Hosting a bit of history

Two birder brothers (Philip & Robert Graham) visited the oasis today, bringing their 89 year old father, Norman, with them. Norman was the grandson of one of the owners of  the Graham-Daniels Ranch. Joe M Graham and Ed Daniels sold their two sections of land in the region of Boquillas Canyon to the park because their cattle ranching and alfalfa growing venture was unsuccessful and they were unable to make the payments on their bank notes of $4500. In 1938, they offered the land to the park, via their friend Everett Townsend, for the amount of their note.

Joe M Graham (photo from BBNP website)

Robert and Philip standing with me and Norman seated

Although the sale happened when Norman was only four years old, his family remained in the Big Bend area for a time. He remembers going to school in a one room school house in Marathon. When Norman was eight, his father (William) died and he lived with family and relatives near and far, including California. One of his birder sons currently lives in Africa, where he works with orphans. I'm pleased that they got many lifers at the oasis.

                                   

Today all birders to the area know the place as Rio Grande Village and Daniel's Ranch. It's a birding hotspot. Kinda like the oasis. LOL 

I love all aspects of the Big Bend, including its history. Years ago an article I wrote was published by the Center of Big Bend Studies on the history of Terlingua Ranch. And I maintain an extensive family tree on Ancestry.com.

Here are a few of the photos I snapped today while watering trees; Bell's Vireo, Brewer's Sparrows, and Townsend's Solitaire. The latter enjoyed some mulberries it found on a little volunteer mulberry tree. Seems in no hurry to get to its breeding grounds in Canada and Alaska.