The "Chaparral"
Rocksprings, Edwards County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Built about 1895 by J.P. Taylor, from England. Then on the Fort McKavett - Fort Clark Road. In 1907 E.E. and Mary Sproul Morriss, early settlers, bought Taylor's acreage and patented more land. Ranch became social center. "Chaparral" refers to roadrunners and Dwarf Oaks, both numerous here. (1969)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Built about 1895 by J.P. Taylor, an Englishman, this ranch house stood along the old Fort McKavett–Fort Clark Road when the country was still open range. In 1907 early settlers E.E. and Mary Sproul Morriss bought Taylor's acreage, patented more land, and turned the place into a social center for the region. Its name, "Chaparral," nods to the roadrunners and dwarf oaks that thrived across the surrounding brush country.
Why it matters
It reflects the ranching culture and immigrant settlers who transformed the West Texas frontier at the turn of the twentieth century.
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Related people
- · J.P. Taylor
- · E.E. Morriss
- · Mary Sproul Morriss
Themes & tags
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