Terlingua, Texas
Terlingua is what happens when a boomtown runs out of boom and the people who love it refuse to leave. Stone ruins on a desert hillside, a porch with a view, and a sky that goes on forever. It is a natural first or last stop for a Big Bend trip.
How it started
Quicksilver, also called mercury, was discovered in the area in the 1880s, and the Marfa and Mariposa mining camp became known as Terlingua. By 1922, about 40 percent of the quicksilver in the United States came from Terlingua. The post office was established in 1899, and around 1,000 people lived here in 1905, according to the Texas State Historical Association.
The Marfa and Mariposa mine closed in May 1910, and the post office moved about ten miles east to the camp of the Chisos Mining Company. That company filed for bankruptcy on October 1, 1942, and its successor stopped operating at the end of World War II. Howard E. Perry, the mine owner, built a mansion above the west side of the village.
The ghost town today
The old stone buildings are still there to wander. Tourism brought the town back to life in the late 1960s and 1970s. The former company store is now a gift shop, and the former movie theater, the Starlight Theatre, houses a restaurant. By 2000 the community had 267 residents. Check the Starlight’s current details before you go, and arrive early.
The hillside cemetery is worth a quiet visit. It is described as dating to around 1902, with more than 500 graves, mostly mercury miners and victims of the 1918 flu. Walk gently and leave everything as you found it.
The chili connection
The first Terlingua chili cook-off was held on October 21, 1967, when H. Allen Smith faced off against Wick Fowler, and it ended in a tie. Since 1983 two cook-offs have been held on the first weekend in November. The Texas State Historical Association notes the town was named the “Chili Capitol of the World” in 1967.
Look up
Big Bend National Park was designated a Gold Tier International Dark Sky Park on February 6, 2012. The National Park Service says its night sky team measured the Big Bend region as having “the darkest measured skies in the lower 48 states.” Big Bend Ranch State Park is a Dark Sky Park too, per TPWD. Give yourself an evening with nothing planned and just step outside after dark.
Getting there
Terlingua is a long haul from anywhere in Texas. The NPS directions page describes Study Butte, next door to Terlingua, as reached via TX 118 from Alpine or FM 170 from Presidio, and then 26 miles east to park headquarters. From Houston, Austin or San Antonio, check a current map and plan for a full day of driving. Cell service is very spotty in the Big Bend area, so download your directions before you go.
When to go
Big Bend’s busy season runs roughly November through April, and summers are hot. The chili weekend in early November draws a crowd, so confirm dates and lodging well ahead.
One practical tip
Fill the gas tank and carry extra water whenever you leave town. Distances are big out here and services are few.
More about the area from the National Park Service and the Texas State Historical Association.
Keep exploring
Terlingua is the doorway to Big Bend. A few hours north, Marfa makes a great next stop.