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We used to go out to Castle Gap when it was unspoiled, somewhat, the old stage coach station house ruins were there. The road came in from the east to the station and through the gaps. Your imagination could run wild. We picked up petrified shells of sea creatures. You could tell when the Permain Sea waters came to the top of the hills. You could imagine the stage coaches, wagons and cattle coming through the gap and going on down to Horsehead Crossing a few miles away on the Pecos River. I understand that the Butterfield Trail and the Goodnight-Loving Trail came through - I can go today where the stage station sat and where the horse corrals were located. However, there is not one piece of stone left there. How sad! Some real fine folks from Upton County built a park up there with barbecue pits, etc. We used to pull a trailer up there and spend the night. There was a clear, beautiful and inspiring view of the night sky. So what happened? The county could not keep it in repair. Vandals tore up everything and I do mean everything. How sad again! Cliff Newland dug all over the gap for years and used metal detectors looking for buried Spanish wagon loads of gold and treasures. Some folks from Lubbock using earth movers, bulldozers and draglines, they spent $25, 000 in a futile attempt to find the treasure. Virginia had an uncle who came from Washington state to "witch" the gold. The "witch" told him it was a few miles west of the gap. My son, Mike and Calvin (Bud) Smith ran a windlass for him as he dug 22 feet. He gave up, but he took samples from the hole, when they were assayed they showed gold content with very little concentration. Leonard Hernandez worked out there on a ranch. He told me he thought the gold was in an old dried up spring. Someday I might dig it up. |