The Narrows
Benjamin, Knox County, Texas
Marker Inscription
This crest separates the drainage basins of the Wichita River, whose waters flow into the Mississippi, and the Brazos River, which winds through Texas to the Gulf of Mexico. Known as good hunting grounds because of buffalo grass, fresh springs and herds of mustangs from which to get mounts, The Narrows were crossed by the Comanche, Wichita, Kiowa, Apache, Seminole and Tonkawa Indians. Evidences of battles and camps are still being found. Later, settlers used the well-worn paths. Today its canyons and ravines are used for ranching. (1965)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
This ridge is a continental divide, separating waters that flow to the Wichita and on to the Mississippi from those that feed the Brazos toward the Gulf. Rich in buffalo grass, springs, and wild mustangs, "The Narrows" was prized hunting country crossed by the Comanche, Wichita, Kiowa, Apache, Seminole, and Tonkawa, whose camps and battle sites are still found here. Later settlers followed the same worn paths, and today its canyons serve the ranches around them.
Why it matters
The Narrows was a natural crossroads where many Native nations converged long before ranchers arrived, a reminder that the trails of the West were mapped by Indigenous travelers first.
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Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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