Frijole Historic Site

Frijole Historic Site. . , This West Texas ranch home is the most complete remnant of early farming and ranching enterprise in the Guadalupe Mountains. Two pioneer ranchers, the Rader brothers, settled here in the 1870’s with a few cattle. Their home, which consisted of the front rooms, is considered to be the oldest substantial building in the area., The Smith family moved here in the summer of 1906. Although keeping some livestock, they made a living primarily from truck farming and a small orchard. They used the first hydraulic ram in the area to pump water for the house and farm use. The nearest market for their produce was Van Horn, Texas, a dusty, jolting 60 mile wagon trip away. The family would leave in the evening after covering the fruits and vegetables with wet paper and rags to protect them from heat and arrive in time to meet the next morning's customers. During their 34 years here, the Smiths added the kitchen, two bedrooms and upstairs to the original ranch house. They also built the spring house, guest house, and double bath house. The red building to your left was periodically used as a bunk house, storage shed, barn, and school house for the eight local children. All these structures were built entirely of native materials. Over the years, this complex served as the community center for dances and other social gatherings and the site of the "Frijole" Post Office from 1912-1940, named by the local folks for their abundant diet of beans!, In the early 1940's Judge J.C. Hunter bought the Smith's "Frijole Ranch” and many of the surrounding ranches. He renamed his purchases the Guadalupe Mountains Ranch and covered the mountain with thousands of Angora sheep and goats. Today, with its critical spring water supply, this homestead is a reminder of that intriguing chapter of history during the days the pioneer rancher and the settling of the West.