Editing Val Verde County, Texas (section)

==History==

=== Early history ===
The first inhabitants of what is now known as Val Verde County lived there some 6,000–10,000 years ago. Their descendants include such Native American peoples as the [[Lipan Apache people|Lipan Apache]], [[Coahuiltecan]], [[Suma-Jumano|Jumano]], Tamaulipan and [[Comanche]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Foster|first=William C|title=Historic Native Peoples of Texas|year=2008|publisher=University of Texas Press|isbn=978-0-292-71793-0|pages=[https://archive.org/details/historicnativepe00fost/page/137 137–168]|author2=Thoms, Alston V|chapter=The Texas Trans-Pecos, Study Area V|chapter-url-access=registration|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/historicnativepe00fost/page/137}}</ref><ref name="Val Verde County">{{cite web|last=Smith|first=Julia Cauble|title=Val Verde County|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcv01|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref>

=== Colonial rule ===
In 1590, Spanish explorer [[Gaspar Castaño de Sosa]] led a mining expedition of 170 who passed through Devils Draw. He referred to a stream by the name of Laxas, which is believed to be Devils River.<ref>{{cite book|last=Tarpley|first=Fred|title=1001 Texas Place Names|url=https://archive.org/details/1001texasplacena0000tarp|url-access=registration|year=1980|publisher=University of Texas Press|isbn=978-0-292-76016-5|page=[https://archive.org/details/1001texasplacena0000tarp/page/61 61]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Devil's Draw|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/rbdbv|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Chipman|first=Donald E|title=Gaspar Castaño de Sosa|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fca87|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref>

In 1673, Juan Larios opened a mission school at a location between Del Rio and Eagle Pass.<ref name="Val Verde County"/><ref name="The Native Americans of the Texas Edwards Plateau, 1582-1799">{{cite book|last=Wade|first=Maria F|title=The Native Americans of the Texas Edwards Plateau, 1582-1799|year=2002|publisher=University of Texas Press|isbn=978-0-292-79156-5|pages=24–54|author2=Wade, Don E |author3=Hester, Thomas R |chapter=The Bosque-Larios Expedition}}</ref>

In 1675, traveling Franciscan priests celebrated Mass at San Felipe Springs.<ref name="Val Verde County"/><ref name="The Native Americans of the Texas Edwards Plateau, 1582-1799"/>

In 1736, Lt. Miguel de la Garza Falcón<ref>{{cite web|last=Garcia|first=Clotilde P|title=Miguel de la Garza Falcón|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fga95|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref> led 100 soldiers along the [[Devils River (Texas)|Devils River]]<ref>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=Julia Cauble|title=Devils River|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/htd12|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref> in pursuit of Apache natives.

During 1834, James Grant<ref>{{cite web|last=Blake|first=Robert Bruce|title=James Grant|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fgr12|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref> and John Charles Beales<ref>{{cite web|last=Estep|first=Raymond|title=John Charles Beales|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fbe03|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref> established a settlement on San Felipe Creek,<ref>{{cite web|title=San Felipe Creek|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/rbs44|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref> which became hazardous due to Indian attacks.

=== Aftermath of Mexican–American War ===
During the 1850s, military bases established to protect against Indian attacks included Camp Blake,<ref>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=Julia Cauble|title=Camp Blake|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/qcc02|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref> Camp Hudson<ref>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=Julia Cauble|title=Camp Hudson|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/qbc16|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref> and Camp San Felipe.<ref>{{cite web|last=Seale|first=Axcie|title=Camp San Felipe|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/qbc25|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref>

As of 1860, the county had a population of 2,874, including 108 blacks and 1,103 foreign-born.<ref name="Val Verde County"/>

=== Post–Civil War ===
During 1868, the San Felipe Del Rio community is established on San Felipe Creek, next to Camp San Felipe.<ref name="Val Verde County"/>

From 1869 through 1882, [[Black Seminoles|Seminole Negro Indian Scouts]] (mixed heritage Seminoles with African blood) under John Lapham Bullis, namesake of [[Camp Bullis]], defend the Texas border against Indian attacks.<ref>{{cite book|last=Glasrud|first=Bruce A|title=Buffalo Soldiers in the West: A Black Soldiers Anthology|year=2007|publisher=TAMU Press|isbn=978-1-58544-620-9|pages=143–152|author2=Searles, Michael N |chapter=The Black Seminole Indian Scouts in the Big Bend}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Eckhardt|first=C F|title=THE WHIRLWIND Lt. John Lapham Bullis and the Seminole Negro Scouts |url=http://www.texasescapes.com/CFEckhardt/Whirlwind-Lt-John-Lapham-Bullis-and-the-Seminole-Negro-Scouts.htm|work=Texas Escapes|publisher=Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref>

