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Seminole Canyon State Park and Historic Site

Coordinates: 29°41′00″N 101°19′06″W / 29.68333°N 101.31833°W / 29.68333; -101.31833
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Seminole Canyon State Park and Historic Site
Map showing the location of Seminole Canyon State Park and Historic Site
Map showing the location of Seminole Canyon State Park and Historic Site
Seminole Canyon State Park
Map showing the location of Seminole Canyon State Park and Historic Site
Map showing the location of Seminole Canyon State Park and Historic Site
Seminole Canyon State Park
LocationVal Verde County, USA
Nearest cityComstock, Texas
Coordinates29°41′00″N 101°19′06″W / 29.68333°N 101.31833°W / 29.68333; -101.31833
Area2,172.5 acres (879.2 ha)
Established1980
Visitors27,227 (in 2022)[1]
Governing bodyTexas Parks and Wildlife Department
Seminole Canyon Archeological District
LocationAddress restricted[3]
Area1,334.4 acres (540.0 ha)
Part ofPortions included in Lower Pecos Canyonlands Archeological District (ID100006256)
NRHP reference No.71000967[2]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPJanuary 25, 1971
Designated NHLDCPJanuary 13, 2021
Designated TSHS1974

Seminole Canyon State Park and Historic Site is a state park in the U.S. state of Texas. It is located off U.S. Route 90, east of the Pecos River High Bridge, 9 miles (14 km) west of Comstock in Val Verde County. The park is conducive to camping, biking, bird watching, back packing and archeological study. Cave art and archeological artifacts date back to the earliest human habitation in the area. The park is part of the larger Seminole Canyon Archeological District on the National Register of Historic Places.

History

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Seminole Canyon State Park and Historic Site is a 2,172.5-acre (879.2 ha) site operated by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. It is located off U.S. Route 90 in Val Verde County, and is accessible via Park Road 67.[4] It is adjacent to Amistad National Recreation Area.[5] It is estimated that human habitation of the area began 10,000 years ago, during the Holocene era when mammoth animals would have also inhabited the area. Vegetation is believed to have been a denser and richer variety to support the life of the area. The erosion that happened over the ages can be seen in some of the area rock walls. Indigenous peoples began to leave cave art evidence of their presence some 2,000–8,000 years ago.[6]

Gaspar Castaño de Sosa is believed to have been the first European to arrive in the area, during his 1591 trek up the Rio Grande and along the Pecos River, in his effort to establish Spanish colonization of New Mexico.[7][8] During the 19th century the Black Seminole Scouts of the United States Army were stationed to the area, giving the region its name. The Southern Pacific Railroad built into the area in 1882.[9]

13,344 acres (5,400 ha) of the area was named in 1971 as the Seminole Canyon Archeological District on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Val Verde County, Texas.[10] In 1985, a boundary increase of 14,170 acres (5,730 ha) was added to the listing in the National Register.[11]

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department purchased 2,172.5 acres (879.2 ha) in two phases. 1,500 acres (610 ha) were purchased in 1974, and 700 acres (280 ha) were purchased in 1977. The park opened in 1980.[9]

Indigenous rock paintings

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Panther of the cave

Rock paintings found in the park are of the Pecos River Style. Tours of the Fate Bell Shelter are conducted for the park by volunteers from the non-profit Rock Art Foundation. Rock Art Foundation requests no guns, alcohol or pets be brought on the tours.[12]

Panther Cave can only be viewed either from a distance along a hiking trail, or by boat boarded at the National Park Service dock in Amistad National Recreation Area.[13] The cave derives its name from a painting of a leaping panther. Art in the cave dates back to an estimated 7,000 B.C. The large cat theme figures throughout the art, including humans with cat-ear head adornments[14]

Fate Bell Shelter is named for the one-time owner of the land, Mr. Fayette Bell. First excavated in 1932 and later in 1963, the cave art and indigenous artifacts are believed to be some of the oldest in North America.[13][15] Tours are held Wednesday through Sunday, with limited hours during the hotter weather.

Facilities

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Outside the entrance to the Visitors Center is The Maker of Peace, a 17-foot bronze statue created by Texas artist Bill Worrell in 1994.[16]

Seminole Canyon State Park and nearby Amistad National Recreation Area are conducive to bird watching. Both are habitats for numerous species of canyon, desert, and seed-eating birds.[17]

Nine miles of trails lend to hiking and mountain biking. The canyons and Fate Bell Shelter are only accessible on guided tours.[18]

The park has a restroom with showers. Campsites range from the very primitive with no conveniences, to some campsites with only water or campsites with both water and electricity. There is also a trailer dump station.[9]

Wireless Internet access (Wi-Fi) is available in some areas of this site.[19]

Hours and admission

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Seminole Canyon State Park and Historic Site is open seven days a week. Visitors must pay an entrance fee, and school group tours need to be coordinated in advance.

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  • Honeycomb weathering in the canyon
    Honeycomb weathering in the canyon
  • Pictograph in rock shelter
    Pictograph in rock shelter
  • Pictograph of shape shifting bear with antlers
    Pictograph of shape shifting bear with antlers
  • Arid Land Ribbonsnake swimming in canyon riverbed
    Arid Land Ribbonsnake swimming in canyon riverbed

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Christopher Adams. "What is the most visited state park in Texas? Here's the top 10 countdown". KXAN.com. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
  2. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  3. ^ Federal and state laws and practices restrict general public access to information regarding the specific location of this resource. In some cases, this is to protect archeological sites from vandalism, while in other cases it is restricted at the request of the owner. See: Knoerl, John; Miller, Diane; Shrimpton, Rebecca H. (1990), Guidelines for Restricting Information about Historic and Prehistoric Resources, National Register Bulletin, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, OCLC 20706997.
  4. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2018). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2018 ed.). 1:72,224. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 1773. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  5. ^ "Maps - Amistad National Recreation Area". National Park Service. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  6. ^ Long, Christopher. "Seminole Canyon State Historical Park". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association.
  7. ^ Stone, Bryan Edward (2010). The Chosen Folks Jews on the Frontiers of Texas. University of Texas Press. p. 25. ISBN 978-0-292-72897-4.
  8. ^ Chipman, Donald E. "Gaspar Castaño de Sosa". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved February 8, 2012.
  9. ^ a b c "SC State Park main site". Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Retrieved February 8, 2012.
  10. ^ "NRHP 1971 Seminole Canyon". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved February 8, 2012.
  11. ^ "NRHP Seminole Boundary Increase". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved February 8, 2012.
  12. ^ "Rock Art Foundation calendar". The Rock Art Foundation. Retrieved February 8, 2012.
  13. ^ a b Parent, Laurence (2008). Official Guide to Texas State Parks and Historic Sites: Revised Edition. University of Texas Press. pp. xxxvi, xxxvii. ISBN 978-0-292-71726-8.
  14. ^ Turpin, Solveig A. "Panther Cave". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved February 8, 2012.
  15. ^ Muñoz, Arturo René. "Fate Bell Shelter". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved February 8, 2012.
  16. ^ Long, Christopher. "Seminole Canyon". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved February 8, 2012.
  17. ^ Wauer, Roland H; Wauer, Roland (1998). Birding Texas. FalconGuides. pp. 95, 96, 97. ISBN 978-1-56044-617-0.
  18. ^ Little, Mickey (2005). Hiking and Backpacking Trails of Texas: Walking, Hiking, and Biking Trails for All Ages and Abilities. Taylor Trade Publishing. p. 140. ISBN 978-1-58979-205-0.
  19. ^ "TPWD Wi-Fi Access". Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Retrieved February 8, 2012.
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