Marfa (Images of America: Texas) - Softcover

O'Connor, Louise S.; Thompson Ph.D., Cecilia

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0738558559 ISBN 13: 9780738558554

Publisher: Arcadia Publishing, 2009

Synopsis

In the rugged High Chihuahua Desert of West Texas, Marfa lies in the northeast corner of Presidio County, 60 miles from the Mexico border. Originally established as a water stop for the Galveston, Harrisburg, and San Antonio Railroad in 1883, it soon became the county seat and heart of a thriving commercial center built around ranching. Marfa's Fort D. A. Russell, first known as Camp Albert and later Camp Marfa, has been home to numerous military units from the early 1900s through the end of World War II. This military presence, combined with the development of the famous Highland Hereford that propelled local cattle ranching to a nationally recognized level, provided the economic and social base for the community well into the 1950s. Marfa's proximity to Mexico contributes tremendously to a remarkable blend of cultures, and today the once remote frontier town has established itself as a sophisticated arts and cultural mecca.

About this title

About the Author

Historians Cecilia Thompson and Louise S. O'Connor trace Marfa's colorful history from its founding through its current, unique status as a world-renowned art community. The authors have used images generously loaned by private families, the Marfa and Presidio County Museum, and Marfa Public Library archives, among others.

Edition details

• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
• Publication date: 2009
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0738558559
• ISBN 13: 9780738558554
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 128