Cottonwoods Station facts for kids

Cottonwoods Station was an important stop for stagecoaches traveling across Texas a long time ago. It was first used by the San Antonio–San Diego Mail Line and later became a key station for the famous Butterfield Overland Mail stagecoach service in El Paso County, Texas.

A Busy Stop on the Trail

Imagine traveling across Texas in the 1800s! Stagecoaches were like the buses of their time, carrying mail and passengers. Cottonwoods Station was a vital place where these coaches could stop. Here, tired horses would be swapped for fresh ones, and travelers could rest before continuing their long journey.

A Reporter's Description

A reporter named Waterman L. Ormsby rode on the very first westbound stagecoach of the Butterfield Overland Mail. He wrote about his trip and described Cottonwoods Station. He said it was about 21 miles from a town called Franklin (which is now part of El Paso).

Ormsby noted that the station was in a "pretty grove of cottonwood trees." He also mentioned that it was the only place to stop for a long distance before reaching Fort Fillmore, which was another eighteen miles away. This shows how important Cottonwoods Station was as a lonely outpost on the trail.

Where Was Cottonwoods Station?

According to Ormsby, Cottonwoods Station was located 21 miles north of Franklin, Texas. It was situated along the Rio Grande river, on an old road known as the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro. This road was a very old and important route that led into New Mexico.

Another report from 1858 by a postal inspector named G. Baily stated that the station was 22 miles from Franklin. Today, people believe Cottonwoods Station was somewhere in the area of Anthony, Texas. However, its exact spot is still a bit of a mystery! Historians have suggested a couple of possible locations, but no one is completely sure where it stood.