Castle Gap and the Pecos Frontier (Chisholm Trail Series)

-          Castle Gap, a break in a mesa some 12 miles east of the Pecos River, used by Comanches on the warpath, emigrants seeking California gold and cattlemen driving Longhorns up the Goodnight-Loving Trail;  

-          Horsehead Crossing, the most infamous ford of the Old West, considered the graveyard of hopes by drovers and emigrants alike;

-          Juan Cordona Lake, the cast salt lake where sandstorms and skull-baking sun defied early efforts to mine the salt needed for everyday survival on the frontier;

-          The “bulto” or ghost who wanders the Fort Stockton night in search of peace;

-          Lost Wagon Train, a 40-wagon caravan entombed in the sand of West Texas;

-          Will Sublett, who found a fortune in gold hidden in the Pecos Country and kept the secret of its location even unto death.

In the forward, Texas novelist Elmer Kelton, a lifelong resident of the Pecos River country, recalls the stories and legends he heard as a youngster and comments on the rich mixture of history and folklore they represent.  Dearen’s years of research into these now-aged mysteries and legends included personal visits with many resident and old-timers of the Pecos Frontier.  A complete index lists everybody interviewed and quoted.  In addition, he read yellowing newspapers and dusty court records and walked the country himself, finding the landmarks.  From his search emerges a fascinating picture of an inhospitable land, its heritage and its people.

“Castle Gap and the Pecos Frontier”, is illustrated with maps and both old and new photographs.