On Independence Creek: The Story of a Texas Ranch

"Enjoyable anecdotes about ranch life, fishing and hunting, and the nostalgia of growing up during the 1940s and 1950s. . . . Charlena Chandler has produced an enjoyable book that takes us back to the fondly remembered mid-century in small-town West Texas."―Southwestern Historical Quarterly “Charlena Chandler’s work is about the dreams and hard work of her grandfather, Charles Chandler, the vision and tenacity of her father, Joe Chandler, and the ebb and flow of life along Independence Creek. . . . You might not know the characters in the book, but if you have ties to West Texas, you’ve known people like them. Chandler’s book is full of West Texas colloquialisms and wit, but also a twinge of regret for the changes that time brings.” ―Scott Turner, Desert-Mountain Times Deep in southwest Texas a creek pours into the Pecos River. It is that river’s largest freshwater tributary. Charlena Chandler’s grandfather, Charles Chandler, settled near the mouth of Independence Creek in 1900 and ranched there for many years. Her father, Joe Chandler, saw even more potential for the green valley. Over the years he built one of the most popular recreation areas in southwest Texas. For forty years it was the only such area on the Pecos River in Texas. Charlena Chandler goes beyond the history of the ranch to tell a more personal story. She recounts the experiences of her grandparents and parents, and recalls her own childhood on the ranch. She tells of the good times, such as sleeping on her grandfather’s porch under starry night skies, fishing and swimming in the creek, and deer hunting, as well as the bad―life during the Depression, family strife, and the time the creek flooded, destroying the camp.

Charlena Chandler is a retired district librarian and teacher of high school English and journalism. She lives in Dryden, Texas.