass. They traveled to La Jitas to
check on some imported cattle. W. D. Smithers
of Alpine, who operated a photography serv-
ice along the Rio Grande, purchased a Dodge
Roadster in 1919.
With increased travel over greater distances,
the automobile made narrow trails totally in-
adequate and forced the adoption of cement
concrete highways. By 1917 Texas had a state
Highway Department and road construction
started. The portion of Highway 90 from
Marfa to Van Horn was completed in 1938,
which also completed the border route from
San Antonio to El Paso.
The airplane was the most dramatic scheme
devised for transportation. Although aviation
had made a name for itself in World War I,
flying was still in its infancy with scant knowl-
edge and primitive equipment. When the
Border Air Patrol was organized in 1919,
DH-4 bombing planes were used and bases
were established at Marfa and Sanderson. The
landing field was a small somewhat level piece
of rough ground spotted with small hummocks
of sand and brush.
Two ranchers owned the first private air-
craft in the Big Bend area. Roy Cleveland
purchased a plane in 1935, and Bill Allisonbought a high-wing Fairchild with a Warner
engine in 1940. Allison was also the first
rancher to put a landing strip on his ranch.
On December 7, 1942, one year after Pearl
Harbor, an Army Air Force Base was estab-
lished seven miles east of Marfa. The altitude,
climatic conditions, and advantage of the
Southern Pacific transportation facilities, as
well as transcontinental U.S. Highway 90,
made the location of the Air Force Training
School ideal.
Today there are approximately fifty air-
planes in the area. The Border Patrol main-
tains two airplanes in Marfa and the four pi-
lots log an average of about 136 hours a
month. The rest of the planes are privately
owned and are used for ranch work, transpor-
tation, and charter flights.
The countryside continues to exist as na-
ture planned. Its magnificent grandeur re-
mains unspoiled by modern civilization. In
parts of this frontierland of rugged beauty,
Two early-day Ramblers and J. A. Pool's
White Steamer (center) await tuneups in
Dave Wease's Marfa garage.
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas State Historical Association. The Texas Historian, Volume 33, Number 4, March 1973, periodical, March 1973; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth391379/m1/10/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.