Publication: The Journal of Big Bend Studies, Vol. 14
Author: Stephen Carpenter
Date of Publication: 2002
PDF File: st-Carpenter-2002.pdf
URL: https://texasbeyondhistory.net/trans-p/images/st-Carpenter-2002.pdf
Description
In 1863, the San Elizario Salt Road was built with public funds to provide access to seemingly endless salt deposits in relict lakebeds west of the Guadalupe Mountains in West Texas. At that time salt was more than a basic dietary element; the mineral was vital for life and commerce and was widely used as a food preservative, among other purposes. When the road gave horse-drawn carts access to the salt deposits, local factions fell into a violent conflict for control of the critical resource. The struggle, known as the Salt War of 1877, opened deep cultural rifts in the borderlands. Its resolution ushered in broad changes in the cultural landscape.
Although several possible locations of the historic road have been proposed in the literature, the route has never been positively identified. This article presents archeological and archival evidence to locate the San Elizario Salt Road, describe its historical context, and define its significance.