Marfa & Fort Davis, Texas

3/21/19

Marfa, a little desert town in the vast expanse of far West Texas. The town has an area of 1.6 square miles and is twenty miles from anywhere and anything else. We were rolling along at 60mph on the 75mph highway, slowed to 45mph entering outskirts of town then to 35mph at city limits (all within a half mile). We were welcomed with much fanfare as one of Marfa's seven Police officers pulled us over for speeding. We were informed that we were going 42mph in a 40mph zone. We explained that we did not see the speed limit change (due to blinking). The officer gave us a warning since it was our first time in town and we were visitors. He then gave us some suggestions on where to have lunch :)

There are two famous stores in Marfa: Target and Prada

Target sits a few feet from the railroad tracks and stocks rattlesnakes and other critters.

Prada also sits on the tracks and offers tourists photo opportunities, if they stand in the middle of the highway-drivers beware (no Marfa officers out here ;) )

Fort Davis, 21 miles of cattle ranch land from Marfa, is a quaint little town with little shops, restaurants and a National Historic Site.

The town was very quiet during our late afternoon visit- we suspect that the streets are rolled up shortly after the National Historic Site closes.

Fort Davis is one of the best surviving examples of an India Wars' frontier military post in the South West. The fort along the San Antonio-ElPaso Road served as protection for travelers, mail coaches and freight wagons. The fort was active from 1854-1891 on the east side of the Davis Mountains, seen in the background. the buildings are from the second fort built in 1867 (the Civil war occupation by Confederate then Union troops left the original fort in ruin).

We watched the flag being lowered for the day while taps was played (this was also the signal to those hiking the many site trails to head down from the mountains and from perimeter of site to the visitor center.

Officer Housing with Davis Mountain background

Commissary foundation

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