The Butterfield Trail Through The Concho Valley and West Texas

West Texas before and after the Civil War saw an explosion of immigrants making their way through the area on their way west. The Butterfield Stage line ran from 1857 to 1861, but the road was used by settlers, cattle drives and trade caravans long after. The West Texas section was so severe they had to construct special wagons driven by hardy, wild mules. Because the trail ran through a dry and unpopulated country the trail trace can still be seen by a trained eye through satellite imagery where no trail can be found on the ground. This 12-year study follows the lost trail, finding long lost stage stations through satellite imagery, historical research and archeological excavations from Fort Chadbourne to the Pecos River to clear up historical gaps in this famous trail.