Resentment over_El Paso Salt War
Salt Flat, Hudspeth County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Resentment over private control of the salt lakes in this region, often called Guadalupe Lakes, led to the El Paso Salt War 1877 which entailed the loss of many lives and much property. Erected by the State of Texas 1936
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Bitter resentment over private control of the region's salt lakes—long known as the Guadalupe Lakes—boiled over into the El Paso Salt War of 1877. The dispute over who could gather this essential mineral cost many lives and much property in far West Texas. The state erected this marker in 1936 to commemorate the violent episode.
Why it matters
The Salt War exposed the ethnic and economic tensions of the borderlands, where control of a common resource could ignite open conflict.
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Related events
- · El Paso Salt War
Themes & tags
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