Comanche. The Quanah Parker Trail Giant Arrow installation, by artist Charles A. Smith, gives travelers extra morsels of notable history along the way. The 22-foot-tall steel arrows denote sites of Comanche hunting, trading, fi ghting and living. Additionally, the county seat of Har-
deman County is named in his honor, and the Hutchison County Historical Museum in Borger features informa- tion on Quanah and the Second Bat le of Adobe Walls. There are other ways to enjoy Native
American culture, including watching ceremonial dances performed through- out the year at The Kwahadi Museum of the American Indian in Amarillo, or view Native American pictographs on the limestone cliff s along the Concho River via Paint Rock excursions. Evidence of Native Americans also
can be found at the Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument, the only National Monument in Texas and the most impressive site with traces of pre- historic inhabitant lives—their camp- sites and workshops. The site is only accessible with a ranger guide. Just as fl int was valuable for making
San Angelo FORT CONCHO
June, the performance chronicles the lives of Native Americans, soldiers and the set lers coming west with herds of longhorn. Incidentally, long- horn from the offi cial herd at Fort Griffi n State Historic Site, make cameo appearances in the production. Frontier Texas! in Abilene off ers a
high-tech glimpse of frontier life from 1780 to 1880. Holographic guides share information about Abilene, the Texas Forts Trail and the 63-county Texas Plains region. Quanah Parker leſt an indelible
mark on the Panhandle Plains. The last great chief of the Comanche tribe, he was the son of Comanche Chief Peta Nocona and Cynthia Ann Parker, an American who was kid- napped by Comanches at age 9 and assimilated into the Comanche way of life. Quanah is honored in many ways, most notably through the Quanah Parker Trail. The Texas Plains Trail Region’s public art project commem- orates Quanah and the history of the
PHOTO: J. GRIFFIS SMITH/TXDOT
tools, the wind has been a tool, too, and the American Windpower Center in Lubbock is an impressive showcase for harvesting the wind. It is the world’s largest collection of American-style water-pumping windmills. The Cen- ter continues to serve not only as an ex- hibit but also as an educational facility. An incredible place to visit is Lub-
bock Lake Landmark, where the public can watch archeological digs in prog- ress. The site, a 336-acre federally pro- tected area, is on the National Register of Historic Places and is a National His- toric Landmark and State Archeologi- cal Landmark. Many other museums across the
Panhandle highlight facets of this re- gion’s story, so explore and discover the region’s heritage at sites such as The National Ranching Heritage Center, American Museum of Agriculture in Lubbock, the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum in Amarillo, Boot Hill Cemetery at Boys Ranch,
historic trails
Texas Plains Trail The Panhandle Plains are rich in history
from the infl uence of Comanche Chief Quanah Parker to the famed Route 66 that cuts through the region. Visitors can stop by the sites in Texas Historical Commission’s PLAINS TRAIL REGION to get a vast sampling of its true character. Sites include the Alibates Flint Quarries
National Monument, American Quarter Horse Museum, Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Caprock Canyons State Park and Trailway, American Wind Power Center, Charles Goodnight Historical Center, Cadillac Ranch art installation, Devil’s Rope and Texas Route 66 Museum, Don Harrington Discovery Center and Space Theater, Kwahadi Kiva Indian Museum and Theater, National Ranching Heritage Center, TEXAS Outdoor Musical Drama and the XIT Museum.
www.texasplainstrail.com
Texas Forts Trail A portion of the Texas Historical Commis-
sion’s FORTS TRAIL REGION runs through the Panhandle Plains showcasing some key protective outposts built by the U.S. Army between 1848 and 1900. Today, visitors can see restored structures, visit museums and, in some cases, witness living history programs.
www.texasfortstrail.com
FORT BELKNAP: Courthouse, commissary, barracks, well and period kitchen.
FORT CONCHO NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK: A historic preservation project, including 23 original structures.
FORT RICHARDSON: Post hospital, offi - cer’s quarters, morgue, commissary, guard house, bakery, ranger-guided tours and the Lost Creek Reservoir State Trailway.
FORT CHADBOURNE: Offi cer’s quarters, root cellar, hospital, Butterfi eld Stage Station and Fort Chadbourne Living History Days in May.
FORT GRIFFIN: Fort structures and living history demonstrations.
For more infor ma tion about cities and attractions in the Panhandle Plains, visit
TravelTex.com. 67
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