History of Palo Duro CanyonHistory of Palo Duro Canyon

By Bernice BlasingameBy Bernice BlasingamePalo Duro Canyon State ParkPalo Duro Canyon State Park

Education Director/Park InterpreterEducation Director/Park Interpreter

Geology of Palo Duro CanyonGeology of Palo Duro Canyon

LocationLocation

FormationFormation

LayersLayers

LocationLocation

Palo Duro Canyon is Palo Duro Canyon is located in Armstrong located in Armstrong and Randall counties; and Randall counties; 12 miles east of 12 miles east of Canyon in the Texas Canyon in the Texas Panhandle.Panhandle.

FormationFormation

Formed by water and Formed by water and wind erosionwind erosion

Prairie Dog Town Fork of Prairie Dog Town Fork of Red River flows through Red River flows through the canyonthe canyon

Floor of Palo Duro Floor of Palo Duro Canyon same age as rim Canyon same age as rim of the Grand Canyon of the Grand Canyon

LayersLayers4 geologic layers4 geologic layersQuartermaster—oldest layer(250 Quartermaster—oldest layer(250 million years) at bottom; red in million years) at bottom; red in color with bands of satin spar color with bands of satin spar gypsum and claystone running gypsum and claystone running through itthrough itTecovas— ”Spanish Skirts”, (200 Tecovas— ”Spanish Skirts”, (200 million years) contains lavender million years) contains lavender and gold colorsand gold colorsTrujillo-contains massive Trujillo-contains massive sandstone and mudstone; “layered sandstone and mudstone; “layered boulders” (181 million years)boulders” (181 million years)Ogallala-top layer containing water Ogallala-top layer containing water table of high plains; contains table of high plains; contains caliche; (2-10 million years) 20-40 caliche; (2-10 million years) 20-40 feet thick but can be as much as feet thick but can be as much as 700 feet thick in other places700 feet thick in other places

History of ManHistory of Man

Native American Native American CulturesCultures– Paleoindian Paleoindian – MesoindianMesoindian– NeoindianNeoindian– HistoricHistoric

Paleoindian StagePaleoindian Stage

Included both Clovis and Included both Clovis and Folsom culturesFolsom culturesClovis people hunted Clovis people hunted mammoths with large mammoths with large fluted pointsfluted pointsFolsom hunted giant Folsom hunted giant bison with small fluted bison with small fluted pointspointsBoth groups thoroughly Both groups thoroughly familiar with Palo Duro familiar with Palo Duro Canyon as evidenced by Canyon as evidenced by artifacts foundartifacts found

Mesoindian StageMesoindian Stage

Used atlatl (spear Used atlatl (spear thrower) for huntingthrower) for huntingMoved in small Moved in small groups of foragers groups of foragers and exploited and exploited seasonally-changing seasonally-changing plant and animal plant and animal resourcesresourcesRock art found in Rock art found in canyon suspected to canyon suspected to be from this erabe from this era

Neoindian StageNeoindian Stage

Hunters and gatherers Hunters and gatherers who became increasingly who became increasingly dependent on gardeningdependent on gardening

Small temporary camps Small temporary camps gradually replaced by gradually replaced by large permanent villageslarge permanent villages

Tended to bury dead in Tended to bury dead in crevices of canyon walls crevices of canyon walls or rock sheltersor rock shelters

Historic StageHistoric StageBegan with Coronado Began with Coronado expedition in 1541; ended expedition in 1541; ended with MacKenzie campaign in with MacKenzie campaign in 18741874Region dominated by Region dominated by Apache until about 1700 Apache until about 1700 when replaced by the when replaced by the Comanche who forced Comanche who forced Apache southwardApache southwardDescribed as large bands of Described as large bands of bison-hunting foot-nomadsbison-hunting foot-nomadsUsed large dogs to transport Used large dogs to transport few possessions from camp few possessions from camp to campto campLater became more warlike Later became more warlike horse-nomadshorse-nomads

Historic Stage continuedHistoric Stage continuedComanches entered Comanches entered

panhandle and pushed panhandle and pushed Apaches out of plains Apaches out of plains and Palo Duro Canyonand Palo Duro Canyon

Became superb Became superb horsemen; dominated horsemen; dominated region for more than region for more than 150 years150 years

Culture based on Culture based on hunting bison and hunting bison and raiding for horses and raiding for horses and captivescaptives

Comanche CultureComanche Culture

ComanchesComanches

Uses of BisonUses of Bison

Battle of Palo Duro CanyonBattle of Palo Duro Canyon

Colonel Ranald Colonel Ranald MacKenzieMacKenzie

Kiowa Chief Lone Kiowa Chief Lone Wolf (one of 5 chiefs Wolf (one of 5 chiefs at battle and last of at battle and last of Kiowas to turn Kiowas to turn himself and band in himself and band in to Fort Sill in to Fort Sill in February 1875)February 1875)

Battle of Palo Duro CanyonBattle of Palo Duro CanyonWith the help of Tonkawa With the help of Tonkawa scouts, Colonel MacKenzie and scouts, Colonel MacKenzie and troops descended the canyon troops descended the canyon on foot leading their horses on foot leading their horses down a steep and narrow down a steep and narrow path. The Indians were totally path. The Indians were totally surprised and fled leaving surprised and fled leaving nearly everything behind. nearly everything behind. They put up a brave fight but They put up a brave fight but could not overcome the odds. could not overcome the odds. Their horse herd was captured Their horse herd was captured and later destroyed. The and later destroyed. The soldiers also destroyed lodges soldiers also destroyed lodges and food supplies. This left and food supplies. This left Indians without shelter or Indians without shelter or food. They eventually had to food. They eventually had to return to the reservation or return to the reservation or face starvation during the face starvation during the winter.winter.

Ranching EraRanching Era

Charles Goodnight Charles Goodnight entered canyon to entered canyon to begin JA Ranch, 1874begin JA Ranch, 1874

Removed bison from Removed bison from canyoncanyon

Mary Ann Goodnight Mary Ann Goodnight saved bison calvessaved bison calves

Civilian Conservation CorpsCivilian Conservation Corps

CCC began work on Palo CCC began work on Palo Duro Canyon in 1930’sDuro Canyon in 1930’s

Built road, cabins and Built road, cabins and trailstrails

Made up of unemployed Made up of unemployed young men, many with no young men, many with no skillsskills

Park opened July 4, 1934Park opened July 4, 1934

CCCCCC

Plants of Palo Duro CanyonPlants of Palo Duro Canyon

Wildlife of Palo Duro CanyonWildlife of Palo Duro Canyon

The EndThe End