Espantosa Lake
Carrizo Springs, Dimmit County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Most famous camping ground on Presidio Road. Earliest route between Texas and Coahuila. Many legends center about the lake. Here in 1876 Texas Rangers killed a band of desperadoes.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Long before highways crossed this brushy corner of South Texas, travelers on the old Presidio Road paused at Espantosa Lake, a reliable watering and camping spot on the earliest route linking Texas with the Mexican state of Coahuila. Generations of teamsters, soldiers, and traders knew the lake, and its lonely reputation gathered a thick crust of legend. In 1876 the spot saw real violence when Texas Rangers cornered and killed a band of outlaws here.
Why it matters
The lake marks one of the oldest overland connections between Texas and Mexico, a reminder of how borderland travel and frontier lawlessness shaped the settling of the Southwest.
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Related events
- · 1876 Texas Rangers gunfight with outlaws
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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