From Out of the Vaults MUSEUM OF BIG BEND
by Matt Walter
A
hand forged railroad tie and bush
ax with a 12-inch-long-blade and
a 36-inch handle. This particular
ax was used in shaping the ends of
railroad ties and clearing brush during
the laying of the “Orient of Texas” rail
line between Girvin and Alpine, Texas
in 1913. Girvin, located between
McCamey and Fort Stockton, grew rap-
idly when the rail line was built; but the
Great Depression and the construction
of a new highway a mile distant from it
Radio f or a Wide Range
caused its rapid decline. It is now listed
as a ghost town, with no census data.
BEHIND EVERY PROJECT IS A
Serving F ar W es t T e x as a t 9 3.5 FM
301 N. 5th ST
432-837-2061
MORRISON HARDWARE
SERVING ALPINE & THE BIG BEND SINCE 1928
ALPINE, TEXAS 79830
www.morrisonhardware.com
Bec ome a member a t www . marf apublicr adio . or g or 1-800-90 3-KR T S
Cenizo
First Quarter 2019
19