Brewster County, Texas

Historical Markers in Marathon, Texas

Marathon has 13 official Texas Historical Commission markers in Brewster County. The marker list includes records dating to 1936. Common marker themes include courthouse and civic history, churches, cemeteries, and community institutions, railroad, trail, and transportation history. Use this page to preview the markers, then open RoadHistorical on your drive to see nearby stops on the map, listen to narration, and save the places you want to visit.

What you will find in Marathon

  • Courthouse and civic history
  • Churches, cemeteries, and community institutions
  • Railroad, trail, and transportation history
  • Ranching, farming, and frontier settlement
  • Military, battle, and Texas Revolution sites

Plan with RoadHistorical

Comanche Trail · 1936

You are now traveling the Comanche Trail blazed by Comanche Indians, en route from the western plains to Mexico, and traveled later by emigrants and soldiers. It extended south from the Horse Head Crossing of the Pecos…

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Fort Pena Colorada (Red Rock) · 1936

Established in 1880 as a means of preventing Indian raids into Mexico. Raided by Apaches in 1881. Abandoned in 1893 after Western Texas had been permanently cleared of Indians.

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Black Gap Wildlife Management Area · 1963

Black Gap, a natural cleft in the basalt ridge northeast of the Sierra del Carmen, frames the headquarters site of the Black Gap Wildlife Management Area. Established in 1948, the "Gap" contains approximately 100,000…

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Colonel Lewis Given Harman · 1964

(1818-1902) Typical of those who served the South and then moved into new counties of Western Texas. Surveyor, Indian agent, soldier, legislator, Justice of the Peace. Born in Tennessee. Moved to Texas 1838. Fought in…

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Marathon · 1964

Fort Pena Colorada, the last active fort in this area, on the old Comanche Trail, about 4 miles to the southwest was established in 1879. Marathon was founded in 1881. Named by an old sea captain, A.E. Shepard, for the…

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Chambers Hotel · 1965

Chambers Hotel. Original adobe building constructed in 1891. First owner, Mrs. Mary Collins. Purchased in 1905 by (Gran) Chambers. Enlarged and a wooden frame built over the thick walls. Operated as Chambers Hotel until…

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First School House · 1965

Oldest school building in Brewster County. Built in 1888. Used for all public meetings and all elections. Restored in 1928 by ladies of Marathon Study Club. Is known as the Club House. Recored Texas Historic Landmark,…

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Double Mills · 1967

A natural watering place in prehistoric time, as evidenced by artifacts found here. Used later by Indians and Spaniards on roads from northern Mexico. As Maravillas Creek developed from a draw into water channel, old…

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Denuded Ouachita Rock Belt · 1970

In highway cuts toward the east are excellent exposures of almost vertical rocks layers--part of the Ouachita Fold Belt, a northeasterly trending folded and faulted mountainous range which was uplifted about 275 to 290…

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Los Caballos (in core of the Ouachita Structural Belt) · 1970

Highly deformed rocks in the Ouachita Fold Belt, a northeasterly trending range, uplifted about 275 to 290 million years ago. The intricate folding is shown by whitish rock bands--called caballos (the Spanish word for…

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The Gage Hotel · 1981

The Gage Hotel This brick hotel building, designed by the El Paso firm of Trost and Trost, was constructed in 1926-27 for Vermont native Alfred S. Gage. A cattleman, Gage founded the largest ranching operation in the…

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Albion E. Shepard House · 2013

In 1883, completion occurred of the extension of tracks by the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway (G.H. & S.A. Ry.) Line located between El Paso and San Antonio. Retired sea captain Albion E. Shepard arrived…

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