User:Asiaticus/sandbox/Comanche Springs

Comanche Springs were a group of historical springs, whose flow was once among the largest in all Texas has been dried up since 1961. The site is along the upper reach of Comanche Creek, in James Rooney Memorial Park and farther upstream within a kilometer of the Main Springs, the lowest spring found on the creek, now in the city of Fort Stockton, in Pecos County, Texas. It is located at an elevation of 2,940 feet / 896 meters.

These springs that flowed from a fault in Comanchean limestone, was the source of Comanche Creek. The reservoir which supplied them was located in the formation known as "Trinity Sand."


 * User:Asiaticus/sandbox/Comanchean The Comanchean is a Stage of the Early Cretaceous Epoch in North America, from 127 to 99.6 Ma.  Its equivalent ICS Stages were the Barremian (130 - 125), Aptian (125 - 112), Albian (112 - 99.6).  The Comanchean was preceeded by the North American Stage of the Coahulian (145.5 - 127) and followed by the Epoch of the Late Cretaceous (99.6 - 65.5), and Cenomanian ICS Stage (99.6 - 93.5).


 * User:Asiaticus/sandbox/Comanche Creek (Pecos River) Pecos Co. TX

Gunnar Brune, TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD REPORT 189, MAJOR AND HISTORICAL SPRINGS OF TEXAS, March, 1975

Gunnar M. Brune, Springs of Texas, Volume 1, Texas A&M University Press, 2002.

History
Long used by Native Americans, Comanche Springs were originally described as 6 large beautiful springs gushing forth to form Comanche Creek by Juan de Mendoza in 1684. Comanche Springs was a watering place on the Comanche Trail, a route for the raids of the Comanche into Northern Mexico in the early [[19th century. By the mid 19th century were up to 13 springs,


 * Site of Comanche Springs, Historical Marker 4757, On Spring Dr. at entrance to Rooney Park, Ft. Stockton, 	Used as a watering place and camping ground by Indians since Pre-Columbian times, the Springs were possibly visited about 1536 by Spaniard Cabeza de Vaca on his wanderings through Texas. The expedition of Juan de Mendoza, with his party of Spaniards and Jumano Indians, camped near the waters in 1684. The six major, gushing springs and the beautiful river they formed resulted from water seeping up through geological faults to the earth's surface. The reservoir which supplied them was located in the formation known as "Trinity Sand." The Springs, among the largest in all Texas, were one of the few good watering places in this arid region. They supplied Indians raiding into Mexico on the nearby Comanche war trail and also gold seekers traveling to California on the southern route, 1849 and later. Butterfield Overland Mail stage stopped here as well, and after 1859 the Springs provided water for Fort Stockton, which was founded both to protect the mail and stop the Comanche raids. The Springs began to be tapped for irrigation as early as 1875, but today irrigation projects to the north and west have reduced the underground water supply so much that the Springs no longer flow.

Spring Dr. at Rooney Park Ft. Stockton, Texas, Pecos County. Year Erected: 1966, photo of Koehler's Saloon and Store, Latitude & Longitude: 30° 53' 4.71981999984", -102° 52' 33.7413100008"
 * Koehler's Saloon and Store Built 1870's of field stone. Herman Koehler in 1884 opened saloon at one end, general store and bank at other. Later second story was added. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark 2971, 1966.


 * Courthouse, Jail And Zero Stone Courthouse and jail. Built 1883 of native sandstone. Nearby Zero Stone place in 1859 as first reference point of local surveys. Recorded Texas Historical Landmark, 1966, James St. between Main and Nelson St. Ft. Stockton, Texas, Pecos County. Year Erected: 1966 , Latitude & Longitude: 30° 53' 4.71981999984", -102° 52' 33.7413100008"

Latitude & Longitude: 30° 53' 6.75008999988", -102° 52' 28.8393399984"
 * Young's Store  F. W. Young Store and home. Built 1876 by this former post sutler at ford over Comanche Creek. Had wagon yard, corrals in rear. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark 5930, 1966.  Callaghan and Spring Dr. Ft. Stockton, Texas, Pecos County, Year Erected: 1966. Marker Type: Medallion & Plate

Agua Ancha Spring, Ahuach Spring, San Juan Del Rio Spring,

Almost half of the thirteen Commanche Springs are found along upper Comanche Creek within James Rooney Memorial Park, the remainder farther upstream within a kilometer of the Main Springs. The largest and the one farthest down stream is Main Springs at 30.88611°N, -102.87472°W north northeast of the swimming pool in Rooney Park. Two other larger springs are found next upstream, one on the north bank near the historic Koehler's Store on Spring Street, the other south of it on the south bank. Between the Main and Koehler Springs are three minor springs on the south bank. The forth large spring was on the creek southwest of Young's Store on of where Spring Street crosses the creek. A fifth large spring was south of the fourth spring on the creek,with a small spring between them. To the west of the fifth large spring, just east of main street and the Old Pecos County Jail was a small spring Ojito del Jerife, or Jailhouse Spring at 30.88167°N, -102.87889°W. Below the last large spring are three more minor springs, Ojito del Moore, Ojito Hazeltine and the last south of Gonzales Street was Head Spring. Head Spring was the camping site for wagon trains that could not cross the creek below the springs.

various pages

Handbook of Texas Online, Glenn Justice, "Comanche Springs," accessed August 21, 2016,

On July 13, 1857, Edward Fitzgerald Beale described it:
 * "We breakfasted and remained at the [Escondido] spring until noon, when we left for Comanche spring, and travelled over a very fine and level road for eighteen miles. Encamped at Comanche springs, where there was running water about five feet deep, but no timber. We caught some very fine fish. Here the great Comanche trail, on their inroads to Mexico on horse stealing excursions, passes, and thousands of stolen horses have been carried by this road to the Indian country."