DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about Maverick County — and friend, it's a story worth pulling over for. Created on February 2nd, 1856, carved right out of Kinney County, though it wouldn't get itself fully organized until July 13th, 1871. That's a stretch of years just sitting there, waiting to become something official.
But the name — the name had already staked its claim. Maverick County was named for Samuel A. Maverick, born 1803, died 1870.
Texas Revolution veteran. Signer of the Declaration of Independence. Texas Legislator.
A man whose footprint on this state was considerable, and whose name now stretches across a whole county of dairies, farms, and ranchland out here in the southwest corner of Texas. Now, the county centers in an area of dairies, farming, and ranching — honest, working land — but underneath all that quiet industry runs a thread of history so old it'll make your boots feel new. El Camino Real crossed the Rio Grande right near Eagle Pass, the county seat.
The marker calls it hard-travelled, and that's no exaggeration. That road carried Louis St. Denis.
It carried Spanish Missionaries. It carried Moses Austin. And it carried countless troops and settlers, every one of them stepping into the long story of Texas.
Somewhere along the way, Spanish missions rose up here, and their ruins still mark the ground. Military posts stood watch. Fort Duncan — now a military park — housed both U.S. and Confederate troops, which tells you something about how much history one patch of Texas can hold without buckln'.
Maverick County. Named for a revolutionary, built on ancient roads, still out there working the land. Some places earn their name.
This one carries it.
What the marker says
Created Feb. 2, 1856, from Kinney county. Organized July 13, 1871. Named for Texas Revolution veteran, signer of declaration of Independence, Texas Legislator Samuel A. Maverick (1803-1870). The county centers in an area of dairies, farming, ranching. Hard-travelled El Camino Real (path into Texas History for Louis St. Denis, Spanish Missionaries, Moses Austin and countless troops and settlers) crossed the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass, the county seat. Site of Spanish Mission ruins, military posts. Fort Duncan, now a military park, housed both U.S. and confederate troops. (1965)