In 1883, the Galveston Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway was completed.<ref>{{cite web|title=Galveston Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway|url=http://www.txtransportationmuseum.org/Sunset.htm|publisher=Texas Transportation Museum|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref> Italian immigrant Frank Qualia established Val Verde winery.<ref>{{cite book|last=Braudaway|first=Douglas Lee|title=Val Verde County (Images of America: Texas) |year=1999|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|isbn=978-0-7385-0128-4|author2=Valverde County Historical Commission |page=93}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Overfelt|first=Robert C|title=Val Verde Winery|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/div01|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Val Verde Winery|url=http://www.valverdewinery.com/|publisher=Val Verde Winery|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref>

In 1884, the [[Langtry, Texas|Langtry]] community was established, named after George Langtry (an engineer and foreman). It has mistakenly been attributed to being named after British entertainer [[Lillie Langtry]] by [[Judge Roy Bean]].<ref name="Val Verde County"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Langtry, Texas|url=http://www.texasescapes.com/TOWNS/Texas_ghost_towns/Langtry_Texas/Langtry_Texas.htm|work=Texas Escapes|publisher=Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref>

In 1885, Val Verde County was organized from [[Crockett County, Texas|Crockett]], [[Kinney County, Texas|Kinney]], and [[Pecos County, Texas|Pecos]] counties. [[Roy Bean]] was elected justice of the peace in Langtry, operating out of the Jersey Lily Saloon and becoming renowned as "the Law West of the Pecos".<ref name="Val Verde County"/>

In 1886, the Juno and Devils River communities were established.<ref name="Val Verde County"/>

In 1888, the Comstock community was established.<ref name="Val Verde County"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Comstock, Texas|url=http://www.texasescapes.com/TOWNS/Comstock_Texas/Comstock.htm|work=Texas Escapes|publisher=Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref>

In 1889, the community of Norris was established.<ref name="Val Verde County"/>

=== Twentieth century ===
* 1928 Lake Hamilton Dam complete.<ref name="Val Verde County"/>
* 1904 Lillie Langtry visits the community of Langtry.<ref>{{cite book|last=Crutchfield|first=James A|title=It Happened in Texas|year=2007|publisher=TwoDot|isbn=978-0-7627-4569-2|pages=104–107}}</ref>
* 1929 Lake Walk Dam complete.<ref name="Val Verde County"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Lake Walk Dam|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/rol83|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref>
* 1936 Val Verde County received [[Recorded Texas Historic Landmark]] number 5625 to commemorate its founding.<ref>{{cite web |title=THC Val Verde County |url=http://atlas.thc.state.tx.us/viewform.asp?atlas_num=5465005625&site_name=Val+Verde+County&class=5000 |access-date=February 19, 2011 |work=Recorded Texas Historic Landmark |publisher=Texas State Historical Association}}</ref> 
* 1942 Laughlin Field/Laughin Army Air Field opens to train World War II pilots.<ref name="Val Verde County"/><ref>{{cite book|last=Benton|first=Jeffrey C|title=Air Force Officer's Guide |year=2005|publisher=Stackpole Books|isbn=978-0-8117-3194-2|page=330}}</ref>
* 1945 Laughlin Field closes.<ref name="Val Verde County"/>
* 1952 Laughlin Field reopens as [[Laughlin Air Force Base]], and serves as a secret [[U2]] unit.  [[Rudolf Anderson|Major Rudolf Anderson]], a U-2 pilot based out of Laughlin, was the only casualty of the [[Cuban Missile Crisis]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Laughlin AFB|url=https://www.laughlin.af.mil/|publisher=Laughlin AFB|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Leatherwood|first=Art|title=Laughlin Air Force Base|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/qbl04|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref>
* 1969 [[Amistad Reservoir|Amistad Dam and Reservoir]] complete. The project cost $78 million.<ref name="Val Verde County"/><ref>{{cite book|last=Braudaway|first=Douglas|title=Del Rio: Queen City of the Rio Grande|year=2002|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|isbn=978-0-7385-2387-3|page=125}}</ref>