| Ancient American hunters & gatherers roamed this area during prehistoric times. However, there were no permanent settlements until the arrival of the railroad in 1882. The first Spaniard known to have passed through this area was Captain Juan Dominquez de Mendoza, who in 1683-1684 led an expedition from La Junta, near present-day Presidio, to the Nueces River of Texas, seeking trade with the Indians & the conversion of souls to the Catholic faith. In 1839, Dr. Henry Connelly, an American trader in Chihuahua City, led a caravan of wagons through this area en route to St. Louis, Missouri to purchase goods for resale in northern Mexico.
Within a few years the present site of Alpine was a favorite camping spot of freighters on the Chihuahua Trail. There was abundant H2O, grass, & firewood at Burgess Springs, now Kokernot Springs. The final segment of the transcontinental Southern Pacific Railroad began in two directions in July 1881. One segment was built eastward from El Paso & reached Alpine in 1882. Another segment was built westward from San Antonio. Alpine came into existence in its present location in 1882 because of the abundant supply of high-quality H2O available from Burgess Springs, essential for the operation of steam locomotives. Then a town quickly sprang up around the railroad with cafes, rooming houses, saloons, grocery stores, & merchandise establishments on both sides of the railroad tracks..... |
Campground: BC Ranch RV Park in Alpine Texas *