Mustang Spring
Tarzan, Martin County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Watering place known as early as 1849 when Captain Randolph B. Marcy of the U. S. Army stopped here en route from Fort Smith, Arkansas, to El Paso. Described in 1859 as "Mustang Pond, two miles north of Emigrant's Road". First water west of Big Spring. Erected by the State of Texas 1936
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
This West Texas watering place was already known in 1849, when U.S. Army Captain Randolph B. Marcy paused here while leading emigrants from Fort Smith, Arkansas, toward El Paso. Noted in 1859 as "Mustang Pond" just north of the Emigrant's Road, it was the first reliable water west of Big Spring—a vital marker on the long, dry route west.
Why it matters
Springs like this were lifelines on the overland trails, dictating the paths of soldiers, gold-seekers, and emigrants crossing the arid Southwest during the great westward migration.
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Related people
- · Randolph B. Marcy
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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